Letter to the editorEffective population size remains a suitable, pragmatic indicator of genetic diversity for all species, including forest trees Disclaimer This correspondence does not represent the official finding or policy of any government or institution but only the authors' opinion. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the United States Government or any government.

RESUMO.-Em função da grande variabilidade na composição da glicerina oriunda do biodiesel, torna-se imprescindível a busca por informações que contribuam estabelecê--la com uma alternativa na alimentação de aves. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito da inclusão de glicerina com alto de teor de metanol em dietas para frangos de corte sobre o desempenho e parâmetros sanguíneos. Due to the great variability in the composition of glycerin derived from the biodiesel, it is essential to search for information which helps establish it with an alternative in poultry feed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of inclusion of glycerin with high methanol content in diets for broilers on performance and blood parameters. They used 90 Cobb male broiler chicks with 8 days old, distributed in a completely randomized design with three treatments (0, 6 and 12% glycerin inclusion levels) and six replications of five birds each, a total of 18 experimental units. Diets were formulated based on corn and soybean meal to meet the nutritional requirements and glycerin used contained 1.4% methanol and 3158Kcal/kg of metabolizable energy. At 21, 33 and 42 days of age the remains of feed and the birds were weighed to determine the feed intake, body weight, body weight gain and feed conversion. Were collected 1 to 3ml of venous blood of the birds during the last days of each phase (19 to 21, 31 to 33 and 40 to 42 days of age) for determination of hematocrit, hemoglobin concentration, reticulocyte total plasma proteins and fibrinogen. To evaluate the serum biochemistry were collected venous blood of birds without anticoagulant, only in the final phase (40 to 42 days). Performance data, hematological and biochemical obtained were submitted to analysis of variance. We used the Tukey test with α = 0.05 probability, to compare the means. There were no statistical difference between the treatments on the performance parameters and biochemical and blood parameters, except plasma proteins for between 19 and 21, which increased with the inclusion of glycerin, and reticulocytes that reduced with the inclusion of glycerin. The inclusion of up to 12% glycerin with 1.4% residual methanol in broiler diets (8 to 42 days of age) can be performed without loss in performance and health.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the performance, carcass yield, and histomorphometry of the small intestine of broilers fed yeast sugarcane supplemented with enzymatic blend from 22 to 42 days of age. Seven hundred broiler chicks were distributed in a completely randomized design in a factorial design (2x3+1), two levels of the enzyme blend (0 and 200 g/ton), three protein levels (0%, 6% and 12%) and a control diet. The level of 6% yeast showed higher feed intake and weight gain after 33 days. From 22 to 42 days there was no significant effect (p<0.05) to the use of yeast in animal performance, carcass yield and cuts. At 42 days an interaction between the factors for width and crypt depth in the duodenum and jejunum, respectively, was observed. The inclusion of yeast in the diets for broilers from 22 to 42 days did not affect the performance and yield of the carcass. Yeast increased the muscle wall of the jejunum. The use of the enzymatic blend did not influence performance but affected the integrity of the intestinal mucosa.

RESUMO Objetivou-se avaliar o efeito de complexos enzimáticos sobre a energia metabolizável e o coeficiente de digestibilidade de nutrientes do milheto para frangos de corte. Quinhentos e setenta e seis frangos machos foram distribuídos em 36 gaiolas, com três tratamentos: T1 - composição de milheto sem complexo enzimático; T2 - composição de milheto com complexo enzimático (CES) e T3 - composição de milheto com complexo enzimático (CEV). Os tratamentos foram definidos com base em seis dietas (três dietas referências e três dietas testes). As dietas testes foram obtidas pela substituição de 40% da dieta referência por milheto inteiro, e a adição de enzimas consistiu de dois complexos enzimáticos: CES, constituído pelas enzimas fitase, protease, xilanase, β-glucanase, celulase, amilase e pectinase; e CEV. constituído pelas enzimas protease, celulase e amilase. Na fase de 11 a 20 dias, a suplementação com o CEV reduziu os valores de EMA, EMAn e CDPB. A suplementação com CES melhorou o CDPB, e não houve efeito significativo para CDMS e CDEB. Na fase de 21 a 30 dias, houve menor aproveitamento da energia e dos nutrientes com as suplementações CES e CEV. Na fase de 31 a 40 dias, as suplementações reduziram os valores de EMA, EMAn, e o complexo CEV foi efetivo em aumentar o valor de CDPB. A inclusão dos complexos enzimáticos CES (fitase, protease, xilanase, β-glucanase, celulase, amilase e pectinase) e CEV (protease, celulase e amilase) não favoreceu a utilização da energia do milheto, no entanto melhorou o coeficiente de digestibilidade da proteína do milheto nos períodos de 11 a 20 e de 31 a 40 dias de idade.

The use of betaine associated or not with choline chloride 70% in Japanese quail diets in the laying phase was evaluated. 504 Japanese quails (Coturnix cortunix Japonica) were used from 104 to 208 days old, in a 3x2 + 1 factorial design, completely randomized design, seven treatments, nine replications, eight birds per experimental unit. Betaine was supplemented in 20% of the digestible methionine level of the control diet, in diets with reformulated betaine the level of enrichment was in the nutritional matrix of the product (100%) and with an extra recovery of 5% (105%). Choline chloride was fixed at 0.07%. Productive performance, egg quality, histometry, and the number of goblet cells from the duodenum and hepatic glycogen were analyzed. The use of betaine promoted greater weight of the eggs to the control, regardless of the mode of use, the use of choline promoted a superior result in the weight of the eggs. In egg quality, only shell percentage was influenced. The use of the reformulated betaine 100% of the matrix promoted greater height of the villi, and a lower villus: crypt ratio to the treatment with the reformulation enriched by 105%. Hepatic glycogen was not influenced. In goblet cells, the reformulation in an extra 105% of the matrix was superior to the matrix in 100%. The hill reduced villus height, improved villus: crypt ratio, and number of goblet cells. In conclusion, the reformulated betaine enriched in an additional 5% of its nutritional matrix replaces the use of choline chloride in the laying of Japanese quail diets.

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of inclusion of enzyme complex in diets of corn and soybean meal upon the metabolizable energy, heat production, zootechnical performance, intestinal morphometry, carcass yield and commercial cuts of broilers, in the period of 21 to 42 days. Metabolism and performance test were performed in a completely randomized design with 4 treatments (Positive Control (CP) and Negative Control (CN), with enzyme complex and without enzyme complex, respectively), 8 repetitions of 4 birds (metabolism) and 15 birds (performance)). Metabolizable energy, heat production, intestinal histomorphometry, zootechnical performance, carcass yield and economic evaluation were analyzed. No effects were observed for metabolizable energy and heat production when enzymes to the diets were added. There was no effect of the treatments upon the performance and the carcass yield. The enzymes caused an increase in the width of the crypt in the duodenum. The others variables (villus height and width, crypt height, wall thickness) of the duodenum, jejunum and ileum were not influenced. Enzymes in diets without energy reduction are not economically viable in the period of 21 to 42 days of age.

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Two hundred and forty Japanese quail aged 125 days were randomly allocated to five treatment groups based on laying (%) and quail's weight (90.71 ± 1.8% egg/day × 100 and 178.05 ± 9.38 g, respectively), each of which included six replicates of eight quails. The diets were formulated based on corn, soybean meal, and industrial amino acids. An optimal diet achieves 100% of amino acids required by the quail requirements, except for threonine. Five treatments were made: 20% less amino acid; 10% less amino acid; optimal diet; 10% more amino acid; and 20% more amino acids than those in the optimal diet. The increase in amino acid levels in a fixed Lys: amino acid ratio led to histological alterations in the liver and uterine epithelium, reduction in blood lipid peroxidation, lower hepatic HSP70 gene expression, and the performance of laying Japanese quail. The optimal diet based on the NRC with an adjusted Thr: Lys 78 ratio (Lys 1.0%) improved the performance and efficiency of Japanese quail from 125 to 230 days of age.