RESUMO Este experimento foi conduzido com o objetivo de avaliar a exigência de fósforo disponível (Pd) para codornas de corte na fase de crescimento (22 a 42 dias de idade). Foram utilizadas 650 aves, sendo os níveis de fósforo disponível distribuídos em delineamento em blocos ao acaso, em esquema fatorial 5 x 2 (níveis de Pd x sexo) com seis repetições de 13 aves por parcela. Os níveis de fósforo disponível estudados foram: 0,11; 0,21; 0,31; 0,41 e 0,51%. Avaliou-se o consumo de ração, o ganho de peso, a conversão alimentar, o teor de cálcio, fósforo e cinzas na tíbia das aves. Não foi observado efeito (p>0,05) da interação entre os níveis de fósforo disponível e sexo ou o efeito isolado de sexo para o desempenho das aves. Verificou-se que os níveis de Pd influenciaram somente o ganho de peso das codornas (p≤0,05). Com exceção das cinzas na tíbia, todas as variáveis ósseas foram influenciadas pela interação (p<0,01) entre os fatores e pelo sexo. Para codornas de corte fêmeas recomenda-se o nível 0,51% de fósforo disponível na ração, tendo em vista os melhores resultados obtidos, e para os machos não foi possível recomendar um nível de fósforo disponível.

RESUMO Dois experimentos foram realizados com o objetivo de determinar as exigências de lisina digestível para frangos tipo caipira, linhagem Redbro machos e fêmeas, criados em semiconfinamento durante as fases de crescimento (43 a 56) e final (57 a 70 dias). Para isso, 630 frangos foram alojados em 30 boxes com área de pastejo e o delineamento experimental utilizado foi inteiramente casualizado em arranjo fatorial 5x2 (lisina digestível e sexo) e três repetições com 21 aves cada. Os níveis de lisina digestível avaliados foram: 6,07; 7,07; 8,07; 9,07 e 10,07g/kg (fase de crescimento) e 6,00; 7,00; 8,00; 9,00 e 10,00g/kg (fase final). Avaliou-se o desempenho, o rendimento de carcaça e cortes, gordura abdominal e características da qualidade da carne. Para a fase de crescimento não houve diferenças dos níveis de lisina sobre o desempenho dos frangos, exceto para o consumo de lisina digestível. Portanto, o nível de 6,07 g de lisina digestível/kg de ração atende as exigências dos frangos de ambos os sexos. Para a fase final observou-se efeito dos níveis de lisina digestível somente para a conversão alimentar, sendo o nível de 8,51 g de lisina /kg de ração o que melhora essa variável.

The objective was to estimate the most appropriate digestible methionine + cysteine:lysine ratios for growing meat-type quails (Coturnix coturnix) from 1 to 21 days of age. Quails were fed with a basal ration deficient in digestible methionine + cysteine, with five levels of DL-methionine, in substitution of glutamic acid and starch, resulting in digestible methionine + cysteine:lysine ratios of 0.61, 0.66, 0.71, 0.76 and 0.81. Feed and methionine + cysteine intake, body weight gain, feed conversion and uniformity were assessed. From 1 to 7 days, an increasing linear effect was observed for feed and methionine + cysteine intake, body weight gain, and uniformity, and a linear decrease for feed conversion. From 8 to 14 days, the 0.70 methionine + cysteine: lysine ratio was the best for feed intake and body weight gain, and for uniformity, the 0.75 methionine + cysteine:lysine ratio was the most appropriate. For methionine + cysteine intake and feed conversion, an increasing and decreasing linear adjustment was observed, respectively. From 15 to 21 days, an increasing linear effect was observed for feed and methionine + cysteine intake and body weight gain; a decreasing linear effect was observed for feed conversion. The 0.81 ratio was the most efficient for feed conversion during all evaluated experimental periods. In conclusion, the 0.81 dietary methionine + cysteine:lysine ratio is the most appropriate for meat-type quails during the first 21 days of age.

SUMMARY We aimed to evaluate the random regression models that promote the best fit of residual variance predicting the breeding values of quail body weights and the sensitivity of its breeding values to the variations of different tryptophan:lysine ratios in the diets via reaction norms. A total of 1112 meat quails from LF1 and LF2 lines with 35 days of age were evaluated. During the period of 1 to 21 days of age, birds were fed with different tryptophan:lysine ratios (0.17, 0.20, 0.23, 0.26 and 0.29%) containing 2900 kcal ME/kg and 26.10% crude protein, followed by basal diet provided up to 35 days. The best model fit for residual variance was evaluated comparing heterogeneity (2, 3 and 4 classes) and homogeneity (1 class), including sex as fixed effect and the additive genetic effect as random. The second order Legendre polynomial was used to analyze the genotype x environment interaction using reaction norms. The model considering two classes of residual variance was the one that promoted the best fit of the data, being adopted to predict the breeding values. Thus, we observed changes in the sensitivity of the breeding values, characterized by the rearrangement of the breeding values, according to the different ratios of amino acids, suggesting the genotype x environment interaction.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of dietary calcium levels on productive and reproductive traits of European male quail (Coturnix coturnix). A total of 60 European male quail, at 35 days of age, weighing 248.9g ± 8.1g were distributed in a completely randomized experimental design with five calcium levels (1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0 and 3.5%), and 12 replicates per treatment (one bird each replicate). The experimental period was 35 to 70 days of age. At 70 days of age, the parameters of male productive traits assessed were: feed consumption, calcium consumption, weight gain and body weight of birds. The reproductive traits analyzed were: hatchability and fertility of eggs. Early, intermediate and late embryonic mortality were also evaluated. The diet containing 3.16% of calcium provides higher percentage of hatched eggs and did not show a negative effect on productive performance of European quails.