Five hundred and four 1-day-old Cobb broiler chickens were randomly allotted to 18 treatments and fed a semi-purified basal diet (4 g/kg total phosphorus) supplemented with 2 levels of supplemental P (0.5 or 1 g/kg) during 21 days to evaluate performance and bone mineralization; to assess the relative bioavailability of P (RBP) in wheat meal (WM) and roasted (RS) or extruded soybean meal (ES), with or without phytase (0 or 750 ftu/kg diet), using dicalcium phosphate (DC) as standard; and to estimate phosphorus excretion. Weight gain (WG), feed intake (FI), feed to gain ratio (FG), and tibia ash weigh (AW) were assessed. For each source, the RBP was calculated by the slope ratio method, when tibia ash weight was regressed on P ingested. Ingested and fecal P was determined to calculate P intake, and P excretion and excretion rate. Phytase addition increased overall FI, WG, and FG ratio by 3.3, 2.6 and 0.8%, respectively, but differences were not significant. Overall AW was increased by 10.8% after the enzyme inclusion in the diets. The relative bioavailability of phosphorus values of tested WM, RS, and ES were increased by 6.32, 64.32, 76.99%, respectively, in response to supplementation of phytase in diets containing WM, RS, and ES, respectively. Phytase reduced P excretion by 12.7% and the excretion rate by 15.0%, regardless of the phosphorus source or level.

The objectives of this study were to validate a non-extractive RIA for seminal testosterone and quantify the hormone using a solid-phase commercial kit, and study the correlation between testosterone in seminal plasma and sperm characteristics. Parallelism showed a correlation index r = 0.992 (Y = -5.47 + 1.073X; R² = 0.985), indicating that the non-extractive method presented is indicated particularly for assessment of testosterone when establishing comparisons between samples. Overall mean (±SD) of testosterone level was 0.60±0.65 ng/mL. Correlation was only found between the seminal concentrations of testosterone and pH of the semen.

Quatrocentos e vinte pintos de corte Cobb 500, machos de 1 dia de idade, foram distribuídos aleatoriamente em 15 tratamentos com 4 repetições, em teste utilizando baterias (7 aves/gaiola), com duração de 21 dias, para determinar a biodisponibilidade relativa de fósforo (BRP) em três ingredientes, com duas características genéticas (baixo fósforo fítico ou convencional). Utilizou-se uma dieta basal semipurificada, à base de milho e farelo de soja, adicionada de cevada convencional, cevada com baixo fósforo fítico, milho convencional, milho com baixo fósforo fítico, farelo de soja convencional, farelo de soja com baixo fósforo fítico e de fosfato bicálcico em substituição ao amido de milho, de modo a fornecer 0,05 ou 0,10% de fósforo suplementar, totalizando 15 dietas [(3 × 2 × 2) + 3]. Semanalmente foram avaliados o peso vivo, o ganho de peso, o consumo de ração e a conversão alimentar por parcela experimental. Ao final do experimento, aos 21 dias de idade, foram abatidas 3 aves por unidade experimental para remoção das tíbias esquerdas para análise do conteúdo de cinzas ósseas. A biodisponibilidade de fósforo do milho, da cevada e do farelo de soja convencionais foram de 18,5; 50,9 e 34,4% respectivamente, enquanto, para a do milho, da cevada e do farelo de soja com baixo fósforo fítico foram de 93,5; 132,9 e 90,9% respectivamente. O consumo de ração, o ganho de peso e a mineralização óssea das aves alimentadas com as dietas com baixo fósforo fítico foram superiores aos daquelas alimentadas com as dietas convencionais.

Four hundred and twenty one day-old broilers, Cobb 500, were randomly allotted to 15 treatments with four replications (7 chicks/pen) in a 21-day battery trial to assess the relative availability of phosphorus (RBP) from three feeds with two different genetic characteristics (low phytic phosphorus or conventional). One semi-purified basal diet based on corn starch and soybean meal with the addition of conventional barley, barley with low phytate phosphorus, conventional corn, corn with low phytate phosphorus, conventional soybean meal, soybean meal with low phytate phosphorus and dicalcium phosphate in substitution for the corn starch to supply 0.05 or 0.10% supplementary phosphorus, totaling 15 diets [(3 × 2 × 2) + 3]. Live weight, weight gain, feed intake, and feed to gain ratio were determined weekly for each experimental unit. At the end of the experimental period (21 days), three broilers per pen were slaughtered to remove the left tibias to determine the bone ash content. The phosphorus bioavailability of the conventional corn, barley and soybean were 18.5, 50.9, and 34.4%, respectively whereas for low phytate phosphorus corn, barley and soybean meal values were observed of 93.5, 132.9, and 90.9%, respectively. Feed intake, weight gain and bone mineralization of broilers fed low phytate phosphorus diets were higher than the observed for conventional ingredient diets.

Cento e noventa e dois leitões foram usados em um experimento para avaliar a biodisponibilidade relativa do fósforo (RBP) em seis fontes fosfáticas. As fontes foram três fosfatos de uso em nutrição (FP), dois fabricados no Brasil e um nos Estados Unidos, e três amostras de fosfatos de rocha (RP), originados de duas minas brasileiras e uma mina situada em Israel. Os níveis de cálcio (Ca), fósforo (P) e flúor (F) nos fosfatos de rocha foram 29, 12 e 1,7% (fonte RP 1), 33, 14 e 1,4% (fonte RP 2) e 30, 14 e 3,6% (fonte RP 3), respectivamente. Os suínos foram alimentados com uma dieta basal de milho e farelo de soja (18% PB, 0,95% Lis, 0,75% Ca, 0,37% P) ou dieta basal contendo 0,15% P a partir de um fosfato bicálcico purificado padrão (SP), ou com 0,15% P a partir das fontes experimentais FP ou RP. Cada dieta foi fornecida a seis baias (replicatas) com quatro leitões durante 35 dias (14,4 a 39,9 kg). O ganho de peso (WG), a conversão alimentar (FG), o P plasmático (PP), as cinzas ósseas (BA) e a resistência óssea à quebra de metacarpos e metatarsos (BS-MM) e fêmures (BS-F) melhoraram com a adição de fósforo às dietas. Contudo, o desempenho e os parâmetros ósseos pioraram com o uso dos fosfatos de rocha, em comparação à suplementação dietética de FP. A análise de regressão dos dados de WG, BA, BS-MM e BS-F em relação ao P adicional foi realizada e foram calculadas slope-ratios para avaliar a RBP nas fontes de FP e RP. A biodisponibilidade média do P nas fontes FP e RP, relativas ao SP (com valor atribuído de 100), foram 89 e 49% (WG), 112 e 49% (BA), 78 e 28% (BS-MM), e 101 e 52% (BS-F), respectivamente. Baixos desempenho e resistência óssea relacionados à toxicidade devem ser esperados se fosfatos de rocha forem utilizados na alimentação de suínos.

One hundred ninety two swine were used in a trial to assess the relative bioavailability of phosphorus (RBP) in six phosphate sources. Phosphates were three feed grade phosphates (FP), two made in Brasil, and one USA made, and three rock phosphate samples (RP) originated from two mines sites in Brasil, and one mine site in Israel. Levels of calcium, phosphorus and fluorine in RP were 29, 12 and 1.7% (RP source 1), 33, 14 and 1.4% (RP source 2), and 30, 14 and 3.6% (RP source 3), respectively. Pigs were fed a corn-soybean meal basal diet (18% CP, 0.95% Lys, 0.75% Ca, 0.37% P) or the basal diet with 0.15% P from a standard purified grade calcium phosphate (SP), or with 0.15% P from experimental FP or RP. Each diet was fed to six pen replicates of four pigs per pen for 35 days (14.4 to 39.9 kg). Weight gain (WG), feed/gain (FG), plasma P (PP), bone ash (BA), and breaking strength of metacarpals and metatarsals (BS-MM) and femurs (BS-F) were improved by phosphorus addition. However, performance and bone parameters were depressed by RP, as compared to FP dietary supplementation. WG, BA, BS-MM and BS-F were regressed to P added, and slope-ratios were calculated to assess RBP in the FP and RP sources. The average bioavailability of P in the FP and RP sources, relative to SP, were 89 and 49% (WG), 112 and 49% (BA), 78 and 28% (BS-MM), and 101 and 52% (BS-F), respectively. Low animal performance and bone strength related to toxicity should be expected if rock phosphates are used to feed pigs.