ABSTRACT. This study aimed to correlate the physical characteristics of ground corn, at different crushing intensities, with the zootechnical performance of piglets in the nursery phase. Forty piglets (20 castrated males and 20 females) with an initial average weight of 15.7±1.98 kg and final weight of 32.5±3.27 kg were used. They were subjected to the same type of experimental diet (4% of commercial premix for the phase, 29% of soybean meal, and 67% of ground corn), with the only difference being the corn grinding process. The corn used was fractionated into five portions, and each one of them was crushed in a hammermill equipped with a different screen hole diameter (2; 2.5; 3; 3.5 and 4 mm). Which resulted in ground corn with the following particle sizes (PS): 518, 580, 628, 706 and 740 μm, and the following corn geometric standard deviations (GSD): 1.72, 1.71, 1.75, 1.80 and 1.90, respectively. The piglets were distributed in a completely randomized design with five treatments and four replications, with the experimental units being formed by pens with two piglets each. There was no effect (p > 0.10) from grinding intensities on daily feed intake (DFI) and daily weight gain (DWG). Conversely, there was an effect (p < 0.10) from different grinding intensities on feed conversion (FC). The PS and GSD of both the corn and diet, as well as the corn fractions retained on the 4-, 2- and 1.2-mm test sieves showed positive correlations with FC (p < 0.05). On the other hand, the corn fractions retained on the 0.6-, 0.3- and 0.15-mm teste sieves showed negative correlations with FC (p < 0.05). The linear model was the one that fitted the estimated data into the data observed for FC. A corn PS reduction from 740 to 580 μm promoted a linear improvement in FC. The use of corn fractions, retained on the 1-, 2- and 0.3-mm test sieves, and the use of corn GSD and diet GSD as independent variables showed a higher R² than that obtained with the use of corn PS as an independent variable in linear equations for estimating FC. ABSTRACT phase (2 2 females 157198 15 7 1 98 15.7±1.9 325327 32 5 3 27 32.5±3.2 4% (4 29 meal 67 , corn) process portions 2.5 25 35 3. mm. mm . mm) (PS) 518 628 70 74 (GSD) 172 72 1.72 171 71 1.71 175 75 1.75 180 80 1.8 190 90 1.90 respectively replications p 0.10 010 0 10 DFI (DFI DWG. DWG (DWG) Conversely (FC) 4, 4- 1.2mm 12mm 1.2 0.05. 005 0.05 05 0.05) hand 0.6, 06 0.6 6 0.6- 0.3 03 0.15mm 015mm 0.15 58 1, 1- 0.3mm 03mm R ( 15719 9 15.7±1. 32532 32.5±3. 2. (PS 51 62 (GSD 17 1.7 18 8 1. 19 1.9 0.1 01 (DWG (FC 2mm 12 00 0.0 0. 15mm 015 3mm 1571 15.7±1 3253 32.5±3 157 15.7± 325 32.5± 15.7 32.5 15. 32.

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the addition of different levels of capsaicin in the diet of female turkeys has beneficial effects on growth performance and the antioxidant and oxidant status in serum and meat. A total of 150 female turkeys were distributed in a completely randomized design with three treatments with five replicates per treatment and ten birds per experimental unit. Treatments were identified as control (without additive); T400 – basal diet containing 400 mg/kg of pepper extract per kg of feed; and T800 – basal diet supplemented with 800 mg/kg of pepper extract per kg of feed. Growth performance was measured on days 1 and 20 of the experiment. Blood samples were collected at 20 days of the experiment for analysis of the oxidant and antioxidant status, and at 20 days, five birds were euthanized per treatment for the analysis of the oxidant and antioxidant status of the meat. The turkeys fed diet supplemented with capsaicin had lower feed intake and better feed:gain ratio. Turkeys in the T800 treatment showed a reduction in serum levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and thiobarbituric acid, and this same effect was observed for ROS in their breast meat. Capsaicin supplementation improves feed conversion and reduces feed intake without altering weight gain in female turkeys. Furthermore, the addition of 800 g/ton reduces lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation in the serum and reduces protein oxidation in broiler turkey meat. meat 15 unit additive additive) T T40 40 mgkg mg T80 80 2 feedgain ratio (ROS acid Furthermore gton g ton T4 4 T8 8