Resumo em Inglês:

The aim of this study was to follow-up the physiological variations in the development of the bone tissue, associating them with the egg production curve. This study was carried out in the facilities of the Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia of the UNESP, Botucatu, Brazil. Twenty-three families of Ross broiler breeders were used, each family consisting of 13 females and 1 male, distributed in 23 pens of 5.0m² each. The management was that recommended by the genetic company manual (Agroceres Ross, 2003), with daily feeding until 6th week of age; and birds were fed according to a 5:2 schedule (5 days fed, 2 days of fasting) between 7 and 17 weeks of age, returning to daily feeding starting at 18 weeks of age. Birds did not receive afternoon calcium supplementation. On the fourth week of rearing, 84 females were removed for bone analyses of the right tibia and femur, using optical densitometry in radiographic images technique. These analyses were sequentially carried out in 4, 8, 12, 15, 20, 24, 30, 35, 42, 47, and 52 week-old birds. The egg production curve of the birds was followed-up and associated to bone mineral density results. For bone mineral density evaluation (BMD) birds were divided by weight categories as light, intermediate, or heavy within each data age. BMD values of the tibias were not influenced by weight range, but by the age at collection. On the other hand, interactions were found among femur BMD values and weight and age categories. There was no correlation between eggshell quality and femur BMD. A negative correlation (-0.15) was observed between tibia BMD and eggshell percentage. It was possible to conclude that the egg production has little influence on bone mineral density of the birds probably because there was no need of bone mineral mobilization during the production period, since the observed egg production was below that observed under commercial conditions.

Resumo em Inglês:

Except for the meat- and egg-type strains used in commercial poultry farms in Brazil, there are no scientific reports about the origin of birds from the genus Gallus that have been introduced in this country with domestication or fighting purposes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the position of the Brazilian Game Bird in the phylogenetic tree of the genus Gallus by nucleotide sequence analysis of the mitochondrial DNA D-loop region. The results indicate that fighting roosters comprise two different clusters within the species Gallus gallus domesticus. One of the clusters is related to the wild ancestors, while the other one is more related to the birds raised by the poultry industry. In conclusion, Brazilian fighting roosters have originated from the red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus) and belong to the subspecies Gallus gallus domesticus.

Resumo em Inglês:

This study evaluated the efficacy of probiotic utilization as growth promoters in broiler chicken feeding using systematic literature review and meta-analysis. Thirty-five studies were recovered by the systematic review, 27 of which met the following criteria to be included in the meta-analysis: (1) Brazilian studies published between 1995 and 2005; (2) probiotics administered in the diet without growth promoter; (3) results included performance data with the respective coefficient of variation. Meta-analysis have shown that the probiotics promoted better weight gain and feed conversion than the negative control (no antimicrobial) in the initial phase (1 to 20-28 days); nevertheless, results were similar in the total period (1 to 35-48 days). Weight gain and feed conversion were similar between probiotics and the positive control (with antimicrobial) both in the initial and in the total periods. Viability in the total period improved with the use of probiotics in comparison to the negative or positive controls. Sensitivity analysis showed that the results of meta-analysis were coherent. The funnel plots and the Egger regression method evidenced that the studies published in Brazil do not present biased results. It is possible to conclude that the probiotics are a technically viable alternative to antimicrobial growth promoters in broiler feeding. Nevertheless, further studies are necessary to identify eventual differences among the probiotics commercially available in Brazil.

Resumo em Inglês:

The humoral immune response of broilers fed diets supplemented with Zinc (Zn) (0, 40, and 400mg/kg) and vitamin E (0, 12, and 120mg/kg), separately or combined, was evaluated. A completely randomized design was used according to a 3x3 factorial arrangement, with nine treatments and four repetitions per treatment. Sexed birds (n=1440) were distributed in 36 boxes with 40 chicks each and reared until 41 days of age. Vaccination against Newcastle Disease (ND) was performed when birds were 14 days old. ELISA and HI tests were used to assess antibody levels before vaccination and at 28, 35 and 41 days of age. The results were analyzed using Proc Mixed from SAS. The interaction between the highest dietary levels of Zn and vitamin E resulted in higher antibody levels in ELISA at 14, 28, 35 and 41 days of age. Increasing levels of Zn and vitamin E supplemented separately in the diets provided greater levels of hemagglutinating antibodies in HI at 14, 28, 35 and 41 days old. The interaction between the highest levels of Zn and vitamin E resulted in greater antibody levels at 41 days of age.

Resumo em Inglês:

Soybean is the most important protein source in animal nutrition and is widely used in poultry diets. Several factors influence the concentration of amino acids present in soybean grains cultivated in Brazil, such as climatic changes, genetics, topography, and soil fertility. Many technologies of soybean processing are used in order to eliminate or inactivate both heat-labile and heat-stable anti-nutritional factors. During processing, soybean by-products with different nutritional values are also produced. Processing conditions may as well affect the coefficients of digestibility of nutrients that are present in soybean protein sources. Furthermore, positive and negative effects of the environment may be masked by changes in processing conditions. This study aimed to compare the levels of crude protein and essential and non-essential amino acids in soybean samples collected in the states of Goiás, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, and Santa Catarina during the harvest of 2003/2004 in Brazil. Measurements were made using NIRS (Near Infrared System of Reflectance Spectroscopy), and expressed on an "as-fed" basis. Soybeans sampled in different states evidenced nutritional differences. It is worth noting that samples collected in Minas Gerais, Rio Grande do Sul and Mato Grosso do Sul presented high levels of essential amino acids. The analyzed levels of essential amino acids were not always directly related to the protein concentrations of the samples. Because of the diversity of growing conditions in Brazil and worldwide, soybean produced in different environmental conditions is expected to show variable protein composition and quality, as demonstrated in the present study.

Resumo em Inglês:

This study aimed at evaluating the effect of total replacement of dry corn by wet grain corn silage (WGCS) in the feed of label broilers older than 28 days of age on performance, mortality, carcass, parts, breast meat and thighs meat yields, and meat quality. A mixed-sex flock of 448 ISA S 757-N (naked-neck ISA JA Label) day-old chicks was randomly distributed in to randomized block experimental design with four treatments (T1 - with no WGCS; T2 - WGCS between 28 and 83 days; T3 - WGCS between 42 and 83 days; and T4 - WGCS between 63 and 83 days) and four replicates of 28 birds each. Birds were raised under the same management and feeding conditions until 28 days of age, when they started to have free access to paddock with pasture (at least 3m²/bird) and to be fed the experimental diets. Feed and water were offered ad libitum throughout the rearing period, which was divided in three stages: starter (1 to 28 days), grower (29 to 63 days), and finisher (64 to 83 days) according to the feeding schedule. During the short periods of WGCS use (group T2 during grower stage and T4 during the finisher stage), performance and mortality results were similar as to those of the control group (T1). At the end of the experiment, it was observed that the extended use of WGCS (T2 and T3) determined a negative effect on feed conversion ratio. However, the best results of breast meat yield were observed with birds fed WGCS since 28 days (T2). It was concluded that WGCS can replace dry corn grain for short periods during the grower and finisher stages with no impairment of meat quality and yield in slow growth broilers.

Resumo em Inglês:

Chemical restraint in ostriches is usually required for short-time interventions. Thus, this study established and evaluated intravenous anesthetics formulated from commonly used drugs in order to accomplish total restraint on this species and allow painful procedures to be performed. Thirty male and female ostriches weighing from 40 to 90 kg were randomly distributed into five groups. Animals in Groups I, II and III were given acepromazine (0.25 mg/kg i.m.) and those in Groups IV and V were given xylazine (1.0 mg/kg i.m.). The following drugs were administered intravenously 15 to 20 min later: Group I - propofol (4.0 mg/kg), Groups II and IV - ketamine (5.0 mg/kg) and diazepam (0.25 mg/kg), Groups III and V - tiletamine-zolazepam (3.0 mg/kg). All protocols have produced satisfactory results regarding total containment, muscular relaxation and maintenance of the evaluated parameters within a normal range.

Resumo em Inglês:

Reservoir competence for the Newcastle Disease virus (NDV) was evaluated in sparrows (Passer domesticus, Linnaeus 1758) captured on a commercial poultry farm and a chicken hatchery in the State of Pernambuco, Northeastern Brazil. A total number of 103 birds collected from a poultry farm (24/103) and a chicken hatchery (79/103) were examined. Hemagglutination inhibition tests, isolation, and viral characterization were performed in all samples collected from each bird. Titers ranging from 1:2 to 1:64 were detectable in 10.68% of sparrows, but positive serology and viral isolation were obtained only from sparrows captured at the hatchery. Hemagglutination activity was inhibited by anti-avian paramyxovirus serotype 1 (APMV-1) serum, and this sample showed an intracerebral pathogenicity index (ICOI) of 0.21, which is similar to the B1 stock vaccine (0.20) used for vaccination in those farms. Therefore, it was concluded that the sparrows were infected by stock vaccine virus, and that these birds could be a reservoir for NDV. However, additional studies involving sequencing of the virus genome of stock vaccine must be carried out.

Resumo em Inglês:

This article reports a survey on turkey astrovirus (TAstV) and turkey coronavirus (TCoV) infections with RT-PCR in 17 turkey flocks affected by acute enteritis and two apparently normal turkey flocks located in the Southeastern region of Brazil by PCR (TAstV and TCoV). Seven out of the 17 affected flocks were positive for TAstV and 14 for TCoV, with seven co-infections. In one of the two apparently normal flocks, a TAstV-TCoV co-infection was found. Although a definitive association of these agents and the signs can not be made, the implications of these findings are discussed.