ABSTRACT The objective was to evaluate whether space allowance during pre-slaughter transport of European breeding quail affects welfare, carcass traits and meat quality. A total of 248 quails (body weight = 344.90 ± 2.09 g) were used. During pre-transport, the quails were fasted for 5 hours and 30 minutes. The poultry were caught and placed in plastic transport crates with an area of 0.40 m2. The treatments consisted of a different space allowance in each crate: 22, 28, 34 or 40 quails per crate. Immediately upon arrival at the slaughterhouse, the quails were stunned. During bleeding, blood samples were collected. The carcasses were individually weighed. The meat quality was measured. Data were analysed using the effects of space allowance during transport of quails and pickup truck as dependent variables. Death on arrival increased as the space allowance in transport crates decreased (p=0.08). Glucose and uric acid levels were not significantly different between groups (p≥0.14). The cold carcass weight presented the maximum value when the crates contained 31 quails (p=0.03). The meat pH, intensity of red, intensity of yellow and cooking losses were not different between groups (p≥0.12). The meat lightness value presented the maximum value when the crates contained 31 quails (p=0.04). In view of the above, the number of European breeding quails transported in crates must not exceed 30 animals.

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was evaluate whether pretransport feed withdrawal affects welfare, carcass, and meat characteristics of European quails. A total of 120 European quails were used, with an initial age of 15 days. Bird feed was removed before transport to the slaughterhouse at the following times, which characterised the different treatments: zero hours, three hours, six hours, nine hours and twelve hours. The transport took 54 minutes to cover 27 kilometres to a commercial slaughterhouse. The birds were slaughtered at 41 days of age. During bleeding, blood samples were collected. Blood glucose, total protein, albumin, uric acid, and corticosterone concentrations were measured. The carcasses and meat characteristics were measured. Poultry body weight decreased and blood glucose concentrations increased with the increase in feed withdrawal time. The treatments did not affect carcass weights. Carcass yields after three hours fasting were similar to those in the six hours and nine hours groups, indicating that gastrointestinal tracts were empty after the third hour. Meat quality was negatively affected (pH, lightness, water holding capacity, cooking loss) by the increase in feed withdrawal time; integrated parameters that characterise dark, firm, dry meat. Pre transport feed withdrawal time should be three hours to empty the gastrointestinal tract and minimise losses in meat quality of European quails. It is necessary to adjust feed withdrawal so that it does not exceed this time, since there is no technical justification for supporting it.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance and carcass characteristics of broilers fed exclusively vegetable diets and diets containing animal meal with the addition of creatine or not after day 8. In the experiment, 1080 one-day-old male chicks were distributed according to a completely randomized experimental design into six treatments with six replicates each. A control diet based on corn and soybean meal was formulated, to which animal meals and creatine were included or not. Diets were formulated to contain equal mineral (calcium, phosphorus and sodium) and amino acid (available methionine + cystine, lysine and threonine) levels. The following treatments were applied: A. control (diet based on corn and soybean meal); B. control + creatine (600g/ton); C. inclusion of 5% meat and bone meal (MBM), D. inclusion of 5% MBM + creatine (600g/ton), E. inclusion of 5% blood meal (BM), F. inclusion 5% BM + creatine (600g/ton). Weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion, carcass yield and viability were evaluated. At 42 days of age, BM dietary inclusion impaired weight gain and feed conversion ratio. The inclusion of MBM affected only feed conversion ratio. The addition of creatine ito the diet with BM improved weight gain when compared with the BM diet with no creatine. The addition of creatine to the diet containing 5% BM improved weight gain when compared with the same diet without the use of the additive.