Pasture-flock-raised poultry are becoming an increasingly popular product, but only limited options are currently available for maintaining gut health. For these producers, prebiotics are an attractive option because they are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) and can be mixed into the feed and thus do not require adjustments to production protocols. However, if prebiotic treatments reduce production performance, they would not be useful to producers. Thus, the objective of this study was to measure performance of pasture-raised broilers fed 1 of 3 prebiotic treatments. For these trials, 2 breeds of birds were used: Naked Neck slow-growing breeds and Cornish White Rock cross fast-growing breeds. The experimental design was replicated for each breed. A total of 340 birds were split into 4 groups, each group fed one feed additive: 1) galactoligosaccharides (2% wt/wt), 2) fructooligosaccharides (1% wt/wt), 3) plum fibers (1% wt/wt), or 4) no additives. During the 8-wk rearing period, 10 birds from each group were collected and euthanized to take small intestine samples. Histological preparations were made from the small intestine tissue, and 4 measurements of villi height and crypt depth from each cross section were taken. Throughout the study, mortality was monitored and BW measurements were taken at 2-wk intervals. For the Cornish White Rock cross, the group receiving the feed supplemented with fructooligosaccharides had higher (P < 0.05) 8-wk BW than those fed Plum; control and birds fed galactoligosaccharides were intermediate. For the Naked Neck breed, the group receiving the plum fibers had the highest final BW. It appears that all 3 feed supplements offered some protective effect for alterations in villi length and crypt depth due to feed withdrawal, but only for the Naked Neck breed. The data indicate the 3 prebiotics utilized in this study could be used without risk of decreasing production performance, but only for Naked Neck breeds.

The objective of this study was to evaluate productive performance and egg quality of Japanese quails (Cortunix japonica) fed with synthetic and natural pigments. The treatments used were: 0.8% paprika extract (Capsicum annuum), 0.8% marigold flower extract, 4% paprika extract and 4% marigold flower extract and 0.045% synthetic pigment (Canthaxanthin) in feed. A total of 240 Japanese quails at 20 weeks of age were distributed in a completely randomized experimental design with five treatments and six replicates, with eight quails per experimental unit (30 experimental units). There was no difference (p > 0.05) for the evaluated parameters, except for yolk color which showed significant difference (p < 0.05) between the treatments used. The inclusion of 0.8% natural pigments in diet of Japanese quails can be used to substitute canthaxathin because it is effective on improving yolk color without affect performance and the quails egg quality.

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The objective of this study was to evaluate the replacement of soybean meal by extruded whole soybean in the feeding of pigs in the nursery phase. Thirty-six piglets (Landrace x Large White), with 45 days weighing on average 11.36 kg, distributed in arandomized block design, three treatments, six replicates, two animals per repetition were used. The treatments consisted of: control treatment (T1) basal diet, basal diet with 10% replacement of soybean meal by extruded soybean (T2), basal diet with 20% replacement of soybean meal by extruded soybean (T3). The variables analyzed were: average weight, feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion. The levels of ureatic activity, ether extract, crude protein, protein solubility and volatile moisture of extruded soybean were verified. No difference was found (P>0.05) between the inclusion levels of extruded soybean in piglet diets in the nursery phase for the variables studied. The processing of extruded whole soybean did not affect its digestibility. Extrudedsoybeans at a level of up to 20% included in piglet feeding during the nursery phase can be a possible substitute for soybean meal, without compromising the performance of the animals.

The layer poultry is an important activity for food production with high biological value. Measuring egg quality has great relevance to ensure safety and quality products for consumers. Thus, the objective was to evaluate the egg physical quality of four laying hen’s strains. Were used 864 eggs from four laying hens’ lines (Hisex Brown®, Hy-Line Brown®, Isa Label®, and Lohmann Brown®). The experimental design was completely randomized composed of four treatments (strains) with nine replications with four eggs each. Egg weight, egg diameter, egg length, specific gravity, yolk, albumen and shell weight and percentage, Haugh units, and shell thickness were evaluated. There was a significant difference for all parameters evaluated. The Hisex Brown® strain showed the best results for egg diameter, egg length, specific weight, albumen height, Haugh units, yolk weight, albumen%, shell weight, shell%, and shell thickness, while the Hy-Line Brown® produced bigger and heavier eggs, and Isa Label® presented the highest yolk%. The Hisex Brown® strain showed the better physical quality of eggs when compared to the other studied lines, the strain being indicated when the objective is to produce eggs with better internal and external quality.

A avicultura vem passando por grandes transformações no decorrer dos anos, tornando cada vez mais produtiva, sendo garantido pelos avanços nos manejos, controle sanitário e de biosseguridade, avanços na nutrição e melhoramento genético e aplicação de tecnologia que garantiu melhores condições ambientais. Esses avanços permitiu aumentar a produção com o objetivo de atender a demanda de carne de frango e ovos, com isso, a intensificação dos sistemas de produção para atender o mercado foi uma das alternativas adotadas pelos produtores. A ambiência é um dos grandes desafios da intensificação dos sistemas de produção, visto que a temperatura interfere diretamente no bem-estar e desempenho produtivo das aves. As aves são animais homeotérmicos, desta forma, mantem a temperatura corporal constante, por meio de troca de calor com o ambiente. Ao sofrerem estresse térmico, as aves buscam mecanismos fisiológicos ou comportamentais para manter o conforto térmico. Algumas alternativas são adotadas com o objetivo de manter a temperatura ambiente dentro da zona de termoneutralidade nas diferentes fases de produção de frangos de corte e poedeiras, entre elas podemos citar nutrição. Com isso, o objetivo desta revisão de literatura é abordar o estresse térmico em frangos de corte e poedeiras, destacamento os efeitos na fisiologia das, os impactos causados e as soluções nutricionais para minimizar tais efeitos.

A nutrição animal está em um processo constante de transformação, no qual diversos trabalhos buscam adequar as exigências nutricionais de cada espécie, categoria e ambiente da criação para melhor satisfazê-los. Nas dietas, o nutriente proteico é incluído para fornecer os aminoácidos que formam as proteínas para o metabolismo animal. Com isso, o objetivo da revisão é elucidar os principais avanços no contexto atual, relacionados com a utilização de proteínas nas dietas de não ruminantes. Na busca pela Zootecnia de precisão, a utilização do termo proteína bruta vem caindo em desuso, dando espaço ao conceito de proteína ideal, que pode ser definido como o balanceamento exato de aminoácidos. Essa estratégia também colabora para o marketing positivo na produção agrícola, pois minimiza a excreção de resíduos no ambiente, diminui os custos com ingredientes mais onerosos e a competição com a alimentação humana. O que se mostra altamente benéfico para produção animal. Alguns pontos devem ser avaliados para o melhor entendimento das reais exigências dos animais, como o conhecimento das necessidades em aminoácidos não essenciais, o antagonismo entre aminoácidos e toxidez do seu excesso. Mesmo que alguns fatores possam interferir no uso da proteína ideal, como linhagem do animal utilizada, composição das dietas, balanço exato de aminoácidos, entre outros, seu uso é justificado e, comprovadamente, útil para as melhorias buscadas em uma produção sustentável e economicamente viável.   Palavras-chave: Aminoácidos Sintéticos. Produção Animal. Nutrição de Monogástricos. Proteína Bruta.   Abstract Animal nutrition is in a constant transformation process, where several studies seek to adapt to the nutritional requirements of each species, category and breeding environment to better satisfy them. In diets, the protein nutrient is included to provide the amino acids that form the proteins for the animal metabolism. Thus, the aim of the review is to elucidate the main advances in the current context, related to the use of proteins in non-ruminant diets. In the search for precision zootechnics, the use of the term crude protein has been falling into disuse, giving way to the concept of ideal protein, which can be defined as the exact  amino acids balance. This strategy also contributes to positive marketing in agricultural production, as it minimizes waste excretion in the environment, reduces costs for more expensive ingredients and competition with human food, which proves to be highly beneficial for animal production. Some points should be evaluated for a better understanding of the animals’ actual  requirements, such as knowledge of non-essential amino acid requirements, amino acid antagonism and excess toxicity. Although some factors may interfere with the use of the ideal protein, such as animal lineage used, diet composition, exact amino acid balance, among others, its use is justified and proven useful for the improvements sought in a sustainable and economically viable production.   Keywords: Synthetic Amino Acids. Animal Production. Monogastric Nutrition. Crude Protein.

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