In modern pig farming, the search for systems that promote environmental quality and welfare is an important issue. In this sense, the present study evaluated the effects of environmental enrichment on the performance and behavior of piglets. In a completely randomized block design, 32 piglets (7.43kg mean weight), weaned at 28 days of age, were distributed into four treatments (control without enrichment, environmental enrichment with wood shavings as bedding; environmental enrichment with hanging toys and environmental enrichment with wood shavings + hanging toys). Four repetitions were performed for each treatment, with two animals per experimental unit. The instant scan sampling technique was used to record the behavior of each piglet for 20h. Animals receiving environmental enrichment with wood shavings + hanging toys were heavier at 70 days (P=0.02), exhibited higher total and daily weight gain (P=0.04 and P=0.02, respectively) and better feed conversion (P=0.02). Environmental enrichment increased the interaction of animals with the environment, allowing them to exhibit natural behaviors.

Resumo: Objetivou-se avaliar o efeito de diferentes níveis de sódio na dieta de codornas japonesas na fase de postura. Foram utilizadas 360 codornas japonesas, com idade inicial de 120 dias, distribuídas em delineamento em blocos ao acaso, com seis tratamentos de acordo com o nível de sódio nas dietas, seis repetições e 10 aves por unidade experimental. Para formação das dietas experimentais foram adicionados à dieta basal 0,000%; 0,126%, 0,252%, 0,378%, 0,504% e 0,630% de sal comum em substituição ao material inerte, de forma a obter os níveis de 0,05%; 0,10%; 0,15%; 0,20%, 0,25% e 0,30% de sódio que constituíram os tratamentos, as dietas foram isoproteicas, isocalóricas e isocálcicas. O período experimental foi de 84 dias divididos em quatro períodos de 21 dias. Os parâmetros avaliados foram consumo de ração, taxa de postura, peso médio de ovos, massa de ovos, peso final e conversão alimentar por massa de ovos. Foi observado efeito quadrático para consumo de ração, taxa de postura, massa de ovos, peso final e conversão alimentar por massa de ovos e efeito linear para peso médio de ovos. O nível de sódio para codornas japonesas na fase de postura foi de 0,208%, referente a um consumo de 5,4g de sódio por dia. Palavras-chave:Cloreto de sódio; Coturnicultura; Taxa de postura. Abstract:Objective to evaluate the effect of different levels of sodium in the diet of Japanese quails. Were used 360 Japanese quail, with initial age of 120 days, distributed in a completely randomized block, with six treatments, six replications and 10 birds per experimental unit. For formation of experimental diets were added to basal diet 0,000%; 0,126%, 0,252%, 0,378%, 0,504% and 0,630% common salt in replacement of the inert material, in order to obtain levels of 0,05%; 0,10%; 0,15%; 0,20%, 0,25% and 0,30% sodium constituting the treatments, diets were isoproteics, isocaloric and isocalcium. The experimental period was 84 days divided into four periods of 21 days. The parameters evaluated were feed intake, egg production, egg weight, egg mass, final weight and feed conversion per egg mass. Was observed quadratic effect on feed intake, egg production, egg mass, final weight and feed conversion per egg mass and linear effect for egg weight. The sodium level for Japanese quails is 0,208% with respect to an intake of 5,4g of sodium per day.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of two levels of crude protein and five levels of electrolyte balance on the performance and egg-quality of laying Japanese quail. Six hundred 45-dayoldquails were distributed in a randomized-block design with a 5 × 2 factorial arrangement comprising ten treatments, five replicates, and 12 birds per experimental unit. The electrolyte balance levels were 50, 125, 200, 275, and 350 mEq kg -1 of diet, and crude protein (CP) levels were 210 and 240 g kg -1 . The performance and egg-quality variables assessed were: feed intake, feed conversion, egg-laying percentage, egg weight and mass, and albumin, yolk and shell weight. There were no interactions among the studied factors. The electrolyte balance and crude protein levels did not significantly affect the performance variables. However, increased shell weight of eggs stored for seven days was observed at an electrolyte balance level of 200 mEq kg -1 . With regard to the CP levels, increased egg weight was observed at 28 days at a level of 210 g kg -1 , whereas increased albumin weight was observed at 35 days of storage at a level of 240 g kg -1 . A tendency toward an increase in egg albumin weight during the storage period of 14 days was observed. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that the diet for Japanese quails in the laying phase be formulated with an electrolyte balance of 50 mEq kg -1 and 240 g kg -1 of crude protein This diet did not have a negative effect on productive performance, and by increasing the weight of egg albumin, eggs can be stored for a longer duration, thus demonstrating an alternative method to increase the shelf life of eggs. Key words: Chlorine, egg quality, performance, potassium, sodium ResumoCom o objetivo de avaliar os efeitos de cinco níveis de balanço eletrolítico e dois níveis de proteína bruta sobre o desempenho e a qualidade de ovos de codornas japonesas na fase de produção, 600 codornas com 45 dias de idade foram distribuídas em delineamento em bloco casualizado, esquema fatorial (5x2), dez tratamentos, cinco repetições e 12 aves por unidade experimental. e 240 g kg -1 . As variáveis de desempenho e qualidade dos ovos analisadas foram: consumos de ração, conversão alimentar, porcentagem de postura, peso e massa de ovos, peso de albúmen, gema e casca. Os dados de peso do ovo e peso da casca foram registrados em diferentes tempos de armazenamento dos ovos e analisados dentro de cada tempo. Observou-se que não houve efeito da interação entre os fatores estudados. Os níveis do balanço eletrolítico e proteína bruta não influenciaram significativamente as variáveis de desempenho. Entretanto o nível de 200 mEq kg -1 melhorou o peso da casca de ovos armazenados por sete dias. Com relação aos níveis de PB, o nível de 210 g kg -1 promoveu aumento do peso da gema aos 28 dias enquanto que o nível de 240 g kg -1 aumentou o peso do albúmen aos 35 dias de armazenamento. Foi observada tendência de acréscimo no peso de albúmen dos ovos até o período de armazenamen...

O experimento foi realizado com o objetivo de avaliar o desempenho de codornas poedeiras alimentadas com rações contendo 21 e 24% de proteína bruta, três balanços eletrolíticos (200, 275 e 350 mEq/ kg de ração) e duas formas de aumento de balanço eletrolítico (potássio e sódio + potássio). Foram utilizadas 720 codornas com 120 dias de idade, durante 84 dias, subdivididos em quatro períodos de 21 dias, em dois ensaios distribuídos em delineamento em blocos ao acaso com seis repetições e dez aves por unidade experimental. Foram avaliados três níveis de balanço eletrolítico e a inclusão de duas fontes de cátions na ração. A comparação das médias foi realizada pelo teste de Student Newman-Keuls (SNK) e pelo teste F (5%). Para o nível de 21% de proteína bruta, a adição de carbonato de potássio (K2CO3) proporcionou aumento na massa de ovos. Para o nível de 24%, os resultados mostraram que a adição conjunta de carbonato de potássio e carbonato de sódio (K2CO3 + Na2CO3) apresentaram melhor taxa de postura, massa de ovos, consumo de ração e conversão alimentar. Independentemente do nível de proteína utilizado, os melhores resultados foram obtidos com 200 mEq/ kg de ração.

An experiment was performed using 1,000 laying Japanese quails to assess the availability of two alternative dietary methionine sources. Treatment 01 = Basal Feed that is deficient in digestible methionine + cystine (Met + Cys). The other treatments were constituted by Met + Cys levels of 0.8, 1.60 and 2.40 g/kg, supplemented with DL-Methionine-99%, HMTBA-88% and HMTBA-84%, being 10 treatments in total. The following characteristics were studied: feed intake (g/bird/day), egg production (egg/day × 100), egg weight (g/egg), egg mass (g/egg), feed conversion per egg dozen (kg feed/dozen eggs), feed conversion per egg mass (kg feed/kg eggs), relative yolk weight (g/100 g of egg), relative albumen weight (g/100 g of egg), relative shell weight (g/100 g of egg), shell thickness (mm) and specific gravity (g/cm ). In general result comment, supplemental methionine sources must be included in the poultry diet. The different methionine sources affect the performance of quails, and the increase in the levels within each source improves the performance variables. Significant effect was observable on performance variables and egg quality variables, being that DLM-99% is superior to the other sources. The HMTBA-88% source is superior to the HMTBA-84% source for the same aforementioned variables. In conclusion, the bioefficacy values of the HMTBA-88% and HMTBA-84% sources compared to the DLM-99% source on an equimolar basis were 81 and 79%, respectively, for the performance variables, and 83 and 74 while the methionine sources were equivalent for the variables related to egg quality.

The methodologies applied to chickens and laying hens, to determine the digestibility and requirement of protein and amino acids are used with quails, however, they need a more careful evaluation due to peculiarities inherent to the Coturnix genus, in order to provide consistent results. The nutritional requirements of the birds are determinate using the dose-response and the factorial method. Several mathematical models and techniques of diet formulation are allied to the dose-response method in determining nutritional requirements. The curvilinear (hyperbolic) models beter portray population behaviour in response to increasing nutrient doses in diets. The reading model, allow a beter estimation of the requirement, in relation to the mathematical models used in the dose-response method. The techniques of comparative slaughter and nitrogen balance are efective in determining the nutritional requirements of quails, however, the later need to be corrected by the loss of nitrogen in the feathers in determining the requirements of crude protein and amino acids for maintenance. The protein-free diet, coupled with the industrial amino acid supplementation, provides more robust digestibility values, since it more efectively predicts the endogenous excretion patern.

Three hundred and twenty-four DeKalb White laying hens aged 42 weeks were distributed in a completely randomised design with nine treatments and six replicates of six birds in each treatment. The experiment lasted 112 days. [Trp]. Regarding the quality of the eggs, the percentage of yolk and albumen, shell thickness and Haugh unit were not affected by the different diets. The percentage of shell, specific gravity and albumen height showed significant differences. We found that supplementation of only one amino acid in the diet (T 7 , T 8 or T 9 ), with the exception of methionine (T 6 ), worsened performance relative to the control. Supplementation of three amino acids (methionine, lysine and threonine; T 5 ) or four amino acids (methionine, lysine, threonine and tryptophan; T 4 ) worsened egg production and conversion per mass and per dozen eggs; however, feed intake and egg weight and mass were similar to the control treatment. When all amino acids (methionine, lysine, threonine, tryptophan, isoleucine and valine; T 2 ) were supplemented performance was similar to the control treatment in all variables. Supplementation of methionine, lysine and threonine is essential for birds in the laying phase; however the addition of six essential amino acids (lysine, methionine, threonine, tryptophan, valine and isoleucine) to the diet of laying hens is important for a good productive performance comparable with the control treatment T 1 . However, the inclusion of the latter two (isoleucine and valine) is justified only if the production cost is lower. . Em relação à qualidade dos ovos, a porcentagem de gema e albúmen, espessura de casca e a unidade Haugh não foram afetadas pelas dietas diferentes. A percentagem de casca, gravidade específica e altura do albúmen mostraram diferenças significativas. Verificou-se que a suplementação de apenas um aminoácido na dieta (T 7 ; T 8 ou T 9 ), com a exceção de metionina (T 6 ), piorou o desempenho das aves em relação a aves que consumiram a dieta controle. A suplementação de três aminoácidos (metionina, lisina e treonina; T 5 ) ou quatro aminoácidos (metionina, lisina, treonina e triptofano; T 4 ) agravou a produção de ovos e conversão por massa e por dúzia de ovos; no entanto, o consumo de ração e peso dos ovos e massa de ovos, o desempenho foi semelhante ao tratamento controle T 1 . Quando todos os aminoácidos (metionina, lisina, treonina, triptofano, isoleucina e valina; T 2 ) foram suplementados a dieta, o desempenho foi semelhante ao tratamento de controle em todas as variáveis. A suplementação de metionina, lisina e treonina é essencial para as aves na fase de colocação, no entanto, a adição de seis aminoácidos essenciais (lisina, metionina, treonina, triptofano, valina e isoleucina) à dieta de galinhas poedeiras é importante para um bom desempenho produtivo comparável com o tratamento controle. No entanto, a inclusão dos dois últimos (isoleucina e valina) só se justifica o custo de produção é menor. Palavras-chave: Aminoácidos limitantes. Desempenho. Excreção de n...

Experiment I: T1‐1 = basal diet with 25% crude protein (CP) + limiting amino acids (LA); T1‐2 = 20% CP + LA; T1‐3 = 20% CP + LA + L‐glycine; T1‐4 = 20% CP + LA + L‐glutamate; T1‐5 = 20% CP + LA + L‐glycine + L‐glutamate. Experiment II: T2‐1 = basal diet with 22% CP + LA; T2‐2 = 20% CP + LA; T2‐3 = 17.6% CP + LA + L‐glycine; T2‐4 = 17.6% CP + LA + L‐glutamate; T2‐5 = 17.6% CP + LA + L‐glycine + L‐glutamate. The reduction of dietary protein based on the concept of ideal protein decreases nitrogen excretion in quails when L‐glycine is added to the diets. Quails fed diets supplemented with L‐glutamate as the non‐specific nitrogen source equivalent to the nitrogen level of the control diet had increased nitrogen excretion. However, quails had reduced nitrogen excretion in both experiments when L‐glycine was added to diets with L‐glutamate. Carcass fat was increased by reducing dietary protein, but fat deposition was reduced by adding L‐glutamate and L‐glycine, or both. The dietary addition of L‐glutamate and L‐glycine in quails based on the ideal protein concept is not necessary (Exp. I). Although the total nitrogen, electrolytic balance and glycine level were adjusted in diets, quails had decreased performance. Therefore, other hypotheses besides protein reduction need to be studied (Exp. II). Protein reduction with supplementation of only limiting essential amino acids does not affect quail performance. Dietary addition of L‐glycine reduces nitrogen excretion.