Laying parameters of meat quails breeders submitted to lighting programs at growing phase

ABSTRACT: When applied at growing phase, lighting program aims to obtain quails with body weight and physiological maturity suitable for the beginning of laying. This study evaluated lighting programs at growing phase on performance, sexual maturity and egg quality of meat quail breeders (Coturnixcoturnix) at laying phase. From 7 to 49 days of age, 300 female meat quails were subjected to three lighting programs (natural, intermittent and continuous), with 5 replicates of 20 birds each. At 49 days of age, 240 quails were transferred to a shed, maintaining the same experimental conditions. Meat quails submitted to continuous and intermittent lighting programs had higher weight of reproductive system and lower ages for first egg production and to reach 50% of egg production (P < 0.05). Quails submitted to natural lighting had lower feed intake from 49 to 70 and 71 to 92 days of age and worse feed conversion up to 114 days of age. Continuous and intermittent lighting programs resulted in more precocious quails compared to natural lighting program. Quails submitted to natural lighting at growing phase presented lower egg production during all periods, not differing for birds submitted to continuous and intermittent programs from the second period (71 to 92 days of age). Intermittent and continuous lighting result in better feed conversion of breeding quails up to 114 days and a higher percentage of laying (49 to 136 days), reducing the number of days to produce the first egg and to reach 50% of laying, in relation to natural lighting

Glicerina oriunda do biodiesel na alimentação de poedeiras de ovos vermelhos

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of vegetable glycerin on performance and egg quality of red-egg layers in the second production cycle. A total of 252 Hy-Line Brown layers weighing 1.919 ± 0.095 kg, at 90 weeks, were used in a completely randomized design with six treatments and seven birds per replication. The experiment lasted 84 days. Treatments consisted of a control diet (no glycerin) and five diets with increasing levels of vegetable glycerin (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10%). The following variables were evaluated: feed intake (g/bird/day); egg production (%); egg weight (g); egg mass (g/bird/day); conversion per egg mass (kg kg) and per dozen eggs (kg/dz); percentages of albumen, yolk, and shell; eggshell thickness (mm); and egg specific gravity. (Y = 67.69 + 54.23X, R2 = 0.78) and egg mass (Y = 44.84 + 42.87X, R2 = 0.66) improved linearly with the glycerin levels. A quadratic effect was observed (Y = 114.11 + 336.96 X – 3,169.6 X2, R2 = 0.52) on feed intake. In conclusion, glycerin can be used to partially replace corn in diets for layers in the second production cycle at inclusion levels of up to 10%.Objetivou-se avaliar os efeitos da glicerina vegetal sobre o desempenho e qualidade dos ovos de poedeiras de ovos vermelhos em segundo ciclo de produção. Foram utilizadas 252 poedeiras Hy-Line Brown, pesando 1,919 ± 0,095 kg com 90 semanas, em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado com seis tratamentos e sete aves por repetições. O experimento teve duração de 84 dias. Os tratamentos consistiram em uma dieta controle (sem glicerina), e cinco dietas com níveis de glicerina vegetal (2, 4, 6, 8 e 10%). As variáveis avaliadas foram: consumo de ração (g/ave/dia), produção de ovos (%), peso do ovo (g), massa de ovos (g/ave/dia), conversão por massa de ovos (kg/kg), conversão por dúzia de ovos (kg/dz), percentual de albúmen, gema e casca, espessura de casca (mm) e gravidade específica dos ovos. A produção (Y = 67.69 + 54.23X, R2 = 0.78) e massa de ovos (Y = 44.84 + 42.87X, R2 = 0.66) melhoraram linearmente com os níveis de glicerina. Foi observado efeito quadrático (Y = 114.11 + 336.96 X – 3.169.6 X2, R2 = 0.52) sobre o consumo de ração. Conclui-se que a glicerina pode ser utilizada em substituição parcial ao milho, nas dietas para poedeiras em segundo ciclo de produção, no nível de até 10% de inclusão