This study evaluated the use of probiotics and prebiotics on the histological and morphological indexes of the intestinal mucosa of broilers at 21 days of age. Thirty-six birds were randomly distributed in a 3 x 3 factorial arrangement, considering 3 probiotics and prebiotics sources in the diet. There were 9 treatments with 4 repetitions. Diet treatments were: 1 - Control (without growth promoters); 2 - Bacillus subtilis-based probiotic (Pro 1); 3 - Probiotic (Pool) based on Lactobacillus acidophilus and casei, Streptococcus lactis and faecium, Bifidobacterium bifidum and Aspergillus oryzae (Pro 2); 4 - Prebiotic based on Phosphorylated Mannanoligosaccharide (MOS) and Organic Acidifier (OA) (Pre 1); 5 - MOS-based prebiotic (Pre 2); 6 - Pro 1 + Pre 1; 7 - Pro 1 + Pre 2; 8 - Pro 2 + Pre 1; 9 - Pro 2 + Pre 2. Higher villus height (VH) (p<0.01) were seen in the duodenum of birds fed diets without prebiotics, whereas birds fed Bacillus subtilis-based probiotic and birds fed prebiotic based on MOS and OA showed higher VH (p<0.01) in jejunum and ileum. Greater crypt depths (CD) (p<0.01) were observed in the duodenum, jejunum and ileum of birds receiving B. subtilis, and in the duodenum and jejunum of birds fed diets without prebiotics. Significant interaction (p<0.01) between the evaluated factors was seen for both, VH and CD, in the three intestinal portions. Greater VH was obtained in duodenum, jejunum and ileum with the use of probiotics and prebiotics and greater CD with the use of probiotics, in relation to the control group. There was no difference in villus density (VD) between birds fed diets without additives or diets containing probiotics and prebiotics. Nevertheless, there was a significant interaction (p<0.05) between the evaluated factors for VD in the duodenum. Concluding, beneficial effects were seen in histological indexes of the intestinal mucosa with the use of probiotics and prebiotics at 21 days of age

This study evaluated the use of different probiotics, prebiotics and symbiotics on the quality of carcasses and meat of broiler chickens. One hundred and eight day-old Cobb male broilers were used (n=108) in a completely randomized design according to a 3x3 factorial, with 3 probiotics in the diet (no probiotics, probiotics 1, probiotics 2) and 3 prebiotics in the diet (no prebiotics, prebiotics 1, prebiotics 2). There were nine treatments with 4 replicates and 3 birds per replicate. The results showed that the carcass and cut yields, color (L* -lightness, a* -redness, and b* -yellowness), pH, cooking losses, shearing force and sensory analysis were not affected by the use of different growth promoters at 42 days of age. It was concluded that growth promoters supplemented to the diet did not affect the studied quantitative and qualitative parameters of the carcass and breast meat of broiler chickens.

RESUMO Quality of meats from cuts of lamb and adult sheep carcassesABSTRACT -Eighteen ½ Ile de France ½ Polwarth sheep (6 no castrated lambs, 6 discarded ewes and 6 discarded wethers) were used to evaluate qualitative traits of meat from different categories of sheep for muscle cuts (shoulder, loin and leg). The animals were raised in grazing system with tifton-85 pastures and supplemented with concentrate. Lambs were slaughtered at 32 kg body weight, close to 5 months of age. Ewes and wethers were slaughtered with 55 kg and 60 months of age. There were no differences in pH 45mim and pH 24h values among different animal categories and muscles of carcass cuts. There was difference in meat luminosity between lambs and adult animals, considering all the evaluated muscles. The red level did not differ between adult categories, but it was higher than values observed in lambs. In conclusion, meat from adult animals was darker than lamb meat. Considering all animal categories, cooking losses were higher in Triceps brachii compared to Longissimus lumborum and Semimembranosus. Values of pH and water retention capacity were similar among animal categories.Key Words: animal categories, color, cooking losses, pH, shear force Introdução O consumo de carne ovina no Brasil é crescente, o que torna necessário produzir em quantidade e qualidade para atender ao consumidor. O mercado consumidor apresenta atualmente elevada exigência quanto à qualidade das características da carne, o que torna necessário o conhecimento dessas características nas diversas faixas de peso dos ovinos destinados ao abate (Bressan et al., 2001). Portanto, é necessário conhecer os parâmetros de qualidade da carne, como pH, cor, capacidade de retenção de água, perdas de água por cocção e maciez, para produzir e processar adequadamente esses produtos, buscando obter alta qualidade da carne e proporcionar maior competitividade entre as demais fontes de origem animal.A carne pode ser definida como o produto resultante das contínuas transformações que ocorrem no músculo após a morte do animal. Em situações em que se respeitam as condições de bem-estar do animal ante mortem, o pH do músculo após a morte do animal diminui de aproximadamente 7 para 5,5 em decorrência do acúmulo de glicogênio neste período (ante mortem), o que ocasiona a

RESUMO -Com o objetivo de avaliar as características nutricionais da carne de cordeiros terminados em confinamento com dietas contendo cana-de-açúcar ou silagem de milho em duas relações volumoso:concentrado (60:40 ou 40:60), utilizaram-se 32 cordeiros Ile de France, não-castrados, com 15 kg de peso corporal distribuídos em delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 2 × 2. Os animais foram confinados em baias individuais e abatidos aos 32 kg. A carne dos cordeiros teve 74,55% de umidade, 19,61% de proteína bruta, 1,04% de cinzas e 51,28 mg/100 g de colesterol. O teor de extrato etéreo foi maior na carne dos cordeiros alimentados com dietas com silagem de milho (3,97%) e na carne daqueles que receberam alimentação mais concentrada (4,02%). Os ácidos graxos em maior concentração na carne dos cordeiros foram C18:1ω9 (37,93%), C16:0 (26,41%), C18:0 (17,09%), C14:0 (4,18%) e C18:2ω6 (4,00%). A carne dos animais alimentados com dietas contendo cana-de-açúcar apresentou maiores teores dos ácidos C10:0 (0,47%) e C20:4ω6 (4,17%) e menores de C16:1ω7 (2,02%) e C18:3ω3 (0,25%). A dieta com maior quantidade de cana-de-açúcar (60%) promoveu maiores teores dos ácidos C15:0 (0,68%), C17:0 (2,13%) e C20:2 (1,34%) na carne. Dietas contendo cana-deaçúcar ou maior quantidade de volumoso (60%) promovem menor deposição de gordura na carne de cordeiros. O tipo de volumoso tem maior influência no perfil de ácidos graxos da carne de cordeiro em comparação à relação volumoso:concentrado das dietas. Dietas contendo cana-de-açúcar em maiores proporções originam carne com maiores concentrações de ácidos graxos saturados de cadeia ímpar.Palavras-chave: ácidos graxos, carne ovina, colesterol, composição centesimal, confinamento, relação volumoso:concentrado Nutritional characteristics of meat from lambs finished with diets containing sugar cane or corn silage on two levels of concentrate ABSTRACT -The objective of this work was to evaluate nutritional characteristics of meat from lambs finished on feedlot with diets containing sugar cane or corn silage on two roughage:concentrate ratios (60:40 or 40:60). It was used 32 non castrated Ile de France lambs, with 15 kg of body weight distributed in a complete random experimental design in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. The animals were confined in individual stalls and slaughtered at 32 kg. Lamb meats had 74.55% of moisture, 19.61% of crude protein, 1.04% of ash and 51.28 mg/100g of cholesterol. Ether extract was greater in meat of lambs fed corn silage (3.97%) and in the meat of those animals which received more concentrate food (4.02%). Fatty acids at greater concentration in lamb meat were: C18:1ω9 (37.93%), C16:0 (26.41%), C18:0 (17.09%), C14:0 (4.18%) and C18:2ω6 (4.00%). The meat of lambs fed diets containing sugar cane had higher contents of C10:0 (0.47%) and C20:4ω6 (4.17%), and lower contents of C16:1ω7 (2.02%) and C18:3ω3 (0.25%). Diet with greater amount of sugar cane (60%) promoted more contents of acids C15:0 (0.68%), C17:0 (2.13%) and C20:2 (1.34%) in th...