Ross male broiler chicks (n = 480) on new litter were used in a randomized block design with two blocks (environmental rooms) and four treatments having four replicate pens (1.0 x 2.5 m; 15 chicks) each to evaluate dietary electrolyte balance (DEB; P < 0.05). Two rooms were 1) thermoneutral (Weeks 1 through 6, with decreasing maximum from 32 to 25 degrees C and minimum from 28 to 19 degrees C; relative humidity 49 to 58%) and 2) cyclic daily heat stress (Weeks 1 and 2, thermoneutral; Weeks 2 through 6, maximum temperatures 35, 35, 33, and 33 degrees C, respectively; and minimum temperatures 23, 20, 19, and 19 degrees C, respectively; relative humidity 51 to 54%). The DEB treatments (0, 140, 240, or 340 mEq Na + K - Cl/kg) had NaHCO3 plus NH4Cl, or KHCO3, or both added to corn-soybean meal mash basal diets with 0.30% salt (NaCl). In the thermoneutral room, DEB 240 increased 42-d weight gain and 44-d lymphocyte percentage and decreased heterophil percentage and heterophil to lymphocyte ratio compared to the DEB 40 treatment. The DEB 240 diets had 0.35 and 0.35% Na and 0.37% and 0.29% Cl in starter (0.75% K) and grower (0.67% K) diets, respectively. No DEB treatment differences were found in the heat stress room. For combined rooms, 42-d feed intake was higher for DEB 240 than for DEB 40. The 21-d weight gain was higher for DEB 240 than for DEB 40 or 140; and 21-d feed/gain was lower for DEB 40 than for DEB 340. The predicted maximum point of inflection for 21- and 42-d weight gains were DEB 250 and 201, with highest 42-d feed intake at 220.

Cobb male broiler chicks (1,000) on new litter were used to evaluate effects of dietary electrolyte balance [DEB; Na+K-Cl, milliequivalents (mEq) per kilogram] under tropical summer conditions. Corn-soybean meal-based mash diets had salt (NaCl) alone or in combination with one or more supplements: sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), ammonium chloride (NH4Cl), or potassium bicarbonate (KHCO3). A completely randomized design, with five starter and grower feed treatments (control: 145, then 130 mEq/kg; or 0, 120, 240, or 360 mEq/kg throughout) and four replicate pens (1.5 x 3.2 m) per treatment (50 chicks per pen), was used. Diets were analyzed for Na, K, and Cl for confirmation. There were no significant (P < 0.05) effects of treatments on mortality or processing parameters. Water intake increased linearly with increasing DEB, giving higher litter moistures and lower rectal temperatures. Blood HCO3 and pH increased with the highest DEB (360 mEq/kg) causing respiratory alkalosis. The DEB of 240 mEg/kg gave best weight gain and feed conversion ratio, and ideal DEB predicted by regression analyses were 186 and 197 mEq/kg from 0 to 21 d of age and 236 and 207 mEq/kg of feed from 0 to 42 d, respectively. These DEB corresponded to estimated (interpolated) values in predicted optimal 186 to 197 mEq/kg starter of Na 0.38 to 0.40% and Cl 0.405 to 0.39% (K = 0.52%), in 207 to 236 mEq/kg starter, Na 0.409 to 0.445% and Cl 0.326 to 0.372% Cl (K = 0.52%), and in grower Na 0.41 to 0.445%, Cl 0.315 to 0.267% (K = 0.47%).

RESUMO -O experimento foi realizado com objetivo de avaliar os efeitos do estresse calórico e da suplementação de cloreto de potássio (KCl) sobre o desempenho e algumas características fisiológicas de frangos de corte. Quarenta aves, no período de 42 a 49 dias, foram submetidas ao estresse calórico (16 horas a 25 ± 1ºC; duas horas com temperatura crescente; quatro horas a 35 ± 1ºC; e duas horas com temperatura decrescente até a termoneutralidade e com umidade relativa de 63,5 ± 5%), recebendo os seguintes tratamentos: 0,50 e 1,00% KCl na ração; 0,25 e 0,50% KCl na água de bebida. A ração à base de milho e farelo de soja, com 20% de proteína bruta e 3200 kcal EM/kg, foi fornecida ad libitum. A suplementação de KCl na ração ou na água de beber não influiu no ganho de peso, nos consumos de ração e água, na conversão alimentar, na mortalidade, na relação água/ração, no teor de matéria seca das excretas e nas características hematológicas. O estresse calórico aumentou a temperatura retal, o hematócrito, a hemoglobina, o heterófilo e a relação heterófilo/linfócito e reduziu as hemácias, o linfócito, o sódio e o potássio sérico. A suplementação de KCl na água regulou o número de eritrócitos e a hemoglobina em frangos estressados pelo calor. A relação heterófilo:linfócito e a temperatura retal podem ser usadas como índices de estresse.Palavras-chave: água, cloreto de potássio, eletrólitos, estresse calórico, hematologia Potassium Chloride Supplementation in Heat Stressed BroilersABSTRACT -The experiment was conducted to estimate the effect of heat stress and the potassium chloride (KCl) supplementation on performance and physiological characteristics (hematological parameters, rectal temperature) of broiler chicks. Forty birds, from 42 to 49 days, were submitted to heat stress (16 hours in 25 ± 1°C, two hours at increasing temperature, four hours in 35 ± 1°C and two hours at decreasing temperature until 25±1°C, with 63.5 ± 5% humidity) fed the following treatments: .50 and 1.00% KCl in the diet; .25 and .50% KCl in the drinking water). Corn-soybean meal diets, with 20% of crude protein and 3200 kcal EM/kg were fed ad libitum. The weight gain, feed intake and water intake, feed:gain ratio, mortality, water:diet ratio and excreta dry matter and the hematological characteristics evaluated were not influenced by KCl supplementation in the diet or in the water. The heat stress increased the rectal temperature, hematocrit, hemoglobin, heterophil and the heterophil:lymphocyte ratio and decreased erythrocytes, lymphocytes and serum sodium and potassium. The KCl supplementation in water regulates the level of erythrocytes and hemoglobin of broilers chicks stressed by heat. The heterophil:lymphocyte ratio and rectal temperature may be used as stress index.Key Words: water, potassium chloride, electrolytes, heat stress, hematology Rev. bras. zootec., v.28, n.2, p.313-319, 1999 1 Parte da Dissertação de Mestrado do primeiro autor. 2 Pós-Graduando em Zootecnia. Departamento de Zootecnia da Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinári...

ResumoO experimento foi realizado com o objetivo de verificar a influência dos níveis de cálcio e combinações do calcário em pó com o calcário em grânulo (pedrisco) sobre o desempenho e a qualidade da casca dos ovos de poedeiras comerciais. Foram utilizadas 360 poedeiras da linhagem Hy-Line branca com 57 semanas de idade, distribuídas em um delineamento inteiramente casualisado, em esquema fatorial 3x5 (3,75; 4,15 e 4,55% de cálcio na dieta e 0, 25, 50, 75 e 100% de uso do calcário em pó em relação ao calcário em grânulo) com quatro repetições de seis aves cada. A produção de ovos, a conversão alimentar, o peso dos ovos, a resistência e espessura da casca foram influenciados pelos níveis de cálcio utilizados. As combinações de calcário em pó com calcário pedrisco utilizadas não apresentaram efeito sobre os parâmetros estudados. O peso médio de ovos foi melhorado quando se utilizou diferentes níveis de cálcio interagindo com diferentes combinações granulométricas do calcário.Unitermos: fonte de cálcio, perda de ovos, produção de ovos, tamanho da partícula AbstractEffects of calcium levels and limestone on laying hen performance and egg shell quality. An experiment was carried out to evaluate the influence of calcium levels and combinations of limestone particle sizes on the laying performance and egg shell quality of hens. Three hundred and sixty Hy-Line laying hens of 57 weeks of age were used, distributed in a randomized design in 3x5 factorial arrangement (3.75, 4,15 and 4,55% of calcium in the diet and 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% of replacement of limestone powder) with 4 replicates, each consisting of 6 hens. Egg production, feed conversion, egg weight, and strength and thickness off egg shell were influenced by diet calcium levels. No single effect of limestone particle size replacement was found in the studied parameters. The average egg weight was improved when different diet calcium levels, interacting with different combinations of limestone particle sizes, were used.

The experiment was carried out to verify if total cholesterol, HDLcholesterol and triacylglicerol plasma levels are affected when laying hens are fed rations containing different dietary oil sources. One hundred sixty 50 week-old hens, assigned to four treatments with five replicates using 8 hens per replicate were used. The experimental period was of 84 days divided in 3 cycles of 28 days each. In the last day of each cycle, blood samples of 2 hens per replicate were randomly choose and blood samples were collected. On the other hand, blood was also collected at 7 am, 11 am and 3 pm aiming to study the daily changes of these lipids. Blood lipid parameters were not affected by different dietary oil sources (p > 0.05); however, HDL-cholesterol did change during the day, giving evidence that this lipid is indeed involved in the egg yolk formation.

RESUMO A composição química da carne e o rendimento de carcaça de perdizes (Rhynchotus INTRODUÇÃOA carne de animais silvestres é uma alternativa alimentar em muitos países, inclusive nos desenvolvidos. Sabe-se que, em algumas regiões do mundo, a carne de caça constitui a principal fonte de proteína animal para o consumo humano.No Brasil, a ave nativa Rhynchotus rufescens, denominada popularmente de perdiz ou perdigão no sul do país, por ter grande potencial, tem despertado interesse para sua criação em cativeiro, levando a possibilidade da utilização de sua carne como fonte protéica alternativa. O sucesso dos criadouros trariam condições de se utilizar aves para repovoamento e fornecimento de carne para o mercado consumidor, diminuindo desta forma, a pressão da caça predatória.As perdizes adultas pesam em média 750g, sendo as fêmeas mais pesadas que os machos podendo alguns indivíduos alcançar peso superior a 1000g

Two experiments were carried out using 712 day-old chicks to evaluate the electrolytic balance (Na+K-Cl) in pre-starter (1-7 days) broiler diets. The feed, based on corn and soybean meal with 21.5 % protein and 2,900 kcal ME/kg, was offered ad libitum. In experiment I, K level was fixed, and Na and Cl levels were changed, using four 4 treatments and eight replicates of 16 birds. In experiment II, increasing levels of Na and K were used, with a total of four treatments and five repetitions of 10 birds. In both experiments, the dietary electrolytic balance was 40; 140; 240 and 340 mEq/kg. Electrolytic balance caused a quadratic effect on weight gain and feed:gain ratio, and a linear increase in feed intake when the electrolytic balance was increased by the single supplementation of Na, indicating that this ion stimulates feed intake of birds at this stage. However, feed intake was maximum for 202 mEq/kg, when K and Na levels were concurrently increased in the diet, indicating that there is a limit over which feed intake is depressed as a function of excessive K. The ideal electrolytic dietary balance was between 246 and 277 mEq/kg, obtained by the manipulation of Na and Cl levels.

No abstract