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Objective: The objective was to evaluate the influence of different dietary crude protein (CP) levels during the growth phase on reproductive characteristics and reproductive efficiency as well as the body development of adult male Japanese quail.Methods: Three hundred one-day-old male quails were distributed into five treatments with diets containing different CP levels (18%, 20%, 22%, 24%, and 26%) in a completely randomized design, with six replicates of ten birds each. The CP diets were applied only during the growth phase (1 to 35 days). At 36 days of age, the birds were transferred to 30 laying cages with three males and nine females each, and all birds received the same diet formulated to meet production-phase requirements until 96 days of age.Results: The growth rate of the birds increased linearly (p<0.01) with increasing dietary CP, but the age of maximum growth decreased (p<0.05). At growth maturity, all birds had the same body weight (p>0.05). At 35 days of age, higher weight gain was obtained (p<0.05) with diets containing 22% CP or higher. No effects on feed conversion were observed in this phase. The increase in dietary CP enhanced (p<0.01) nitrogen intake and nitrogen excretion but did not affect (p>0.05) nitrogen retention. Testis size, seminiferous tubular area, number of spermatogonia, and germinal epithelial height at 35 days of age increased linearly (p<0.05) with dietary CP, while the number of Leydig cells decreased (p<0.01). The Sertoli cell number at 60 days of age increased linearly (p<0.01) with dietary CP. Dietary CP levels did not affect cloacal gland size, foam weight, foam protein concentration, semen volume, or flock fertility at 90 days of age.Conclusion: Dietary CP concentration affected body and testicular development in male Japanese quails but did not affect reproductive efficiency.

RESUMOO experimento foi realizado com o objetivo de testar dois processos de resfriamento de sêmen suíno, analisar o efeito da adição de CaCl 2 ao diluidor BTS e testar o método de avaliação do perfil enzimático da Aspartato Aminotransferase (AAT) sobre a qualidade espermática. Foram utilizados 12 ejaculados suínos de animais procedentes do setor de Suinocultura DZO/UFLA. Estes ejaculados foram diluídos e receberam diferentes concentrações de CaCl 2 (A: 0,0; B: 2,5; C: 5,0 e D: 7,5 mM). As amostras dos ejaculados foram submetidas a três processos de resfriamento (1: convencional 15° C ; 2: lento 15° C/5° C; 3: rápido 5° C), sendo que cada ejaculado ficou armazenado por um período de 72 horas para avaliações da qualidade espermática, constituindo os tratamentos experimentais. Os parâmetros seminais avaliados foram motilidade e vigor espermáticos e perfil enzimático da AAT. Houve diferença significativa (P<0,05) quanto aos níveis de CaCl 2 para o parâmetro de motilidade espermática, sendo que níveis maiores deste sal apresentaram resultados mais favoráveis à motilidade espermática. Para as variáveis vigor espermático e para o perfil da AAT não foi observado efeito da adição deste sal. Quanto ao processo de resfriamento, foi observada diferença significativa (P<0,05) para os parâmetros de motilidade e vigor espermáticos. Para o perfil enzimático não foi observado diferença significativa (P>0,05). Concluise que a adição de CaCl 2 melhora a motilidade espermática das amostras dos ejaculados suínos e que o processo de resfriamento lento substitui o processo convencional sem afetar a qualidade espermática do sêmen submetido à refrigeração. A avaliação da AAT não é válida para sêmen resfriado.Termos para indexação: Sêmen resfriado, suínos, parâmetros espermáticos. ABSTRACTThe study was carried out with objective to test two swine semen cooling processes and verify the effects of adding chloride of calcium (CaCl 2 ) on semen dilutor BTS and also to test the evaluation method of Aspartate Aminotransferase (AAT) enzymatic profile on the cooled swine semen spermatic quality. Were used twelve samples of ejaculation of breeders supplied by the Swine Breeding section at the DZO/UFLA. The samples were diluted and received different concentrations of CaCl 2 (A: 0.0; B: 2.5; C 5.0; D 7.5mM). The samples of ejaculation were submitted to three processes of cooling: 1 standard cooling (15° C); 2 slow cooling (15° C/ 5° C); 3 fast cooling (5° C), and each sample of ejaculation was stored for a period of 72 hours to evaluation of spermatic quality, over all experimental treatments. The seminal parameters evaluated were the spermatic motility and strength and enzymatic profile of the AAT. A meaningful difference was verified (P< 0.05) in the levels of CaCl 2 for the parameters of spermatic motility, high levels of this salt showed better results in this parameter . The variables spermatic strength and AAT profile, shown no effects for any addition of CaCl 2 . For the cooling process, a meaningful difference was verified (P<0.05) in the...