Two experiments were performed to determine the digestibility of diets with crude protein (CP) reduction supplemented with amino acids (18.15; 17.15; 16.15 and 15.15%) to growing pigs (30–50 kg), to assess the use of nutrients and account for the manure excretion, and to evaluate the performance, backfat thickness, Longissimus lumborum depth, and plasma urea, aiming to evaluate the environmental impact through life cycle assessment (LCA); for the first time in Brazil interacting experiments were developed to evaluate the CP reduction and LCA. The CP reduction resulted in greater daily weight gain (p = 0.011), final weight (p = 0.020), better use of N and P, through the greater N and P retained (p = 0.003 and p = 0.017, respectively). There was a linear reduction in acidification potential (p = 0.015), eutrophication potential (p = 0.001), and land occupation (p = 0.005) when dietary CP decreased from 18.15 to 15.15%. The reduction in CP and supplementation of amino acids in diets for growing pigs (30–50 kg) improved final and daily weight gain. Through LCA, and performance and metabolism data, it was concluded that for the acidification, eutrophication and land occupation categories, impacts were reduced as the protein concentration was reduced.

This study aimed to compare the resistance of the Oryctolagus cuniculus L. (rabbit) and Oreochromis niloticus L. (Nile tilapia) skins, as well as to observe the design of the flower of these skins and the morphology of the dermis. Tilapia and rabbit skins were placed inside the same equipment (tannery machine) for the chromium salt tanning process. The flower design of the fish leather distinguishes it from the rabbit leather, the latter being constituted by the opening of the hair follicles and pores, while the fish leather is constituted by the presence of protective lamellae and insertion of the scales. The dermis of rabbit skin consists of thick bundles of collagen fibers arranged in all directions, which differs from the morphology observed in the dermis of fish skin. However, in the Nile tilapia skin dermis, overlapping and parallel layers of longitudinal collagen fiber bundles are observed, these layers are interspersed with fiber bundles crossing the sking surface (transversely), tying the fibers together and providing greater strength, which can be proven by the strength test. The fish leathers, despite having less thickness (1.0 mm), demonstrated significantly greater tensile strength (13.52 ± 1.86 N mm−2) and tear strength (53.85 ± 6.66 N mm−2) than rabbit leathers, that is, (8.98 ± 2.67 N mm−2) and (24.25 ± 4.34 N mm−2). However, rabbit leather demonstrated higher elasticity (109.97 ± 13.52%) compared to Nile tilapia leather (78.97 ± 8.40%). It can be concluded that although the rabbit leather is thicker due to the histological architecture of the dermis (thick bundles of collagen fibers arranged in all directions with no pattern of organization of collagen fibers), it shows less resistance than Nile tilapia leather, which demonstrates an organization of overlapping and parallel layers and intercalating collagen fiber bundles transversally to the surface, functioning as tendons for the swimming process. It is recommended to use a piece of fabric (lining) together with the fleshy side of the rabbit leather, to increase resistance when used in clothing and footwear, as these products require greater tensile strength. Thus, it minimizes this restriction for the use of rabbit leather in the aforementioned purposes.

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.

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-Three experiments were conducted to determine the nutritional composition of tilapia filleting waste meal (TFWM) for pigs in the initial phase. In the first experiment, the chemical composition and the values of digestible and metabolizable energy of TFWM were determined using 10 pigs (15.10 ± 0.74 kg), distributed in cages for metabolic research (2 treatments X 5 replicates). The TFWM replaced 20% of the reference diet based on corn and soybean meal. In the second experiment, the ileal digestibility coefficients of amino acids present in TFWM were determined, using chromic oxide as a marker, through the method of sacrifice, using 10 pigs (15.00 ± 0.27 kg), distributed in cages for metabolic research (2 treatments X 5 replicates). Treatments consisted of a basal diet and one without protein. In the third experiment, the performance of pigs fed diets containing different concentrations of TFWM (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20%) was evaluated. Forty pigs (15.00 ± 0.87 kg), distributed in pairs in nursery pens (5 treatments X 4 replicates) were used. The values of digestible and metabolizable energy corresponded to 3,632 and 3,260 kcal/kg, respectively. Inclusion of up to 10% TFWM in the diet of barrows from 15 to 30 kg did not affect the average daily gain and feed conversion of the animals. RESUMO -Foram realizados três experimentos para determinar a composição nutricional da farinha dos resíduos industriais de filetagem da tilápia (FRIFT) para suínos, machos castrados, em fase inicial. No primeiro, foi determinada a composição bromatológica e valores de energia digestível e metabolizável da FRIFT, utilizando-se 10 suínos (15,10 kg ± 0,74), distribuídos em gaiolas para estudos metabólicos (2 tratamentos X 5 repetições). A FRIFT substituiu em 20% a ração referência, à base de milho e farelo de soja. No segundo experimento, foram determinados os coeficientes de digestibilidade ileal dos aminoácidos da FRIFT, empregando-se óxido crômico como indicador, pelo método do sacrifício, tendo sido utilizados 10 suínos (15,00 kg ±0,27), distribuídos em gaiolas para estudos metabólicos (2 tratamentos X 5 repetições). Os tratamentos consistiram de uma ração basal e outra sem proteína. No terceiro experimento, foi avaliado o desempenho de suínos alimentados com rações contendo diferentes níveis de FRIFT (0, 5, 10, 15 e 20%). Foram utilizados 40 suínos (15,00 kg ±0,87), distribuídos aos pares em baias de creche (5 tratamentos X 4 repetições). Os valores de energia digestível e metabolizável corresponderam a 3.632 e 3.260 kcal/kg, respectivamente. A inclusão de até 10 % de FRIFT na dieta de suínos machos castrados, dos 15 aos 30 kg, não alterou o ganho de peso diário e a conversão alimentar dos animais.Palavras-chave: Alimentos alternativos. Valores energéticos. Aminoácidos digestíveis.

The digestible amino acid (AA) determination of ingredients, or experimental diets, are essential in obtaining the real levels of AA that are being studied, as well as of other indispensable AA, because the lack of a single indispensable AA may limit pig growth performance. Two experiments were conducted to determine the optimum levels and the ideal ratio of standardized ileal digestible (SID) Trp and Lys for barrows from 15 to 30 kg of live weight. The first experiment (Exp. 1) was conducted to determine the SID AA content of the basal diet used in the growth performance study (Exp. 2). Ten crossbred barrows (21.57 1.6 kg live weight) were used in Exp. 1. Pigs were fed a basal diet and a protein free diet to determine the SID of Trp, Lys, and all other indispensable AA of the basal diet. In Exp. 2, 64 barrows (15.0 71.6 kg) were allotted to 16 diets in a 4 Â 4 factorial arrangement of treatments (1.55, 1.85, 2.15, and 2.45 g SID Trp and 9.72, 11.12, 12.52, and 13.92 g SID Lys/kg) with 4 replications per treatment. In both Exp. 1 and 2, each pig was considered as an experimental unit. Growth performance, Longissimus muscle (LM), backfat thickness, and plasma urea nitrogen (PUN) were evaluated. Average daily feed intake and average daily gain increased linearly (Po 0.05) with increasing levels of SID Trp. There was a quadratic effect (P¼ 0.04) of dietary SID Trp and Lys levels on the gain:feed, and the optimal levels were estimated to be 2.1 (0.65 g/Mcal ME) and 11.98 g/kg (3.71 g/Mcal ME), respectively, resulting in a SID Trp:Lys of 17.5:100. A quadratic effect of SID Trp (P¼ 0.021) and Lys (P ¼0.026) levels on LM was observed, and the optimum levels were 2.08 and 11.36 g/kg diet, respectively, with a Trp:Lys of 18.3:100. The amount of PUN decreased linearly (P¼ 0.004) as SID Lys increased. For pigs used in our study (between 15 and 30 kg live weight), the SID Trp and SID Lys requirements are 2.10 and 11.98 g/kg, respectively. The corresponding Trp:Lys are 17.5:100.

The metabolizable energy (ME) determination for foods used in quail diets, through metabolism assays, takes time, infrastructure and financial resources, which makes the development of prediction equations based on proximal composition of foods to estimate the ME values of particular interest. The objective of this study was to adjust the prediction equations of metabolizable energy (ME) of corn for quail. The chemical compositions of 12 maize varieties were determined and a metabolism assay was carried out in order to determine the apparent metabolizable energy (AME) and nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolizable energy (AMEn) of these corn varieties. The values of chemical composition, AME and AMEn, converted to dry matter, were used to adjust the prediction equations. The initial adjustment of simple and multiple linear regression of the AME and AMEn was performed using the values of crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), neutral (NDF) and acid (ADF) detergent fiber, mineral matter (MM), calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) as regressors (full model). To adjust the prediction equations the statistical procedure of simple and multiple linear regression was used, with the technique of indirect elimination (Backward). There was adjustment of 10 prediction equations, in which 5 were for AME and another 5 for AMEn and the R² values ranged from 0.20 to 0.75 and from 0.21 to 0.78, respectively. For all adjusted equations, negative correlations for MM were observed, which may be related to its dilutive effect of the gross energy contained in corn. In conclusion, the equations that showed better adjustment were AME= 5605. 46 -385 alimentos. Objetivou-se com este trabalho ajustar equações de predição dos valores de EM do milho para codornas de corte. Foi determinada a composição química de 12 diferentes cultivares de milho e realizado um ensaio de metabolismo, com estas cultivares, para determinação da EM aparente (EMA) e EMA corrigida para balanço de nitrogênio (EMAn).De posse da composição química, e dos valores de EMA e EMAn, convertidos para a matéria seca, procedeu-se com o ajuste das equações de predição. O ajuste inicial dos modelos de regressão linear simples e múltipla, dos dados de EMA e EMAn, foi realizado utilizando-se os valores de proteína bruta (PB), extrato etéreo (EE), fibras em detergentes neutro (FDN) e ácido (FDA), matéria mineral (MM), cálcio (Ca) e fósforo (P) como regressoras (modelo completo). Para o ajustamento das equações de predição, dos valores de EMA e EMAn, foi utilizado o procedimento de regressão linear simples e múltipla, por meio da técnica de eliminação indireta (Backward). Houve ajustamento de 10 equações de predição da EM do milho, sendo 5 para EMA e 5 para EMAn, cujos valores de R² variaram de 0,20 a 0,75 e de 0,21 a 0,78, respectivamente. Em todas as equações ajustadas observouse correlação negativa para a matéria mineral, o que pode estar associado ao seu efeito diluente da energia bruta contida nos milhos. Conclui-se que as equações que apresentaram melhor ajustamento foram...

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