The objective of this study was to evaluate the supplementation of guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) and L-arginine (L-Arg) as creatine precursors to vegetable diets on the carcass yield and meat quality of broilers subjected to two days of heat stress before slaughter. A total of 1260 broiler chicks were distributed according to a completely randomized design into four treatments with nine replicates of 35 birds each. The treatments consisted of: T1 -vegetable diet based on corn and soybean meal (control diet); T2 -control diet with the inclusion of meat meal (3%); T3 -control diet supplemented with GAA (0.08%); and T4 -control diet supplemented with L-Arg (0.8%). The birds were submitted to heat stress for two days before slaughter (from 42 to 44 days of age). The birds fed the diets supplemented with GAA or L-Arg presented heavier carcasses (p<0.0035), higher breast yield (p=0.0685), and lower of abdominal fat deposition (p=0.0508) than those fed the control diet and the control diet with meat meal. The cooking loss of the breast fillets of broilers fed the control diet supplemented with meat meal, GAA or L-Arg was lower (p<0.0068) compared with those fed the control diet. Thawing and pressure-driven breast fillet weight losses, and pH, luminosity, redness (a*value), and yellowness (b* value) values were not influenced by the treatments. When GAA is less expensive than commercially-available Arg, the dietary supplementation of GAA is more advantageous, based on the meat yield improvements observed in the present study.

The objective was to evaluate the performance, intestinal morphology and carcass yield of broilers fed corn-soybean meal (SBM) diet or corn-SBM-soybean hull (SH) with or without β-mannanase supplementation. Thousand four hundred and forty Cobb Slow-male-chicks were housed design following a factorial scheme 2 x 2 (corn-SBM diet and corn-SBM-SH diet vs with and without β-mannanase), composing 4 treatments and 9 replicates each treatment, with 40 birds each replicate. At 21 days, corn-SBM diet supplemented with β-mannanase resulted in better (p<0.05) feed conversion. At 42 days, the weight gain (p<0.05) and feed intake (p<0.05) of the birds fed diets containing SH was 2.6% and 2.9% higher than that of birds fed corn-SBM diets, respectively, independent of β-mannanase supplementation. Birds supplemented with β-mannanase had a lower length of villi (p<0.05) and absorption area (p<0.05) of jejunum mucosa, and higher (p<0.05) relative liver weight. Diets with SH and without addition of β-mannanase resulted in higher relative liver weight (p<0.05) and lower percentage of fat in the carcass. It was not found statistical differences (p>0.05) in the quality of the poultry litter with the inclusion of the enzyme in the diet. The use of β-mannanase in diets with higher concentration of fiber improves the feed conversion of broilers from 1 to 21 days and can be an important nutritional and economic strategy in situations of unavailability of raw material of better quality. Corn-SBM-SH diet resulted in greater weight gain at 42 days than corn-SBM diet.

The purpose of this trial was to supplement commercial broiler diets with optimum vitamin programs and higher availability of mineral sources, and to evaluate the effect on performance, yield and meat quality of broilers. The study used 1800 male broiler chicks randomly distributed in a 2 x 2 factorial design (vitamin programs -optimum and commercial vs. mineral sources -inorganic (sulfates) and carbo-aminophospho-chelate (CAPC)). Supplementation associating optimum vitamin levels and mineral source CAPC resulted in better feed conversion and higher carcass weight at 42 days of age (p<0.05). Supplementation of diets with optimum vitamin levels resulted in higher absolute and relative breast weight, lower abdominal fat deposition, and reduction (p<0.05) of broiler breast water loss by dripping. Supplementation with CAPC minerals resulted in higher breast weight, lower abdominal fat deposition, less elastic muscle tissue, that is, a higher level of tenderness resulting in less resistance of muscle fibers and skin with higher tear strength than the skin of birds fed inorganic sources. Associating optimum vitamin programs and CAPC mineral source resulted in lower (p<0.05) lipid peroxidation levels in thighs and drumsticks after 10 and 40 days freezing. No difference (p>0.05) was found in the association of vitamin programs and mineral sources on the occurrence of white striping and dorsal myopathy. Supplementing the diets with optimized vitamin programs associated with a more bioavailable mineral source resulted in a positive contribution to the meat quality of broilers.

RESUMO O objetivo foi avaliar o efeito do uso de extrato de plantas sobre a resposta imune, o desempenho produtivo e a morfometria intestinal de frangos de corte desafiados com a vacina contra coccidiose. Foram utilizados 720 pintos de corte, machos, distribuídos em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado com quatro tratamentos e nove repetições de 20 aves cada. A partir dos 14 dias, as aves passaram a receber os tratamentos experimentais compostos por A – Dieta basal + Antibiótico promotor do crescimento (APC) ; B - Dieta basal + APC + desafio vacinal; C - Dieta basal + extrato de plantas, e D - Dieta basal + extrato de plantas + desafio vacinal. As aves dos tratamentos B e D receberam vacina oral contra coccidiose (vinte vezes a dose individual recomendada pelo fabricante). A adição de extrato de plantas à dieta de aves desafiadas com oocistos de Eimeria sp aumentou (p <0,05) a secreção de IgA pela mucosa intestinal. As lesões microscópicas da mucosa intestinal não foram influenciadas (p >0,05) pelo desafio ou pelo uso do extrato de plantas. O desafio com oocistos de Eimeria sp ou associado ao extrato de plantas resultou em menor (p <0,05) ganho de peso e pior conversão alimentar apenas na semana seguinte à inoculação. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que a adição de extrato de plantas à dieta de aves submetidas ao desafio vacinal aumentou a secreção de IgA pela mucosa intestinal e que a inclusão do extrato de plantas ou de melhorador de desempenho resultou em desempenho produtivo semelhante.

RORIG, A. Avaliação do efeito de ácidos orgânicos via água de bebida durante o manejo pré abate sobre a microbiota do inglúvio, ingestão de água e perda de peso de frangos de corte. Arq. Ciênc. Vet. Zool. UNIPAR, Umuarama, v. 17, n. 1, p. 31-36, jan./mar. 2014. RESUMO:O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito da adição de ácidos orgânicos comerciais na água de bebida 24 horas antes do abate sobre a perda de peso, a ingestão de água e a microbiota do inglúvio de frangos de corte. Foram utilizados 900 frangos da linhagem Cobb com 45 dias de idade, distribuídos em cinco tratamentos com seis repetições. Os tratamentos consistiram de: A -Controle (sem adição de ácido); B -produto comercial composto por Ácido 2-Hidroxi-4-Metil-Tio--Butanóico (HMTba), ácido propiônico e fórmico, C -produto comercial composto por ácido fórmico, acético e formiato de amônio, D -produto comercial a base de ácido acético (vinagre branco) e E -produto comercial composto por ácido lático e fórmico. Os produtos testados foram diluídos de acordo com a recomendação do fabricante até o pH estabilizar em 4,0. Após a diluição, os produtos foram administrados nos bebedouros por 24 horas antes do abate. Nas últimas oito horas antes do abate, as aves foram pesadas e submetidas ao jejum alimentar. Ao final do período de jejum, as aves foram novamente pesadas, o volume de água ingerido foi registrado e amostras do conteúdo do inglúvio foram coletadas para análises microbiológicas. Não houve diferenças (p>0,05) na perda de peso em relação à independente da adição de ácidos orgânicos na água de bebida. A ingestão de água pelas aves tratadas com diferentes ácidos orgânicos foi maior (p<0,05) que de aves não tratadas. A adição de diferentes composições de ácidos orgânicos na água de bebida alterou a ocorrência de E. coli, Proteus spp e Salmonella spp., mostrando que estes aditivos podem ser efetivos, principalmente em condições de desafio sanitário e ambiental em criações comerciais de frangos de corte. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Aditivos. Cama de frango. Jejum pré-abate. Salmonella spp. ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECT OF ORGANIC ACIDS VIA DRINKING WATER DURING MANAGEMENT IN THE PRE-SLAUGHTER ON THE CROP MICROBIOTA, WATER INTAKE AND WEIGHT LOSS OF BROILER CHICKEN ABSTRACT:The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of using commercial organic acids in drinking water 24 hours before slaughter on weight loss, water intake and crop microbiota of broiler chicken. A total of 900 Cobb broiler chickens at 45 days of age divided into five treatments with six replicates were used. The treatments consisted of: A -Control (without acid); B -commercial product composed of 2-Hidroxy-4-Methyltio-Butanoic acid (HMTba); acid propionic and formic acid; C -commercial product composed of acid formic, acid acetic and ammonium formate; D -commercial product based on acetic acid (white vinegar); and E -commercial product consisting of lactic and formic acid. The products tested were diluted according to the manufacturer's recommendation until the pH stabilized at 4.0. After dilution, th...