O experimento foi realizado com o objetivo de investigar efeitos zootécnicos e econômicos da associação de probióticos adicionados à dieta de leitões no aleitamento e na creche. Foram utilizados 144 leitões do nascimento até os 62 dias de idade. No aleitamento o delineamento foi inteiramente casualizado com dois tratamentos: Controle e Probiótico A. Na creche, foram blocos casualizados com arranjo fatorial de tratamentos 2x3: Probiótico A e Probiótico B; Controle e Probiótico B; Probiótico A e Probiótico A; Controle e Controle; Probiótico A e animais desafiados; e Controle e animais desafiados. Aos 35 dias de idade 48 animais da creche foram inoculados com Salmonella Typhimurium via oral. Avaliou-se peso médio, consumo médio de ração, o ganho de peso médio e a conversão alimentar. Para a análise econômica, calcularam-se os custos das dietas durante a creche e o desempenho da receita de comercialização dos animais. O consumo de ração utilizado na análise corresponde àquele ocorrido no período total de 21 a 62 dias de idade. Na maternidade não foi observado efeito nos parâmetros avaliados. Na creche, a conversão alimentar foi favorável ao tratamento Probiótico A Probiótico A. Na avaliação econômica o tratamento Controle Probiótico B apresentou menor custo em relação aos demais, podendo, assim, representar uma alternativa satisfatória.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of probiotics association added to piglets diets in lactation and nursery. A total of 144 piglets from birth to 62 days old were raised. The design with two treatments (Control and Probiotic A) was totally randomized in lactation. In the nursery, randomized blocks with factorial arrangement 2x3 were defined: Probiotic A and Probiotic B; Control and Probiotic B; Probiotic A and Probiotic A; Control and Control; Probiotic A with challenged animals; and Control and challenged animals. At 35 days from birth 48 animals of the nursery were orally inoculated with Salmonella Typhimurium. Average weight, feed consumption, average weight gain and feed conversion were assessed. For economic analysis, the costs of diet during the nursery and income of animal's sale were calculated. Feed consumption considered for analysis was the one related to the period of 21 to 62 days of life. No effect was observed on evaluated parameters in the maternity. Positive effect was observed on feed conversion for Probiotic A and Probiotic A treatment in nursery. In economic evaluation, Control and Probiotic B treatment showed lower cost compared to other ones, thus representing a satisfactory alternative.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the influence of a probiotic product (composition: Lactobacillus acidophillus (3.5 × 10(11) CFU), Streptcoccus faecium (3.5 × 10(11) CFU) and Bifidobacterium bifidum (3.5 × 10(11) CFU)) on broiler performance. A total of 1200 one-day-old broilers were reared until 42 days of age, and distributed in a completely randomized experimental design with 3 treatments (antibiotic, probiotic and control) with 10 replicates of 40 birds each. Weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio and mortality were evaluated. Concerning weight gain, in the periods of 0-7 and 0-14 days of age, the group fed the antibiotic product presented higher values as compared with the other treatments. However, in the periods of 0-21, 0-28 and 0-35 days of age, birds fed the antibiotic presented higher weight gain only in relation to the control group. Feed intake differences were detected only in the initial period of 0-7 days of age, with the group fed the antibiotic product presenting higher feed intake as compared with that fed the probiotic product, although these groups were not different from the control group. No statistical difference was detected in feed conversion ratio among treatments in any of the evaluated age intervals. Mortality was different only in the period of 0-14 days of age, which was higher in the control group as compared with that of the birds fed the probiotic product, but it was not different from the group receiving the antibiotic. Treatment with probiotic product containing Lactobacillus acidophillus, Streptococcus faecium and Bifidobacterium bifidum does not affect broiler performance.

Um experimento foi conduzido com o objetivo de avaliar os efeitos da inclusão de ácido benzoico (Vevovitall®) na dieta sobre o desempenho e a morfologia intestinal do duodeno de leitões de 28 a 70 dias de idade. Foram utilizados 160 leitões Dalland × Penarlan desmamados aos 21 dias de idade, separados por sexo. O experimento foi dividido em fases pré-inicial 1 (28 a 35 dias de idade), pré-inicial 2 (36 a 46 dias de idade) e fase inicial (47 a 70 dias idade). Utilizou-se o delineamento experimental tipo blocos ao acaso com 5 tratamentos, cada um com 8 repetições de 4 animais, totalizando 40 unidades experimentais. Foram utilizados quatro níveis de ácido benzoico (0; 0,25; 0,50 e 0,75%) e um tratamento testemunha com ácido fumárico. Abateram-se, aos 70 dias de idade, dois animais por repetição para coleta de amostras do duodeno e estudo da morfologia intestinal e um animal por repetição para estudo de lesões gástricas. Foram avaliadas as características de desempenho (ganho de peso, consumo de ração e conversão alimentar) para cada fase e para o período total. Como características morfológicas, foram avaliadas a altura das vilosidades, a profundidade de criptas e a relação altura de vilosidades/profundidade de criptas. Avaliou-se ainda a incidência de diarreia. No período de 28 a 70 dias, o uso de ácido benzoico influencia o desempenho de suínos, que neste estudo foi melhor os níveis de 0,50 e 0,75%, e reduz a incidência de diarreia. Animais alimentados com dietas contendo ácido benzoico apresentam maior altura de vilosidade e profundidade de criptas.

An experiment was conducted with the objective of evaluating the effects of different levels of benzoic acid (Vevovitall) on the performance and intestinal morphology of the duodenum in piglets from 28 to 70 days of age. One hundred and sixty Dalland × Penarlan piglets weaned at 21 day old, separated by sex, were used. The experiment was divided into pre-initial 1 (28 to 35 days), pre-initial 2 (36 to 46 days) and initial (47 to 70 days) phases. A randomized complete block design was used with 5 treatments and 8 replications, totaling 40 experimental units. Four levels of benzoic acid (0, 0.25, 0.50 and 0.75%) were used and a control with acid fumaric in the diets. Two animals were slaughtered per replication at 70 days of age to collect duodenum samples to study the intestinal morphology and one animal per replication to study gastric lesions. The following characteristics were assessed: performance (weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion) for each phase and the entire period. The following were assessed as morphological characteristics the villous height, duodenum crypts depth and the villous height/duodenum crypt depth ratio. Diarrhea incidence was also evaluated. The use of benzoic acid improved performance and reduced diarrhea incidence of piglets from 28 to 70 days of age, with the best results obtained by using 0.50 and 0.75%. Animals fed with the diets containing benzoic acid presented greater villous height and crypt depth.

Foram utilizadas 288 aves da linhagem Isa Babcock avaliando o efeito da debicagem leve, severa e da não debicagem sobre o desempenho de poedeiras, distribuídas em delineamento inteiramente casualizado em esquema fatorial 3x3 (primeira debicagem x segunda debicagem), com quatro repetições de oito aves cada. A primeira debicagem foi realizada aos nove dias e a segunda debicagem às 12 semanas. Avaliou-se consumo de ração, peso das aves, percentagem de postura e conversão alimentar em quatro períodos de 28 dias cada. De acordo com os resultados, aves com debicagem severa apresentaram menor consumo de ração e menor percentagem de postura(P<0,05).

One experiment was conducted using 288 Isa Babcock laying hens, to study the effects of beak trimming (not trimming, light and severe). The hens were distributed in an at random experimental design, in factorial arrangement 3x3 ( first x second beak trimming ). The first one was done at nine days of age and the second at twelve weeks of age. Feed intake, body weight, egg production and feed conversion in four periods of twenty eight days each was evaluated. According to the results, the birds at severe beak trimming showed less feed intake and worst egg production (P<0.05).