RESUMO Objetivou-se, com este estudo, encontrar níveis adequados de inclusão de butirato de sódio em ração pós-eclosão e pré-inicial, buscando minimizar os efeitos negativos do jejum de pintos de corte. Os animais foram distribuídos em delineamento inteiramente ao acaso, com cinco tratamentos e cinco repetições de 10 aves cada. Foram utilizadas cinco suplementações de butirato de sódio (controle; 0,05; 0,075; 0,100 e 0,200%) na ração pré-inicial, fornecidas aos pintos na caixa de transporte e durante a fase pré-inicial. Após 24 horas de acesso ao alimento e aos sete dias de idade, foram avaliados desempenho, retração do saco vitelino, concentração de glicose plasmática, peso e histomorfometria do intestino delgado. De sete a 10 dias de idade, realizou-se ensaio de metabolizabilidade. A suplementação de 0,10% de butirato de sódio aumentou o desenvolvimento das vilosidades intestinais dos pintos de corte aos sete dias de idade, mas não foi capaz de melhorar o desempenho na fase pré-inicial. A suplementação com butirato de sódio em dieta oferecida na caixa de transporte não melhora o desempenho dos frangos na fase pré-inicial. Recomenda-se suplementação de até 0,16%, a fim de melhorar a metabolizabilidade do extrato etéreo para frangos de corte aos sete dias de idade.

ABSTRACT This study was designed to determine adequate levels for sodium butyrate inclusion in pre-hatching and pre-starter feed in order to minimize the negative effects of post-hatch delayed placement on broiler chicks. Newly-hatched chicks were allotted in a completely randomized design, with five treatments, each comprising five replicates of ten birds each. Five dietetic levels of sodium butyrate (control, 0.050, 0.075, 0.100 and 0.200%) were used in the pre-starter feed offered to the chicks in the transporting box and during the pre-starter phase. Performance, yolk sac retraction, plasma glucose concentration, weight and histomorphometry of the small intestine were evaluated after 24 hours of feed access and at 7 days of age. A metabolic trial was performed when the chicks were seven to ten days of age. Supplementation of 0.1% sodium butyrate increased the development of broiler chicks’ intestinal villi at seven days of age but was not able to improve performance in the pre-starter phase. Supplementation with sodium butyrate in a diet offered in the transportation box does not improve broiler performance in the pre-starter phase. Supplementation of up to 0.16% is recommended, in order to improve the metabolizability of the ether extract for broilers at seven days of age.

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of including protected sodium butyrate (PSB) in the diets of laying hens of advanced age on productive performance and egg quality. In experiment 1, a total of 320 Dekalb White 61-week-old laying hens were distributed in a randomized block design to four treatments (0, 105, 210, and 300 g/ton of PSB) with eight replicates of 10 birds. The experiment was conducted over 112 days, divided into four periods of 28 days each. Productive performance and egg quality were evaluated. In experiment 2, a total of 58 000 Dekalb White 70-week-old laying hens were assigned to diets containing either 0 or 105 g/ton of PSB with two replicates of 14 500 birds. The experiment was conducted on a commercial poultry farm. Egg production and the percentages of broken eggs and dirty eggs were evaluated. The PSB levels did not influence the productive performance of laying hens. A quadratic effect was observed for eggshell thickness, percentage of eggshell and eggshell strength, reaching maxima at 193, 136 and 198 g/ton of PSB, respectively. A quadratic effect on yolk index reached a minimum at 181 g/ton of PSB. The percentages of dirty eggs and broken eggs were lower in laying hens fed 105 g/ton of PSB. In conclusion, the addition of PSB to the diets of old laying hens improved the eggshell quality and decreased the percentage of broken and dirty eggs.

Avaliou-se a suplementação enzimática em rações contendo milheto ou sorgo sobre a microbiota intestinal e o desempenho de frangos. Foram alojados 420 pintos - ensaio de microbiota - e 1.200 pintos - ensaio de desempenho -, submetidos aos tratamentos com sorgo ou milheto suplementados ou não com complexo enzimático. O delineamento utilizado foi inteiramente ao acaso, com sete repetições de 15 aves cada, para o ensaio de microbiota, e em blocos ao acaso, com cinco repetições e 60 aves por parcela para desempenho. Foram realizadas pesquisas de bactérias Gram-negativas e contagem do número total de microrganismos aeróbios do intestino delgado. A suplementação enzimática não afetou a microbiota intestinal de frangos aos 14 e 28 dias de idade. Houve efeito da suplementação enzimática nas dietas com sorgo para conversão alimentar na fase pré-inicial. Nas dietas com milheto, a suplementação melhorou o ganho de peso no período de um a 35 dias de idade. No período total de criação, de um a 42 dias, não foi observado efeito da suplementação para milheto ou sorgo. Conclui-se que a utilização da suplementação de enzimas em rações com sorgo ou milheto pode melhorar os resultados de desempenho, dependendo da fase de crescimento de frangos de corte.

Two experiments were conducted to examine the supplementation enzyme in broilers fed with sorghum or pearl millet. The intestinal microflora and broiler performance was conducted with 420 and 1.200 broiler chickens, respectively. The treatments consisted of sorghum or pearl millet diet with enzymatic complex. The microflora assay consisted of 15 birds per experimental unit in completed randomized delineament, with seven replicates, and the performance study consisted of 60 birds per experimetal unit in a randomized block design, with five replicates. A study of bacteria negative-gram and total number bacteria aerobic in the small intestine was carried out. The averages were compared by contrasts (performance) and the Kruskal-Wallis (bacteria) tests applied for the research. The enzyme supplementation did not affect the broiler intestinal microflora at the age of 14 and 28 days. Feed conversion in the pearl millet diets supplemented with enzymes was better in the initial phase. The body weight was better to treat enzymatic complex in diets pearl millet (at age of 1- 35 days), however, at the age of 1 to 42 days there was no effect of supplementation for millet or sorghum. The results showed that the sorghum or pearl millet diets supplemented with enzymes are a viable strategy to improve the nutritional value of the diets and performance results depending on the age of the broilers.