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SUMMARY The objective of this study was to determine the chemical composition, apparent metabolizable energy (AME), apparent metabolizable energy corrected for nitrogen balance (AMEn) and the metabolizability of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) of passion fruit seed meal (PFM) for quails. One hundred meat quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica), with 21 days old, allotted in a completely randomized design, with four treatments, five replicates and four animals per experimental unit. The treatments consisted of different levels PFM (4.0, 8.0, 12.0 and 16.0%) that replaced the basal diet (w/w). Metabolizable values were determined by fitting linear equations the PFM can be characterized as an alternative feedstuff for meat quails and the main chemical compounds are gross energy (5,569 kcal kg-1), CP (11.34%), EE (18.84%) and NDF (50.22%), as fed basis. Linear equations were fitted as follow: AME = 2,976 x + 5.877 (r2 = 0.94) and AMEn = 2,939 x + 4.864 (r2 = 0.95), thus AME and AMEn were estimated at 2,976 and 2,939 kcal kg-1, respectively. Additionaly, equations were adjusted for CP, EE, NFD and DM, respectively resulting in a metabolization of 6.35, 17.9, 12.48 and 45.66%. It is concluded that main components of the passion fruit seed meal are gross energy, crude protein, ether extract and neutral detergent fiber and its AME and AMEn for meat quails are 2,976 and 2,939 kcal kg-1, respectively.

The passion fruit seed is a byproduct of the extraction of the passion fruit pulp and can be used for feeding to pigs. Two experiments were conducted (digestibility and performance) to evaluate the use of the passion fruit seed meal in feed for growing and finishing pigs. A digestibility trial was conducted with growing and finishing pigs, in which the passion fruit seed meal (PSM) replaced the reference diet (0% PSM) in levels of 4, 8, 12 and 16%. Thirty barrows were used with average weight of 36.85±4.19. The PSF showed DE and ME of 3.244 and 3.223 Mcal/kg, respectively. In the performance trial, were used 150 pigs, which 75 in the growing phase and 75 pigs in the finishing, with initial body weight of 30.63±1.49 and final of 60.38±4.75 kg and 60.40±1.50 and 90.02±4.84 kg, respectively. Five diets were used, with four inclusion levels of PSM (4, 8, 12 e 16%) and one control diet (0% of PSM). The PSM levels did not influence (P>0.05) the performance variables. In the growing pigs, serum levels of cholesterol increased linearly with (P<0.05) inclusion levels of PSM. Quantitative of carcass traits and meat quality were not affected (P>0.05) by increasing levels of PSM in the diets. We conclude that the PSM can be used up to 16% in growing and finishing pigs diets.Index terms: Co-product, digestibility, nutritional value, carcass. RESUMOA semente do maracujá é um subproduto da extração da polpa do maracujá, podendo ser utilizado na alimentação dos suínos. Foram conduzidos dois experimentos (digestibilidade e desempenho), objetivando avaliar a utilização do farelo da semente de maracujá na alimentação de suínos em crescimento e terminação. Inicialmente foi realizado um ensaio de digestibilidade com suínos em crescimento e terminação, em que o farelo da semente de maracujá (FSM)

Lycopene has the highest antioxidant activity among carotenoids due to its high number of conjugated double bonds; thus, it can be used in pig diets to look for improvements in growth performance and health status, eliminating or preventing the formation of free radicals. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of dietary lycopene on the growth performance, the gene expression of antioxidant enzymes and blood lipid profile of finishing pigs. In total, 40 barrows and 40 gilts (Piétrain × Landrace × Large White) were used, averaging 75.04 ± 1.6 kg of initial bodyweight. Pigs were distributed in a 2 × 5 factorial arrangement, consisting of two genders (male and female) and five dietary levels of lycopene (0, 12.5, 25.0, 37.5 and 50.0 mg/kg of diet) supplemented for 28 days. It was observed that gilts presented with average daily feed intake (P = 0.001) being lower and the gain:feed ratio (P = 0.001) higher than for barrows. Increasing dietary lycopene concentration provided a linear decrease in the gene expression of the enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD1; P = 0.018) and catalase (P = 0.001) in the liver of gilts. The gilts showed a lower gene expression than did barrows for SOD1 gene (P = 0.001) receiving 50.0 mg lycopene/kg of diet and for catalase gene (P = 0.001) receiving of 0, 12.5 and 50.0 mg lycopene/kg of diet. Glutathione peroxidase showed a lower expression (P = 0.001) for gilts than for barrows. Total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and LDL:high-density lipoprotein (HDL) ratio decreased (P = 0.001) as lycopene concentration increased in the diet. Increasing dietary lycopene in pig diets improved the lipid profile of the blood plasma, providing an increase in the concentration of high-density lipoprotein (HDL; P = 0.001). Gilts had greater plasma concentrations of urea (P = 0.001) and triglycerides (P = 0.001) and lower concentrations of HDL (P = 0.001), LDL (P = 0.001) and a lower LDL:HDL ratio (P = 0.004) than did barrows. Dietary lycopene up to 50 mg/kg does not affect the growth performance of pigs, acting as a potent modulator of the lipid profile and also reducing the plasma concentrations of total cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins, while increasing the high-density lipoproteins. In addition, lycopene also reduces the gene expression of superoxide dismutase and catalase enzymes in the liver of gilts.

Two experiments were carried out in Paraná State, Brazil, to evaluate the nutritional value of passion fruit seed meal (PFM) and to study the effect of PFM on growth performance, carcass, and blood characteristics in starter pigs (Topigs 20 × Tybor). In experiment 1, 25 castrated males, averaging 19.1-kg body weight, were individually fed in a completely randomized block design, consisting of five treatments and five replicates and an experimental period that lasted 14 days. In experiment 2, a total of 60 pigs (30 females and 30 castrated males) were distributed in a randomized block design with five treatments, six replications, and two animals per experimental unit and 90 days of experimentation. For both experiments, the same PFM inclusion rates were used in the experimental diets, namely, 0, 4, 8, 12, and 16 %. The metabolizable energy of PFM was estimated to be 15.0 MJ/kg. Inclusion of PFM at any level did not affect average daily gain, daily feed intake, feed/gain ratio, backfat thickness, loin depth, and plasma or blood components. It is concluded that passion fruit seed meal for swine in the starting phase can be added at a rate of up to 16 % in the diet without any negative effects on growth performance, carcass, and blood characteristics in starter commercial line pigs.

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Corn is one of the primary ingredients in swine diets, but there is a variation in its chemical composition and metabolizable energy (ME) content. Therefore, faster methods are required that can determine more accurate ME values to improve piglet diets. This study determined and predicted the ME of corn from first and second harvests for piglets. Two experiments were conducted to determine the ME values for 18 corn batches, evaluating corn from first and second harvests. The corn batches were analysed to determine the concentration of dry matter (DM), starch (ST), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), ash, calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P) and gross energy (GE). To determine the ME values, 40 piglets were used in each experiment, grouped into a randomized block design with four replicates. The ME of the corn from the first and second crops ranged from 3281 to 3509 and from 3143 to 3652 kcal/kg on an as-fed basis, respectively, and the fitted equations to predict the ME presented a low R 2 . The best fit equation for predicting the ME of corn for piglets was determined to be ME= -6306.15 + 400.652ADF + 117.286ST + 24924.7Ca + 2489.66P -148.41CP (R Index terms: Metabolizability coefficients; prediction equations; swine. RESUMOO milho é um dos principais alimentos utilizados em rações para suínos, porém existem variações em sua composição química e conteúdo de energia metabolizável (EM). Portanto, são necessários métodos rápidos para se determinar os valores de EM de forma precisa, melhorando as dietas dos leitões. O trabalho determinou e ajustou equações de predição de EM do milho de 1 a e 2 a safra para leitões. Foram realizados dois experimentos para determinar os valores de EM de 18 cultivares de milho, avaliando-se os milhos de 1ª e 2ª safras. Foram realizadas as análises de matéria seca (MS), amido (AMI), fibra em detergente neutro (FDN), fibra em detergente ácido (FDA), proteína bruta (PB), extrato etéreo (EE), matéria mineral (MM), cálcio (Ca), fósforo (P) e energia bruta (EB) dos milhos. Para a determinação dos valores energéticos foram utilizados 40 animais em cada experimento, distribuídos em um delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso com quatro repetições. Os valores de EM dos milhos de 1ª e 2ª safra variaram de 3281 a 3509 e de 3143 a 3652 kcal/kg MN, respectivamente, as equações ajustadas para predizer a EM apresentaram baixo R 2 . Os melhores ajustes para predizer a EM do milho para leitões são representados pelas equações EM= -6306,15 + 400,652FDA + 117,286AMI + 24924,7Ca + 2489,66P -148,41PB (R 2 =0,44), para os milhos de 1ª safra; EM = -7560,08 + 2,66895EB -120,69FDA (R 2 =0,48), para os milhos de 2ª safra; e para o período completo de safras foi ajustada a equação EM= 2848,95 + 68,5714FDN + 161,938EE -5563,5Ca -1454,2P (R 2 =0,41).Termos para indexação: Coeficiente de metabolizabilidade; equações de predição; suínos.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the standardized ileal digestible (SID) leucine levels in low crude protein diets on Performance, backfat thickness, longissimus dorsi depth and biochemical blood parameters of starting pigs. A total of 50 pigs, with initial weight of 11.14±0.24 kg; were distributed in a randomized blocks design with five treatments (1.10; 1.25; 1.40; 1.55 and 1.70% SID leucine), five replicates and two animals per experimental unit, comprised for a barrow and a gilt. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) reduced (P=0.018) due to the increasing SID leucine levels, without affecting other growth performance parameters (final weight, average daily feed intake, average daily gain, backfat thickness, longissimus dorsi depth and lean meat percentage). There was a quadratic effect for plasma triglyceride (P=0.049) and plasma urea (P=0.001). The optimal SID leucine levels obtained for triglycerides and urea were 1.16% and 1.24%, respectively, by associating the quadratic model with the Linear Response Plateu. Low crude protein diets with SID leucine levels up to 1.70% improved the feed conversion with desired urea and triglycerides concentration in blood plasma achieved at 1.16% and 1.24%, respectively.