-The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of limestone particle size and the use of artificial light for laying hens in the second laying cycle. We used 240 Hisex White laying hens at 82 weeks of age in a completely randomized design in a 5 × 2 factorial arrangement, resulting in 10 treatments with 4 replicates of 6 birds. The variables were the five particle sizes obtained by increasing the proportion of thick limestone (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100%) compared with thin limestone and two lighting programs: with and without artificial light. Limestone particle size and light did not affect performance or egg quality. However, there were changes in bird feeding schedule throughout the day as a response to the lighting program. Bone quality, density and mineral content of the tibia were not affected by the treatments, but limestone particle size had a quadratic effect of on bone deformity and strength, obtaining maximum inclusion points with 63% and 59% of thick limestone, respectively. The use of large particles of limestone in the diet and the use of a lighting program does not influence the performance and quality of the eggs of laying hens in the second production cycle, but the use of a proportion of 63.3 g of average particle size (0.60 mm) replacing the fine limestone (0.23 mm) per 100 g of total limestone added to the diet improves bone quality in these birds.

-The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of parboiled rice whole bran (PRWB) inclusion in laying diets for Japanese quails, on their performance, egg quality, and economic viability. A total of 448 17-week-old quails were weighed and distributed in a completely randomized design with seven treatments and eight replicates of eight birds each. A control diet (no PRWB) and six diets, containing 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30% of PRWB, were tested. The increasing levels of PRWB did not affected nutrient digestibility coefficient, dietary energy use, feed intake, egg production, egg weight, egg mass, and the economic viability indices. However, there was a linear decrease in egg shell percentage, specific weight, and yolk color. The inclusion of up to 30% PRWB in the diet allows nutrient utilization and performance similar to those obtained by the control group, and it is economically viable.Index terms: byproduct, economic analysis, egg characteristics, nutrition, quail production, rice bran. Farelo integral de arroz parboilizado na ração de postura para codornas japonesasResumo -O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos da inclusão do farelo integral de arroz parboilizado (FIAP) na ração de postura para codornas japonesas sobre seu desempenho, qualidade dos ovos e viabilidade econômica. Um total de 448 codornas, com 17 semanas de idade, foi pesado e distribuído em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com sete tratamentos e oito repetições, de oito aves cada. Uma dieta controle (sem FIAP) e seis dietas, com 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 e 30% de FIAP, foram testadas. Os níveis crescentes de FIAP não afetaram o coeficiente de digestibilidade dos nutrientes, o aproveitamento da energia das rações, o consumo, a produção, o peso e a massa de ovos, e os índices de viabilidade econômica. Entretanto, observou-se redução linear na percentagem de casca, no peso específico e na cor da gema. A inclusão de até 30% de FIAP na ração possibilita aproveitamento dos nutrientes e desempenho semelhantes aos obtidos pelo grupo-controle e é economicamente viável.Termos para indexação: subproduto, análise econômica, características de ovos, nutrição, coturnicultura, farelo de arroz.

Rice is the second largest cereal crop in the world and the by-products resulting from rice processing for human consumption are potential feedstuffs to compose poultry diets. In this sense, it was evaluated the influence of parboiled rice bran (PRB) in diets for Japanese quails in growing phase on the performance and digestibility, besides of residual effects and characteristics of egg quality in laying phase. A total of 324 Japanese quails with 7 days of age were distributed in a completely randomized design, with 6 treatments and 6 replicates of 9 birds. The treatments consisted of 6 isonutritives diets, being a control diet without PRB and the others containing 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25%. At the end of growing phase the birds were allotted in cages and fed the same diet without PRB at laying phase. At growing phase, the inclusion of PRB up to 5% promoted linear reduction in dry matter and gross energy digestibilities of diet; however a linear increase in metabolizable energy was noted. Feed intake, weight gain and final weight were reduced but not altering feed:gain ratio and body composition. At laying phase, the inclusion of PRB increased the age at first egg production but no influence was verified at age to reach 50% of egg production. No effect was verified at laying percentage, feed intake, weight and egg mass and feed:gain ratio. In economical evaluation, the inclusion of up to 25% of parboiled rice bran provided best economical indexes. The inclusion of PRB Japanese quails diets at growing phase can be recommended in levels up to 25%, without incurring future losses at laying phase.Index terms: Alternative feedstuff, body composition, performance. RESUMOO arroz é a segunda maior cultura cerealífera do mundo e os subprodutos resultantes de seu processamento do arroz para o consumo humano são potenciais ingredientes para compor as rações para aves. Nesse sentido, objetivou-se, neste estudo, avaliar a inclusão de diferentes níveis de farelo integral de arroz parboilizado (FIAP) em rações para codornas japonesas em crescimento quanto à digestibilidade dos nutrientes da dieta, desempenho, maturidade sexual e composição corporal e seus efeitos na fase de postura quanto à produção e características dos ovos. Foram utilizadas 324 codornas japonesas com 7 dias de idade, distribuídas em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com 6 tratamentos e 6 repetições de 9 aves. Os tratamentos consistiram em 6 rações isonutrientes, sendo uma ração controle, sem FIAP e as demais contendo 5, 10, 15, 20 e 25% de FIAP. Ao final da fase de crescimento, as aves foram transferidas para o galpão de produção, sendo alimentadas com uma mesma ração de postura por 63 dias, sem inclusão de FIAP. Na fase de crescimento, a inclusão de FIAP acima de 5% promoveu redução linear na digestibilidade da matéria seca e energia bruta da ração, havendo aumento linear nos valores de energia metabolizável das rações. O consumo de ração, ganho de peso e peso final reduziram sem alterar a conversão alimentar e a composição corporal. Na fase de pr...

ABSTRACT. Current experiment evaluated the effects of inclusion of leucaena leaf hay (LLH) on the performance and nutrient digestibility of diets for laying hens during the growth phase (14-18 weeks). Ninety pullets (Rhode Island Red and New Hampshire) were distributed in a completely randomized design with three treatments (0%, 5% and 10% inclusion of LLH) and five replicates, with six birds. Feed intake (g bird -1 day -1 ), weight gain (g bird -1 day -1 ), feed conversion (kg kg -1 ), metabolizable energy intake (kcal bird -1 day -1 ), intake of crude protein (g bird -1 day -1 ), coefficients of dry matter (CDDM) and gross energy (CDCE), nitrogen digestibility (CDN), apparent metabolizable energy (AME) and apparent metabolizable energy corrected for nitrogen (AMEn) were evaluated. The inclusion of LLH did not statistically influence CDN, AME and AMEn of diet. However, this inclusion significantly affected CDDM and CDCE, resulting in lower CDDM and CDCE with inclusion of 10%. Whereas the use of nutrients by chicks fed on diets with the inclusion of LLH allowed the same amount of metabolizable energy, inclusion of up to 10% of LLH diet during the growth phase (14-19 weeks) of laying hens (Rhode Island Red and New Hampshire) may be recommended.Keywords: alternative food, poultry, fiber, leucaena, nutrition.Inclusão de feno da folha de leucena na ração de poedeiras na fase de crescimento RESUMO. O experimento avaliou os efeitos da inclusão do feno da folha de leucena (FFL) sobre o desempenho e digestibilidade dos nutrientes das rações para poedeiras em crescimento (14 a 18 semanas de idade). Utilizaram-se 90 frangas (Rhode Island Red e New Hampshire), distribuídas em delineamento inteiramente casualisado com três tratamentos (0%, 5% e 10% de inclusão do FFL) e cinco repetições de seis aves. Avaliou-se o consumo de ração (g ave -1 dia -1 ), o ganho de peso (g ave -1 dia -1 ), a conversão alimentar (kg kg -1 ), a ingestão de energia metabolizável (kcal ave -1 dia -1 ), a ingestão de proteína bruta (g ave -1 dia -1 ) e os coeficientes de digestibilidade da matéria seca (CDMS), da energia bruta (CDEB), do nitrogênio (CDN), energia metabolizável aparente (EMA) e energia metabolizável aparente corrigida para nitrogênio (EMAn). A inclusão de FFL não influenciou estatisticamente CDN, EMA e EMAn da ração. Entretanto, influenciou significativamente os CDMS e CDEB, resultando em menor CDMS e CDEB com inclusão de 10%. Considerando que o aproveitamento dos nutrientes da ração pelas aves alimentadas com a inclusão do FFL possibilitou o mesmo valor de energia metabolizável pode-se recomendar a inclusão de até 10% do FFL na ração de crescimento (14 a 19 semanas de idade) para poedeiras (Rhode Island Red e New Hampshire).Palavras-chave: alimento alternativo, aves, fibra, leucena, nutrição.

A study was aimed to evaluate the effects of cashew nut meal inclusion (CNM) on nutrient digestibility, performance and carcass characteristics of meat quails. A total of 432 meat quails with 7 days of age, were distributed in a completely randomized design with six treatments and nine replicates of eight birds each. Treatments were obtained with inclusion of CNM at levels of 0, 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 g/kg. According to regression analysis, the inclusion of CNM, at levels above 50 g/kg, provided a linear reduction in digestibility of dry matter and metabolizable energy of diets, linear increase in feed intake and an increase in feed conversion ratio, not influencing weight gain and carcass characteristics. Comparing the results obtained with the different inclusion levels compared to those obtained with the diet without CNM (control group), it was noted that diets with 200 g/kg of CNM inclusion, the dry matter digestibility and metabolizable energy of diet were lower and the level of 250 g/kg provided higher feed intake. Considering the results, it can be inferred that cashew nut meal can be used as a feedstuff in meat quail's diets at levels up to 250 g/kg.