No abstract

-This study investigated the effects of Cymbopogon flexuosus and Lippia rotundifolia microencapsulated essential oils on broiler performance and carcass yield. One hundred and fifty mixed-sex Cobb broiler chicks were used, from one day up to 42 days of age, in a completely randomized design, with five treatments and three replicates of ten birds each. The treatments were: negative control (basal diet), positive control (diet with enramycin and salinomycin), and three diets with microencapsulated essential oils from lemongrass, L. rotundifolia, and combination with 50% of both. The performance and carcass yield were not affected by the treatments. The intestine absolute weight was lower in the combination treatment compared with the negative control treatment and the lemongrass essential oil. The intestine relative weight was higher in the treatments with lemongrass and L. rotundifolia essential oils in relation to the combination. The liver relative weight was lower with the lemongrass essential oil and the combination compared with the treatment with the L. rotundifolia essential oil. The trial could not find results enough to recommend the use of the lemongrass and L. rotundifolia essential oils as an additive in broiler diets.

O uso de antimicrobianos como melhoradores de desempenho tem representado um risco à saúde pública devido à associação destes com o surgimento de resistência bacteriana e resíduos nos produtos. Como alternativa, pesquisas têm indicado a utilização de aditivos alimentares naturais, como o óleo essencial de capimlimão. Objetivou-se neste artigo avaliar a atividade antimicrobiana do óleo essencial de capim-limão (Cymbopogon flexuosus) frente a Staphylococcus aureus e Escherichia coli entéricas isoladas de aves de postura (Gallus gallus domesticus). Foram preparadas cinco concentrações do óleo essencial (160; 80; 40; 20 e 10 µL mL-1) e então realizados testes in vitro de difusão em disco e determinação da Concentração Inibitória Mínima (CIM) e da Concentração Bactericida Mínima (CBM). Os resultados indicaram que a concentração de 160 µL mL-1 propiciou os maiores diâmetros de halos de inibição na difusão em disco, diferindo-se estatisticamente das demais concentrações (p < 0,05). Houve efeito inibitório (CIM) a partir da concentração de 80 µL mL-1 de óleo para todas as bactérias mas a CBM não foi detectada. Conclui-se que o óleo essencial de capim-limão apresenta atividade antimicrobiana in vitro frente a S. aureus e E. coli isoladas de aves na concentração de 160 µL mL-1. Novos estudos são necessários para avaliar a eficácia do uso de doses superiores e indicar esse óleo como aditivo em dietas de aves.

Background and Aim: Broiler meat is susceptible to lipid oxidation due to its high content of unsaturated fatty acids, especially when stored for a long time. Concerning with that problem, we can add natural compounds to the animal feed, as the plant essential oils, which have antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antifungal activities. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant activity, fatty acid profile, and chemical composition of the meat of broilers fed with diets containing different essential oil, including lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) and pedestrian tea (Lippia aff. rotundifolia). Materials and Methods: The experimental design used was a 4×4 factorial scheme (storage time×diets), and each treatment was repeated thrice. The treatments were applied as negative control (without antimicrobial); positive control (ration supplemented with 10 ppm of enramycin and 42 ppm of salinomycin), lemongrass (ration with 120 mg of essential oil of lemongrass for each kilogram of live weight of the animals), and pedestrian tea (ration with 120 mg of essential oil of pedestrian tea for each kilogram of live weight of the animals). Storage was performed after slaughter and evaluated monthly for 4 months. Results: The inclusion of lemongrass oil and pedestrian tea in the broiler diet did not change the ether extract content of the meat sample obtained from thigh and drumstick. The storage time promotes an increase in the moisture loss of the meat from the 2nd month in all treatments. There was an interaction between the additive and storage time for moisture loss. In the 2nd month of storage, the meat from broilers fed the antibiotic-containing feed had a lower moisture loss than those from broilers in the other treatment groups. The fatty acid profile did not differ statistically between the different treatment groups. The inclusion of additives in the food dropped the lipid oxidation at the 2nd month of storage. From the 3rd month, however, only the essential oils showed antioxidant effect. Conclusion: Antioxidant activity was positive for treatments that included essential oils. The lemongrass oil and pedestrian tea can be used as antioxidant additives in broiler diets to improve the oxidative stability of thigh-drumstick meat during storage. The results of the study suggest a good prospective for further research with profitability of usage essentials oils examined, for their economical application as feed components in broiler nutrition.

ABSTRACT. This study evaluated the effect of pequi peel meal in the diet for laying hens on performance and egg quality. Hy-Line ® Brown hens (n=160) aged 55 weeks with 1642±63g body weight were distributed in a completely randomized design with five treatments and four replications of eight birds each. The treatments consisted of isometric substitution of corn by pequi peel meal at 0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10%. The performance and internal and external egg quality were evaluated. Egg production, egg mass and feed conversion worsened linearly with increasing replacement of corn with pequi peel meal, while the yolk color increased linearly. The other variables related to performance and internal and external egg quality were not significantly affected by the treatments. It can be concluded that the use of pequi peel meal replacing corn in laying hen diet does not change the internal and external egg quality, improves the pigmentation of egg yolk, and impairs performance of laying hens.Keywords: alternative feed, poultry, alternative poultry farming, Caryocar brasiliense.Farelo da casca de pequi na alimentação de poedeiras RESUMO. Objetivou-se avaliar o efeito da inclusão do farelo da casca do pequi na ração de poedeiras sobre o desempenho e a qualidade dos ovos. Foram utilizadas 160 poedeiras comerciais da linhagem HyLine ® Brown, com 55 semanas de idade e 1642±63g de peso corporal, distribuídas em delineamento inteiramente casualizado com cinco tratamentos com quatro repetições de oito aves cada. Os tratamentos consistiram na substituição isométrica do milho por farelo de casca de pequi nas doses de 0, 2,5, 5,0, 7,5 e 10%. Foram avaliados o desempenho e a qualidade interna e externa dos ovos. A produção de ovos, a massa de ovos e a conversão alimentar pioraram linearmente com substituição do milho por farelo de casca de pequi, enquanto a coloração da gema aumentou linearmente. As demais variáveis de desempenho e de qualidade interna e externa dos ovos não foram influenciadas significativamente pelos tratamentos experimentais. Conclui-se que a utilização do farelo da casca do pequi em substituição isométrica ao milho na alimentação de poedeiras não altera a qualidade interna e externa dos ovos, melhora a pigmentação da gema do ovo e prejudica o desempenho das poedeiras.Palavras-chave: alimentos alternativos, avicultura, avicultura alternativa, Caryocar brasiliense.

This study aimed to evaluate the hematological profile, hepatic function, and histopathology of mixed-sex broilers fed rations supplemented with microencapsulated essential oils from Cymbopogon flexuosus (lemon grass) and Lippia rotundifolia (chá-de-pedestre). One hundred and fifty Cobb chicks were housed in cages from 1 to 42 days of age in a completely randomized design, with six replicates with five chickens in each of five treatments (150 total chicks): basal diet without antibiotic growth promoter (negative control), diet with enramicina and salinomycin (positive control), diet with lemon grass essential oil, diet with L. rotundifolia essential oil, and diet with a mixture of lemon grass and L. rotundifolia essential oils. Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) were significantly lower in untreated broilers (negative control group). Gender was not associated with erythrogram values, but aspartate aminotransferase activity (AST) was higher in females. Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) was higher in chicks in the group that received rations with lemon grass oil. Broilers that received L. rotundifolia oil developed more hepatic lesions, although no effect of sex was observed related to the lesion score. Biliary hyperplasia and fibroplasias were observed in all groups, with higher histopathology scores in broilers that received diets containing L. rotundifolia oil. Mixed-sex broilers fed rations supplemented with lemon grass and L. rotundifolia essential oils have normal complete blood counts and unspecific hepatic lesions and are characterized by lipidosis, hyperplasia of the bile ducts, and fibroplasia.

A avicultura brasileira é um dos principais setores do agronegócio no país, que produz mais de 13 milhões de toneladas de carne de frango ao ano. É um setor que se desenvolveu na região Sul e Sudeste com mais expressividade, enquanto outras regiões, como o Norte e Nordeste, apesar de terem potencial de desenvolvimento, enfrentam carência nas atividades de extensão rural para auxiliar os pequenos produtores. Desta forma, este trabalho é uma proposta de chatbot capaz de oferecer suporte ao pequeno produtor na atividade de incubação artificial de ovos, com o objetivo de produzir pintinhos de frango de corte. Os testes práticos realizados demonstraram que o Poulbot cumpre com êxito seu papel como extensionista.