RESUMOEste trabalho foi realizado para avaliar as características fermentativas e a estabilidade aeróbica das silagens de grãos úmidos de milho: convencional, doce e reidratado. Foi utilizado um delineamento em esquema fatorial 3x3 com três tipos de milho (Fortuna, doce e reidratado) e três tratamentos de inoculação (sem inoculação; com inoculação bacteriana; inoculação bacteriana mais enzimas). Foram avaliados a estabilidade aeróbica (diferença entre temperatura do bulbo seco e temperatura das silagens) e os valores de pH com: 0, 24, 48, 72, 96, 168, 192, 216, 240 e 296 horas de exposição aeróbica. Adicionalmente, foram testados diferentes modelos matemáticos para estimar os valores médios de pH pós abertura. Houve interação (P < 0,05) entre os tratamentos de inoculação e tipos de milho para a estabilidade aeróbica e para pH nas horas 72, 168 e 192 após a abertura dos silos. SUMMARYThis work was carried out to evaluate the fermentation characteristics and aerobic stability, regarding the conventional high moisture corn grain silage (Fortuna variety), the high moisture sweet corn grain silage and the high moisture rehydrated corn silage. Data were statistically analyzed as a 3x3 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design, and the factors were three types of corn (Fortuna, sweet and rehydrated) and three inoculation treatments (without inoculum, bacterial inoculum and bacterial inoculum plus enzymes). The aerobic stability values were assessed, collecting the temperatures from the room dry bulb and from the silage thermometers, and the pH values, at 0, 24, 48, 72, 96, 168, 192, 216, 240 and 296 hours after aerobic exposition. Additionally, different mathematical models to estimate the mean pH values after opening were tested. Interactions were observed (P<0.05) between types of corns

Laser beak trimming is a promising alternative to conventional hot-blade beak trimming as it is less painful and provides better beak uniformity and better animal welfare. In this study, laser vs. hot-blade beak trimming were compared in 400 Hy-line Brown pullets between 2-16 weeks of age. At 7 days of age, birds were distributed according to a completely randomized design into two treatments, with 10 replicates (pens) of 20 birds each. Birds and feed offer and residues were weekly weighed to determine weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio. In weeks 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks, one bird per experimental unit was sacrificed to measure the development of the heart development, liver, proventriculus, gizzard, small intestine, and bursa. And of the oviduct in week 16. Pullers submitted to laser beak trimming presented higher weight gain and weekly feed intake, and better feed conversion ratio during the evaluated period. There was no influence of beak trimming methods on the development of the digestive organs, bursa or oviduct. Laser beak trimming can be used as an alternative to hot-blade beak trimming of commercial brown layers.

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Background: Even though insecticides are managed and the period of sanitary emptiness in poultry is respected, the elimination of Alphitobius diaperinus may not be successful. The use of essential oils of plant origin presents as a good alternative in the substitution of insecticides with synthetic molecules, since they are easy to obtain, with rapid degradationand without risk of residues for non-target organisms. The main objective of the present study was to examine whether Cinnamomum zeylanicum oil reduces Alphitobius diaperinus (Panzer) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) infestations under experimental conditions, without causing toxicity to broilers chicks exposed to treated litter.Materials, Methods & Results: The experimental design was completely randomized, with four replications per treatment. The treatments were as follows: solvent control using the diluent Dimethyl Sulfoxide 5% (oil diluent); chemical control using 5 g/m² cypermethrin; one spray of C. zeylanicum 5% oil; and two sprays of C. zeylanicum 5% oil. Each experimental unit was infested with 150 lesser mealworm adults. At 15 days of the broiler chick’s life, blood was collected for biochemical analysis (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, total protein, albumin, globulin, triglycerides and uric acid), and liver fragments were isolated for histopathological analysis. Using TupeTrap devices, we counted lesser mealworm 40 days after treatment. The treatments did not alter biochemical variables, and did not causehistopathological lesions in liver. The treatments with C. zeylanicum 5% oil with one and two sprays efficiently reduced lesser mealworm infestation compared with solvent control. Cypermethrin treatment had no effect.Discussion: Many of the commercial products present low effectiveness in the control of A. diaperinus, since the target organisms develop resistance to the product. In the present study, we used a higher cypermethrin dose than that recommended by the manufacturer, in order to increase efficacy in the face of possible resistance. Even so, cypermethrin did not efficiently control the organism. The effectiveness of the essential oil of C. zeylanicum tested can be attributed to the compounds found in greater quantity in the oil composition, such as cinnamaldehyde (41.27%), linalool (13.05%) and methyl eugenol (10.87%), characterized as responsible for the action of oil repellency. Monoterpenoid compounds found in essential oils extracted from plants have insecticidal action acting on the central nervous system of insects, which impairs their development, being characterized as neurotoxic compounds. The results found with the essential oil of C. zeylanicum are of great importance, since the control of A. diaperinus is not efficient because this organism has behavior that favors reinfestation in the poultry houses, such as shelter in cracks, in the draperies, below the feeders and in the soil. The biochemical analyzes of the blood can as important tools to assist in the monitoring of broilers health, in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, and therefore the results presented are of great importance since they assist in the search for alternative methods for the control of A. diaperinus, where we can affirm that the essential oil of C. zeylanicum does not cause toxicity to broilers. Based on these results we can affirm that essential oil of Cinnamomum zeylanicum, 5%, is an effective substitute for existing commercially-available insecticides.Keywords: alternative control, cinnamon oil, insecticide, lesser mealworm.

Objective. We carried out this study to evaluate weight gain (WG), mortality, blood serum proteins (BP), facial lesions of littermates submitted to different teeth procedures. Material and Methods. The experiment was performed in a commercial breeding farm. Were used 15 sows, allotted into three groups: control, where piglets' teeth were kept intact (IT); teeth clipping (CT); and teeth grinding using an electric grinder (GT). We evaluated WG, BS (five males/litter), mortality, low viable piglets rates and facial lesions in piglets. Additionally, we evaluated sows' backfat thickness (P2) and teat lesion score. BP data, lesion score and WG were assessed individually. For WG, the initial weight and the litter size were used as covariates. Regarding other variables, we used the average of the litter. When there were differences, the means were compared using Duncan test (p<0.05). Results. In the first week, GT piglets presented higher WG. In the second week, CT presented worst WG. In the first two weeks as in the total period, CT piglets presented worse WG than the GT. Mortality and low viable piglets rates were not influenced. After the fourth day, CT and GT treatment reduced facial lesions. There was no effect on BP. Treatments did not influence P2 and teat lesion score. Conclusions. Treatments did not have influence on mortality, low viable rates, BP of the piglets and P2 and teat lesions score. CT treatment decreased weight gain and IT increased face lesions score.Keywords: clipping teeth, grinded teeth, facial lesions, maternity procedures. RESUMENObjetivo. Este estudio fue realizado para evaluar la ganancia de peso, mortalidad, proteínas plasmáticas (BP), lesiones faciales en los lechones y en las cerdas, grasa dorsal (P2) y lesiones en los pezones en lechigadas sometidas a diferentes manejos dentales. Materiales y métodos. La investigación fue conducida en una granja comercial de cría. Fueron utilizadas quince cerdas, divididas en tres grupos: control, en el cual los dientes de los lechones permanecieron intactos; descolmille con alicate; descolmille con limadora eléctrica. Nosotros evaluamos WG, BP (cinco machos/lechigada), mortalidad, lechones de baja viabilidad y lesiones faciales en los lechones. En las cerdas, nosotros evaluamos P2 Postnatal teeth procedures affect the weight gain and welfare of pigletsLos procedimientos dentales postnatales afectan la ganancia de peso y el bienestar de los lechones y la escala de lesiones en los pezones. Los datos de BP, escala de lesiones y WG fueron evaluados individualmente. Para el WG, el peso inicial y el tamaño de la lechigada fueron considerados. Acerca de las otras variables, nosotros usamos el peso promedio de la lechigada. Cuando hubo diferencias, las medias fueron comparadas usando la prueba de Duncan (p<0.05). Resultados. En la primera semana, los lechones del GT presentaron mayor WG. En la segunda semana el CT presentó la peor WG. En las dos primeras semanas así como en el período total, los lechones del CT presentaron peor WG de que los del GT. La...

Background: Even though insecticides are managed and the period of sanitary emptiness in poultry is respected, the elimination of Alphitobius diaperinus may not be successful. The use of essential oils of plant origin presents as a good alternative in the substitution of insecticides with synthetic molecules, since they are easy to obtain, with rapid degradation and without risk of residues for non-target organisms. The main objective of the present study was to examine whether Cinnamomum zeylanicum oil reduces Alphitobius diaperinus (Panzer) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) infestations under experimental conditions, without causing toxicity to broilers chicks exposed to treated litter.Materials, Methods & Results: The experimental design was completely randomized, with four replications per treatment. The treatments were as follows: solvent control using the diluent Dimethyl Sulfoxide 5% (oil diluent); chemical control using 5 g/m² cypermethrin; one spray of C. zeylanicum 5% oil; and two sprays of C. zeylanicum 5% oil. Each experimental unit was infested with 150 lesser mealworm adults. At 15 days of the broiler chick’s life, blood was collected for biochemi­cal analysis (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, total protein, albumin, globulin, triglycerides and uric acid), and liver fragments were isolated for histopathological analysis. Using TupeTrap devices, we counted lesser mealworm 40 days after treatment. The treatments did not alter biochemical variables, and did not cause histopathological lesions in liver. The treatments with C. zeylanicum 5% oil with one and two sprays efficiently reduced lesser mealworm infestation compared with solvent control. Cypermethrin treatment had no effect.Discussion: Many of the commercial products present low effectiveness in the control of A. diaperinus, since the target organisms develop resistance to the product. In the present study, we used a higher cypermethrin dose than that recom­mended by the manufacturer, in order to increase efficacy in the face of possible resistance. Even so, cypermethrin did not efficiently control the organism. The effectiveness of the essential oil of C. zeylanicum tested can be attributed to the compounds found in greater quantity in the oil composition, such as cinnamaldehyde (41.27%), linalool (13.05%) and methyl eugenol (10.87%), characterized as responsible for the action of oil repellency. Monoterpenoid compounds found in essential oils extracted from plants have insecticidal action acting on the central nervous system of insects, which impairs their development, being characterized as neurotoxic compounds. The results found with the essential oil of C. zeylanicum are of great importance, since the control of A. diaperinus is not efficient because this organism has behavior that favors reinfestation in the poultry houses, such as shelter in cracks, in the draperies, below the feeders and in the soil. The biochemical analyzes of the blood can as important tools to assist in the monitoring of broilers health, in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, and therefore the results presented are of great importance since they assist in the search for alternative methods for the control of A. diaperinus, where we can affirm that the essential oil of C. zeylanicum does not cause toxicity to broilers. Based on these results we can affirm that essential oil of Cinnamomum zeylanicum, 5%, is an effective substitute for existing commercially-available insecticides.Keywords: alternative control, cinnamon oil, insecticide, lesser mealworm.

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The aim to evaluate whether different beak trimming methods affected the performance and well-being of laying hens raised in cage and floor systems. During the starter phase, we used a completely randomized design, with three treatments (hot blade beak trimming, infrared beak trimming, and no beak trimming (control)), with four repetitions and in the grower and production phase, we used a factorial arrangement scheme involving two production systems (cage or floor) and three beak management methods (as above). We reared the birds in starter, grower and production phases over a course of 30 weeks. We evaluated productivity, egg quality, behavioral parameters and biochemical variables. In the starter phase, control birds showed higher blood glucose levels (p=0.043). In the grower phase, birds subjected to hot blade beak trimming and control birds showed lower feed intake and better feed conversion. Triglyceride levels were higher in the cage rearing system (p<0.05). In the production phase, the cage rearing system showed higher productivity (p<0.05), mean egg weight (p<0.01), cholesterol levels (p<0.05) and oxygen reactive species levels (p<0.05). In the production phase, the floor system gave rise to a higher frequency of comfort movement behaviors (p<0.01). Hens in cage had improved their performance and had greater egg production efficiency. The choice of the beak method depends on the breeding system.