ABSTRACT This study was conducted to determine the optimal standardized ileal digestible arginine to lysine (SID Arg:Lys) ratio for Japanese quails in the egg-laying phase. A total of two hundred forty-five 35-week-old Japanese quails (181 ± 1.30 g initial body weight) were randomly assigned to five treatment groups with seven replicates of seven quails. Graded levels of L-Arginine were added to a basal diet in order to produce five SID Arg:Lys ratios (101, 106, 111, 116 and 121%). Collected data were analyzed as one-way ANOVA and optimal ratio was estimated using polynomial regression model (linear and quadratic) based on performance traits. Statistical differences were considered for p<0.05. Graded SID Arg:Lys ratios did not affect performance traits assessed. Based on results, the SID Arg:Lys ratio of 101% is sufficient to warrant proper performance of Japanese quails in the egg-laying phase.

ABSTRACT This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolizable energy (AMEn) levels on meat-type quail performance and carcass traits from 1 to 14d of age. A total of 1120 not sexed meat-type quails were randomly distributed to seven treatments, with eight replicates with 20 quails each. A basal corn and soybean meal-based diet was formulated to meet or exceed quail nutritional requirements, except for ME. Graded levels of soybean oil were added to the basal diet in replacement, to sand, to obtain dietary treatments (2,600; 2,700; 2,800; 2,900; 3,000; 3,100 and 3,200 KcalAMEn/kg diet). Data were analyzed as one-way ANOVA and optimum AMEn levels were estimated using polynomial regression model. Increasing in dietary AMEn levels elicited a linear decrease (p<0.01) in feed intake and nutrient intake (AMEn, protein and lysine). Quail weight gain and final body weight exhibited a quadratic response (p<0.03) to increased AMEn levels, being both optimized at 2820 KcalAMEn/kg diet. Graded AMEn levels elicited a linear increase (p<0.01) in carcass dry matter and fat content, whereas moisture content was linearly decreased (p<0.01). The protein content of the carcasses was not influenced (p>0.05) by AMEn. Based on the results, the dietary AMEn level that warrants adequate performance and carcass traits of meat-type quails from 1 to 14d of age is 2,820 Kcal/kg diet.

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to determine the optimum standardized ileal digestible isoleucine to lysine (SID Ile:Lys) ratio for meat-type quails from 15 to 35 d of age. Three hundred fifty not-sexed meat-type quails (Coturnix coturnix coturnix) were randomly assigned into five treatments, with seven replicates of 10 quails each. An isoleucine-deficient corn-soybean meal-based diet was formulated and graded supplemented with L-isoleucine (99%) to obtain diets containing SID Ile:Lys ratios of 55,61, 67, 73, and 79%. Data were analyzed as one-way ANOVA and optimum SID Ile:Lys was estimated by polynomial (linear and quadratic) regression. Statistical differences were considered when p<0.05. Quail performance from 15 and 21 d and 15 and 28 d of age was not affected by the treatments. From 15 to 35 d of age, body weight gain and body weight exhibited a quadratic response to increasing dietary SID Ile:Lys ratios, and were optimized at 66 and 67% SID Ile:Lys, respectively. Feed conversion ratio was not influenced by SID Ile:Lys ratios in any of the phases assessed herein. Based on the results, the optimum SID Ile:Lys ratio for meat-type quails from 15 to 35 d of age is 67%.

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to estimate the dig. valine to lysine (Val:Lys) ideal ratio for meat-type quails from 15 to 35 d of age. A total of 385, 15-day-old not sexed quails, were randomly assigned to five treatments, each one seven times replicated with eleven quails per experimental unit. Experimental treatments consisted of five dig. Val:Lys ratios (0.65; 0.70; 0.75; 0.80 and 0.85). Ideal dig. Val:Lys ratio was estimated using polynomial regression and linear broken-line regression model. Significant effect was considered when p≤0.05. Feed conversion ratio was not affected by dig. Val:Lys ratios in any of the assessed phases. From 15 to 21 d of age Val:Lys ratios increased linearly feed intake, weight gain and body weight. From 15 to 28 d of age, weight gain and body weight were both optimized by the Val:Lys ratio of 0.77. A linear effect of dig. Val:Lys ratios was observed on weight gain and final body weight from 15 to 35 d of age. From 15 to 35 d of age, according to linear broken-line regression model, the dig. Val:Lys ideal ratios for optimum final body weight and weight gain were 0.77 and 0.76, respectively. Based on the results the estimated dig. Val:Lys ratio for optimum meat-type quail performance from 15 to 35 d of age is 0.77

ABSTRACT Two trials were performed to evaluate the effects of an enzyme complex (EC) on broiler performance, metabolizable energy, and phosphorus and nitrogen balance. In the first trial, 960 one-day-old male Cobb broilers were randomly distributed in a 3 x 2 factorial arrangement (three nutritional levels and the inclusion or not of EC), totaling six treatments with eight replicates of 20 birds per pen, and reared until 42 days of age. The control diet was formulated to meet the broilers' nutritional requirements. The other diets contained reduced available phosphorus (P), metabolizable energy, and amino acid levels, considering 100% and 150% of the EC nutritional matrix. The inclusion of the EC (200 g/ton) resulted in better broiler performance, improving weight gain in 4% and feed conversion ratio in 3% (p< 0.05). In the second trial, 240 male broilers were randomly distributed into the same treatments with eight replicates of five birds per cage. The method of total excreta collection was used. There was an interaction (p< 0.05) between diets and EC for P intake, nitrogen (N) intake, and N retention. The EC supplementation improved nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolizable energy values in 2.02% (p< 0.05). Significant effects were observed on phosphorus and nitrogen balance (p< 0.05). Phosphorus retention improved in 10.26%, nitrogen retention increased in 5.3%, while nitrogen excretion decreased in 3.3%. Based on the results of the present study, we recommend the addition of 200 g/t of the enzyme complex to broiler diets, considering nutrient reduction based on 100% of the EC nutritional matrix.

ABSTRACT This study aimed at evaluating four dietary L-Glutamine (L-Gln) or L-Gln plus L-Glutamate (L-Glu) supplementation programs on the performance, breast yield, and uniformity of broilers. A total of 2,112 one-d-old male Cobb 500(r) broilers were distributed according to a randomized block design in a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement (L-Gln or L-Gln plus L-Glu × 4 supplementation programs), totaling eight treatments with 12 replicates of 22 broilers each. The supplementation programs consisted of the dietary inclusion or not of 0.4% of L-Gln or L-Gln plus L-Glu for four different periods: 0 days (negative control), 9d, 21d, and 42d. Feed intake (FI, g), body weight gain (BWG, g), feed conversion ratio (FCR, kg/kg), coefficient of variation of body weight (CV, %), body weight uniformity (UNIF, %), breast weight (BW, g), breast yield (BY, %), coefficient of variation of breast weight (CVB), breast uniformity (UNIFB), coefficient of variation of breast yield (CVBY), and breast yield uniformity (UNIFBY) were evaluated. Birds fed the diets treatments supplemented with L-Gln or L-Gln plus L-Glu for 9d presented 3% higher BWG (p<0.05) compared with the controls. The L-Gln or L-Gln plus L-Glu supplementation until broilers were 21 days old resulted in 14, 10, 16, and 12% improvements (p<0.05) in CV, UNIF, CVBY, UNIFBY, respectively. The supplementation of 0.4% L-Gln (L-Gln 99%) or L-Gln plus L-Glu (minimum 95%) to pre-starter and starter broiler diets is recommended to improve body weight gain and uniformity.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of male broilers between 21 and 42 days of age fed diets supplemented with an enzyme blend (EB) and containing graded levels of sunflower meal (SFM). In total, 1920 male Cobb broilers were distributed according to a randomized block experimental design in a 4 x 3 factorial arrangement (four SFM dietary levels vs. three feed formulations) with eight replicates of 20 birds each. Dietary SFM inclusion levels were 0, 8, 16, and 24%. Feed formulation included one negative control diet (NC) formulated to supply broiler nutritional requirements, considering EB nutritional matrix values; a diet formulated as the first one, but with the addition of 0.5% EB (NC+EB); and the third diet (positive control - PC) was calculated to supply broiler requirements. Feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and carcass parameters were evaluated. There was no effect of EB dietary supplementation on the evaluated performance or carcass parameters (p > 0.05). Increasing dietary addition of SFM reduced weight gain and worsened feed conversion ratio (p > 0.05). The best EEI was obtained with the NC+EB diet containing 8.0% SFM.