ABSTRACT In order to evaluate the effect of diets with Ganoderma lucidum mushroom powder and zinc-bacitracin on growth performance, carcass traits, lymphoid organ weights, and intestinal characteristics in broilers, a total of 600 one-day-old unsexed broilers from Cobb 500 MV × Cobb 500 FF genotype was analyzed for 28 days, following a completely randomized design with three dietary treatments, five replicates and 40 birds per replicate. The dietary treatments consisted of a basal diet (BD) without additives (T0) and the dietary inclusion of 2.5 g/kg of Ganoderma lucidum (T1) and 350 mg/kg of zinc bacitracin antibiotic (T2). The experimental groups did not change (p>0.05) the performance of the broilers. However, G. lucidum powder increased (p≤0.05) the carcass and breast yields (p≤0.05) and decreased the abdominal fat and liver yields (p≤0.05), although with no notable differences with the antibiotic group for the latter organ (liver) (p>0.05). Both additives (G. lucidum and antibiotic) increased breast meat moisture, protein, and redness; however, these treatments reduced L* (lightness), and the zinc-bacitracin reduced breast yellowness (p≤0.05). Likewise, this medicinal mushroom (G. lucidum) increased the relative weight of bursa of Fabricius and the morphometry of the small intestine (p≤0.05), although with no changes for other immune and digestive organs or for the content of cecal lactic acid bacteria (p>0.05). The dietary inclusion with 2.5 g/kg of Ganoderma lucidum powder is recommended to improve breast yield, protein, and colorimetry without affecting performance and cecal traits of fast-growing broilers.

Abstract A total of 240 Dekalb White® hens, 100 weeks old, were randomly distributed into two treatments for 20 weeks, with four repetitions per treatment and 30 animals per repetition, to evaluate the effect of palm kernel meal on productivity, egg quality and economic feasibility of old laying hens. The experimental treatments consisted on a control diet and the inclusion of 20% of palm kernel meal. Laying intensity (5.19%) improved (P <0.05) with palm kernel meal, as well as food intake (5 g/hens/day) and mass conversion (from 2.45 to 2.40 kg/kg). In addition, the percentage of dirty eggs was reduced (2.2%), although without notable changes for egg weight, live weight and mortality of hens (P> 0.05). At week 115, yolk color (4) became more intense (P <0.05) with the inclusion of 20% of palm kernel. Also, at week 120, the diet with palm kernel meal improved (P <0.05) the resistance to shell rupture, its thickness and yolk color. The inclusion of 20% of meal reduced (P <0.05) costs of feed (80.43 USD), of consumed feed (2.87%) and the cost of producing an egg (0.01 USD). The inclusion of 20% of palm kernel meal in diets for old laying hens is recommended as a way to increase egg production, improve their external and internal quality, and increase the economic profitability of poultry industry.

Resumen Un total de 240 gallinas Dekalb White®, de 100 semanas de edad, se distribuyeron aleatoriamente en dos tratamientos durante 20 semanas, con cuatro repeticiones por tratamiento y 30 aves por repetición, para evaluar el efecto de la inclusión de harina de palmiste en la productividad, calidad del huevo y factibilidad económica de gallinas ponedoras viejas. Los tratamientos experimentales fueron una dieta control y la inclusión de 20 % de harina de palmiste. La intensidad de puesta (5.19 %) mejoró (P < 0.05) con la harina de palmiste, así como el consumo de alimentos (5 g/ave/día) y la conversión masal (desde 2.45 hasta 2.40 kg/kg). Además, se redujo el porcentaje de huevos sucios (2.2 %), aunque sin cambios notables para el peso del huevo, peso vivo y mortalidad de las aves (P > 0.05). En la semana 115, el color de la yema (4) se incrementó (P < 0.05) con la inclusión de 20 % de palmiste. También, en la semana 120, la dieta con harina de palmiste mejoró (P < 0.05) la resistencia a la ruptura de la cáscara, su grosor y el color de la yema. La inclusión de 20 % de harina redujo (P < 0.05) el costo del pienso (80.43 USD), del alimento consumido (2.87 %) y el costo para producir un huevo (0.01 USD). Se recomienda la inclusión de 20 % de harina de palmiste en las dietas destinadas a gallinas ponedoras viejas, como vía para incrementar la producción de huevos, mejorar su calidad externa e interna, y aumentar la rentabilidad económica de la industria avícola.

ABSTRACT This study was designed to determine the effect of a combination of propionic-acetic acid on body weight, the relative weight of some organs, lactic acid bacteria, and intestinal pH of neonatal broilers. A total of 60 1-day-old Ross 308® broiler chickens were randomly placed in metabolic cages to two treatments, three replicates, and ten birds per replicates. The treatments consisted of a control diet (CD) and CD + 0.03% of propionic acid and acetic acid in the drinking water at a rate of 4 ml/L of water. The combination of organic acids depressed the body weight in neonatal broilers (p<0.05) and increased the relative weight (p<0.05) of gizzard, proventriculus, small intestine, and liver; also acidified the cecum with a significant decrease (p<0.05) of the pH. Also, these organic acids increased (p<0.05) the count of green bacilli with a white halo in the small intestine and decreased (p<0.05) the proliferation of irregular flat green bacilli in the cecum, although for both intestinal portions, the total lactic acid bacteria count was not different (p>0.05) between treatments. The combined use in the diet and drinking water of the propionic and acetic organic acids, respectively, reduced the bodyweight of neonatal broilers (10 days) and the cecal pH, as well as modified the relative weights of some digestive organs and the growth of some morphological groups of lactic acid bacteria.

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to determine the effects of dietary inclusion with linseed and pumpkin seed meals on growth performance, carcass traits and breast meat fatty acids profile of helmeted guinea fowls. A total of 120 meat-type helmeted guinea fowl females of 12 weeks of age were fed with 0 (T0), 100 (T1) and 200 (T2) g/kg of linseed (LM) and pumpkin seed meals (PSM) for 56 days, in a completely randomized design with 10 replicates per treatment and four birds per replicate. The inclusion up to 200 g/kg of LM and PSM did not affect the livability, initial live weight and feed intake (p>0.05). However, final live weight and feed:gain ratio improved significantly (p<0.05). The T1 increased (p<0.05) the carcass yield and the T2 improved the breast weight and weight and yield of leg. Also, these experimental diets did not affect the carcass weight, breast yield and sensory quality of meat (p>0.05). The oleaginous seeds (LM and PSM) decreased (p<0.05) the mystic, palmitic and octadecanoic acids and the w-6/w-3 ratio, as well as increased the linoleic, a-linolenic, eicosapentanoic and docosahexanoic acids (p<0.05), but did not modify the concentration of monounsaturated fatty acids (p>0.05) and the eicosatrienoic and arachidonic acids in breast meat (p<0.05). It is recommended the inclusion of 100 g/kg of LM and PSM to improve the live weight, weight and yield of the edible portions and the essential fatty acids in breast meat of guinea fowl, without affecting the sensory quality of the meat.

In order to evaluate the influence of polycropping on the establishment of grasses, on a Vertisol soil, three tropical grasses (Panicum maximum cv. Likoni, Cenchrus ciliaris cv. Biloela and Chloris gayana cv. Callide) and five legumes (Vigna radiata, variety mung bean; and Vigna unguiculata, varieties: Cubanita-666, Lina, INIFAT-93 and IITA precoz) were sown in polycrop and monocrop systems. The design was split plots, with four replications and 18 treatments. The crop combinations did not affect the pasture establishment. There was highly significant interaction (p < 0,001) in the seed yield of the grasses, as well as in the grain yield of the legumes; with outstanding results in their polycrops with P. maximum cv. Likoni, for the first case, and in V. radiata (mung bean) combined with P. maximum cv. Likoni and Ch. gayana cv. Callide, for the second one. All the combinations showed advantageous equivalent land use indexes, with values higher than one. It is concluded that the use of temporary legumes in polycrop with the grasses did not affect their establishment, and that the seed and grain harvest improved the biological efficiency during the process.

Con el objetivo de evaluar la influencia del policultivo en el establecimiento de gramíneas, en un suelo Vertisol, se sembraron tres gramíneas tropicales (Panicum maximum cv. Likoni, Cenchrus ciliaris cv. Biloela y Chloris gayana cv. Callide) y cinco leguminosas (Vigna radiata, variedad frijol chino; y Vigna unguiculata, variedades: Cubanita-666, Lina, INIFAT-93 y IITA precoz) en sistemas de policultivo y monocultivo. El diseño fue de parcelas divididas, con cuatro réplicas. Las combinaciones de cultivos no afectaron el establecimiento de los pastos. Hubo interacción altamente significativa (p < 0,001) en el rendimiento de semilla de las gramíneas, así como en el rendimiento de grano de las leguminosas; con resultados sobresalientes en los policultivos de estas con P. maximum cv. Likoni, para el primer caso, y en V. radiata (frijol chino) combinada con P. maximum cv. Likoni y Ch. gayana cv. Callide, para el segundo. Todas las combinaciones presentaron ventajosos índices equivalentes del uso de la tierra, con valores superiores a uno. Se concluye que el uso de las leguminosas temporales en policultivo con las gramíneas no afectó su establecimiento, y que la cosecha de la semilla y de los granos mejoró la eficiencia biológica durante el proceso.

With the objective of evaluating the effect of different scarification alternatives on the germination of fresh seeds from Samanea saman, a study was conducted under natural field conditions on a Fluvisol soil, during the second quarter of the year (April-June). A randomized block design with four replications was used and the treatments were: T0 - untreated seed, T1 - immersion in boiling water for 5 minutes, T2 - immersion in boiling water during 10 minutes, T3 - immersion in boiling water for 15 minutes, T4 - immersion in water at room temperature for 24 hours, T5 - immersion in water at room temperature during 48 hours and T6 - immersion in water at room temperature during 72 hours. Treatments T3 and T4, without significantly differing from each other, showed the highest effect on seed emergence, with values higher than 67%. On the other hand, germination rate was higher between 6 and 20 days after planting, which shows the possibility of using both treatments to break the initial dormancy of the seeds from this species. It is concluded that the best treatments were the immersion of seeds in boiling water during 15 minutes and the immersion in water at room temperature for 24 hours, for which their utilization in S. saman seeds is recommended.

Con el objetivo de evaluar el efecto de diferentes alternativas de escarificación sobre la germinación de semillas de Samanea saman (algarrobo) en estado fresco, se realizó un estudio bajo condiciones naturales de campo en un suelo Fluvisol, durante el segundo trimestre del año (abril-junio). Se utilizó un diseño de bloque al azar con cuatro réplicas y los tratamientos fueron: T0 - semilla sin tratar, T1 - inmersión en agua a punto de ebullición durante 5 minutos, T2 - inmersión en agua a punto de ebullición durante 10 minutos, T3 - inmersión en agua a punto de ebullición durante 15 minutos, T4 - inmersión en agua a temperatura ambiente durante 24 horas, T5 - inmersión en agua a temperatura ambiente durante 48 horas y T6 - inmersión en agua a temperatura ambiente durante 72 horas. Los tratamientos T3 y T4, sin diferir significativamente entre sí, mostraron el mayor efecto en la emergencia de las semillas, con valores superiores al 67%. Por su parte, la velocidad de germinación fue mayor entre los 6 y 20 días después de la siembra, lo que evidencia la posibilidad de utilizar ambos tratamientos para romper la dormancia inicial que presentan las semillas de esta especie. Se concluye que los mejores tratamientos fueron la inmersión en agua a punto de ebullición durante 15 minutos y la inmersión en agua a temperatura ambiente durante 24 horas, por lo que se recomienda su utilización en las semillas del algarrobo.

The work was carried out on a Vertisol soil from the Cauto Valley, with the objective of evaluating the effect of different planting frames on the intensive production of living poles of the tree legume Gliricidia sepium. Six treatments were evaluated from the combination of three distances between rows (60, 120 and 180 cm) with two distances between plants (50 and 100 cm), using a 3 x 2 factorial design with four replications. A satisfactory performance was obtained in seed germination, because a population of plants per square meter was achieved two months after planting equivalent to 67,3% germinated seeds, as well as 97% average survival when the number of main shoots per hectare was compared to the number of plants per square meter. Significant interaction (P<0,01) was found among the factors in the number of plants per square meter and the best result was achieved with the 50 x 60 planting frame; this was in turn the treatment with higher total yield of poles in the third year. Stem diameter was significantly affected from the second year by the distance between rows. The lowest planting frame was concluded to provide the highest yield of living poles per hectare, although with a lower diameter than the other treatments, because of the effect of the competition among plants with the lowest distance between rows.

El estudio se realizó sobre un suelo Vertisol del Valle del Cauto, con el objetivo de evaluar el efecto de diferentes marcos de siembra en la producción intensiva de postes vivos de la leguminosa arbórea Gliricidia sepium. Se evaluaron seis tratamientos a partir de la combinación de tres distancias de camellón (60, 120 y 180 cm) con dos distancias de narigón (50 y 100 cm), utilizando un diseño factorial 3 x 2 con cuatro réplicas. Se obtuvo un comportamiento satisfactorio en la germinación de las semillas, ya que se logró una población de plantas por metro cuadrado a los dos meses de la siembra equivalente a un 67,3% de semillas germinadas, así como una supervivencia promedio del 97% cuando se comparó el número de vástagos principales por hectárea con el número de plantas por metro cuadrado. Se encontró interacción significativa (P<0,01) entre los factores en el número de plantas por metro cuadrado y el mejor resultado se logró con el marco de siembra 50 x 60; este fue a su vez el tratamiento con mejor rendimiento total de postes en el tercer año. El diámetro del tallo se afectó significativamente a partir del segundo año por la distancia de camellón. Se concluye que el menor marco de siembra proporcionó el mayor rendimiento de postes vivos por hectárea, aunque con un grosor inferior al resto de los tratamientos, debido al efecto de la competencia entre las plantas con la menor distancia de camellón.