ABSTRACT The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of dietary grape pomace flour (GPF) inclusion on the performance and egg quality of European quails (Coturnix coturnix coturnix) in lay. One hundred ninety-two (192), 42-day-old quails were distributed in a completely randomized design with four treatments (0, 2, 4 and 6% grape pomace flour inclusion) with six replicates of eight birds each. The performance parameters egg weight (g), average feed intake (g/bird), total feed intake (g/bird), egg production (%) and feed conversion ratio (kg/dozen) were evaluated, as well as egg quality traits Haugh unit, albumen weight (g), yolk weight (g), eggshell thickness (mm), egg specific gravity (g/cm3), and yolk pigmentation. There was no effect (p>0.05) of dietary GPF levels on egg production, feed intake, or feed conversion ratio. Egg weight, albumen weight, and egg specific gravity linearly decreased (p<0.05) as GPM levels increased in the diet. Haugh unit and eggshell thickness were not affected (p>0.05) by the treatments. A quadratic effect (p<0.05) was observed for yolk weight, with an estimated maximal inclusion level of grape pomace flour of 4.18% to obtain the highest yolk weight. A quadratic effect (p<0.05) was also observed on yolk pigmentation, with an estimated minimal level of 3.2% for this parameter. The minimal inclusion of 3.2% of grape pomace flour in quail diets influenced the egg yolk pigmentation, demonstrating its efficiency as a pigmentation additive.

ABSTRACT The pre-slaughter management is one of the predisposing factors to the reduction in the quality of the carcass and broiler meat, mainly for being a stressful condition. This study evaluates the inclusion of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus Stapf) in the water used in the diet of pre-slaughter broilers for the first time. The carcass and meat quality parameters were evaluated. The experiment was carried out in the poultry production of an experimental sector of the Federal University of Grande Dourados - UFGD. A total of 2,594 broilers were distributed in an entirely randomized design in a factorial arrangement of 3x2x2, with three different lemongrass concentrations in the form of infusion (0. 1 and 5 g/L), two sexes and two genetic strains (Ross 308® and Cobb 500®), and with four replications. After 42 days, 144 broilers were slaughtered, and the quality parameters of carcass and meat were evaluated. A higher incidence of scratches and higher water retention capacity were found in Ross 308® male (p<0.05). Less exudate of breast fillets loss was observed in broiler Ross 308® males 72 h post-mortem (p<0.05). There was an interaction between sex and lemongrass levels in the drinking water of the broilers in the sensory analysis of meat (p<0.05), more preferably of chewiness and juiciness for males undergoing free diet for juiciness and lemongrass in the female diet with 5g/L. The use of lemongrass infusions in pre-slaughter did not bring considerable benefits to the quality of carcass and meat of broiler.

ABSTRACT The experiment was conducted to study the effect of pure glycerin supplementation (GLYC) in the drinking water of broilers subjected to heat stress and feed restriction. Water with 0, 1, or 2% glycerin was provided ad libitum to broilers in six hours of feed restriction. The birds were housed in two environments: thermoneutral (TN) - 25 ° C, and cyclic heat stress (HS) - 12h with 250C, 6h with 320C, 3h of 250 to 320C and 3h of 320 to 250C. The experimental design was randomized in a factorial arrangement of 2 x 3 + 2, with three GLYC levels, two environments and one control group with ad libitum feeding each environment. When submitted to HS, broiler receiving 2% glycerin presented higher weight gain (WG), water consumption (WC), feed intake (FI) and energy consumption (EI) than those in the other treatments, contrarily to birds in TN, where increasing GLYC levels decreased those responses. Broilers submitted to feed restriction presented reduced FI, but better feed conversion (FCR), independently of rearing environment or GLYC levels. Broilers under HS submitted to feed restriction and receiving 2% GLYC presented higher WC (p< 0.05) and similar WG as the controls, differently from the restricted-fed broilers under TN receiving 2% GLYC, which WC and WG were lower than the controls. The inclusion of 2% pure glycerin in the drinking water may compensate the negative effects on performance caused by feed restriction in broilers submitted to heat stress.

ABSTRACTVitamin D is added to broiler diets to supply its physiological requirement for bone formation. The fast growth rate of modern broilers is often associated with poor bone formation. Increasing vitamin D supplementation levels and the use of more available sources have applied to try to prevent leg problems, to increase carcass yield, and to improve the performance of broilers. The present study evaluated three vitamin D supplementation levels (1) 3,500 IU (control); (2) control + 1,954 IU of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol; and (3) control + 3,500 IU of vitamin D in broiler diets supplied up to 21 days of age. The objective was to investigate if the vitamin D levels above the recommendations could reduce leg problems in broilers. In this experiment, a total of 1,296 one-day-old male and female Cobb(r) 500 broilers were used. A 2 x 3 factorial arrangement was applied, consisting of two sexes and three vitamin D levels. No difference was found between the levels of vitamin D (p > 0.05), the performance of males or females, the gait score, the valgus and varus incidence, the tibial dyschondroplasia incidence, the occurance of femoral degeneration, the bone colorimetric, and the carcass yield. Parts yield differences were found (p > 0.05), except for liver and intestine yields. We concluded that the lowest tested vitamin D level (3,500 IU per kilogram of feed) added to the diet was the best choice in terms of cost/benefit to help minimizing leg problems in broilers.

ABSTRACTThe pre-slaughter period is considered critical in broiler production. Several factors contribute to increase the birds' stress, such as handling, harvesting, and transportation, negatively affecting their welfare. This study aimed at evaluating the addition of lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratusStapf) to the drinking water of broilers during the pre-slaughter period on their behavior, blood cortisol, and surface temperature. The study was carried out at the experimental farm of the Federal University of Grande Dourados (UFGD), Dourados, MS, Brazil. In total, 2594 broilers were distributed according to a completely randomized experimental design, in a 3x2x2 factorial arrangement, with four replicates per treatment. Treatments consisted of three different lemon grass levels (Cymbopogon citratus Stapf) used in the form of an infusion (0, 0.1, and 5 g per L of water), sex (male or female), and genetic strain (Ross(r) 308 or Cobb(r) 500). The infusion was offered when birds were 42 days old. On that day, blood was collected for blood cortisol level determination, broiler surface temperature was recorded, and an ethogram was applied to register broiler behavior. Blood cortisol level and broiler surface temperature were not affected by treatments (p>0.05). The behavior of beak opening was different between the genetic strains (p<0.05), being more frequent in Ross(r) 308 broilers. Lemon grass water content did not affect broilers' surface temperature when consumed during the pre-slaughter period.

In Brazil, the egg production chain produces fresh eggs for the consumer market and for processing. Layers are housed in battery cage systems. Rearing and development farms are separate from egg-production farms. Considering the recent advance of Brazilian chicken egg production, scientific knowledge on management practices are required to disseminate and to consistently apply this knowledge to improve such practices. Artificial lighting is widely used in poultry reproduction, both in the production of hatchable eggs and of commercial eggs. Light is required for the release of hormones responsible for reproduction; however, the best lighting practices to stimulate laying poultry during the reproductive period still need to be determined, with the aim of saving electric energy, and therefore, to dilute production costs and comply with environmental sustainability requirements. This review showed that layers are indeed photostimulated with more than 12 hours of light, independently of the artificial lighting program applied. Results demonstrate that artificial lighting programs influence egg production, but not egg quality parameters. Intermittent lighting programs are good alternatives when layers are housed in open-sided houses, which are typically used in Brazil. Transcranial light reception is the most important route for the stimulation of reproduction in poultry.

Artificial lighting is one of the most powerful management tools available to commercial layer producers. Artificial light allows anticipating or delaying the beginning of lay, improving egg production, and optimizing feed efficiency. This study aimed at comparing the performance of commercial layers submitted to lighting using different LED colors or conventional incandescent lamps. The study was carried out in a layer house divided in isolated environments in order to prevent any influenced from the neighboring treatments. In total, 360 Isa Brown layers, with an initial age of 56 weeks, were used. The following light sources were used: blue LED, yellow LED, green LED, red LED, white LED, and 40W incandescent light. Birds in all treatment were submitted to a 17-h continuous lighting program, and were fed a corn and soybean meal-based diet. A completely randomized experimental design with subplots was applied, with 24 treatments (six light sources and four periods) of three replicates. Egg production (%) was significantly different (p<0.05) among treatments, with the best results obtained with red LED, white LED, and incandescent light sources. Egg weight, feed intake, and internal egg quality (albumen height, specific gravity, and Haugh units) were not influenced (p>0.05) by light source. It was concluded that the replacement of incandescent light bulbs by white and red LEDs does not cause any negative effect on the egg production of commercial layers.

The effects of the use of led technology in lighting's program of Japanese quail was evaluated, using 176 birds with 35 days of age, in a completely randomized design with four treatments (15W incandescent lamps, leds: blue, orange and white) and 2 replicates of 22 birds each. Since the first week of housing we established the lighting program, starting with 13 hours of light, with increases of 30 minutes per week until it reached 17 hours of light. Eggs and leftover food from each plot were weighed weekly to determine the average egg weight and feed consumption, expressed as daily basis. Evaluations were performed by ethogram for 4 escotophases to assess the frequency of access to the feeders by treatment in activation of lighting technologies. There were no significant differences (p>0.05) between treatments for egg production. To the parameters of egg weight, feed intake, shell weight and shell thickness were not observed significant differences (p>0.05) between treatments. The Unit Haugh and specific gravity also not showed statistical differences (p>0.05) between treatments.

Foram avaliados os efeitos do uso da tecnologia de led na iluminação artificial de codornas japonesas, utilizando-se 176 aves com 35 dias de idade, em delineamento inteiramente casualizado (DIC) com quatro tratamentos (lâmpadas incandescentes 15W, leds: azuis, laranjas e brancos) e quatro repetições de 11 aves cada. A partir da primeira semana de alojamento, estabeleceu-se um programa de luz contínuo, iniciando-se com 13 horas diárias de fotoperíodo, com aumentos sucessivos de 30 minutos por semana até que atingisse 17 horas diárias de fotoperíodo. Semanalmente, os ovos e as sobras de ração de cada parcela foram pesados, para determinação do peso médio dos ovos e do consumo médio diário de ração. Foram realizadas avaliações por etograma simples durante 4 escotofases a fim de avaliar a frequência de acessos aos comedouros por tratamento no momento de acionamento das tecnologias de iluminação. Não foram detectadas diferenças significativas (p>0,05) entre os tratamentos para produção de ovos. Para peso médio do ovo, consumo de ração, peso da casca e espessura de casca não foram observadas diferenças significativas (p>0,05) entre os tratamentos. A Unidade Haugh e a gravidade específica também não apresentaram diferenças estatísticas (p>0,05) entre os tratamentos.