Evaluation of nutrient excretion and retention in broilers submitted to different nutritional strategies

An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of different nutritional strategies on nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and calcium (Ca) balance and on copper (Cu), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) excretion in broilers during the periods of 1 to 21 days and 1 to 46 days of age. Four hundred male Cobb-500 broilers were used. A randomized block experimental design was applied, including five treatments with eight replicates of 10 birds each. A five-phase feeding program was adopted (1-8, 9-21, 22-33, 34-40 and 41-46 days of age). Treatments consisted of a control diet (C) with typical protein level and low amino acid supplementation; a reduced-protein diet supplemented with synthetic amino acids formulated on ideal protein concept (IP); C with phytase (C+PHY) supplementation; C with inorganic-organic mineral supplementation (C+MIN); and a diet formulated on ideal protein (IP) basis, and supplemented with phytase and organic and inorganic minerals (IP+PHY+MIN). IP and IP+PHY+MIN diets reduced nitrogen excretion in 13.6 and 13.1% respectively, and promoted the same nitrogen retention (g/bird) and retention efficiency as compared to the diet with typical crude protein level. C+PHY and IP+PHY+MIN reduced phosphorus, calcium and manganese excretion, and improved phosphorus retention. C+MIN and IP+PHY+MIN reduced manganese excretion, but did not influence copper or zinc excretion

Sunflower Meal and Supplementation of an Enzyme Complex in Layer Diets

ABSTRACTThe objective of this experiment was to evaluate the performance of 64- to 79-wk-old laying hens fed diets supplemented with an enzyme complex (EC) and containing increasing sunflower meal (SFM) levels. A total of 384 Hy-Line Brown layers were distributed according to a randomized block design in a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement (four levels of SFM, and inclusion or not of EC), with eight replicates of six birds each unit. The levels of SFM inclusion were 0, 8, 16 and 24%, utilized in two distinct diets. Diets were calculated to meet all the nutritional requirements of birds, except for the nutrients that would be made available by the nutritional matrix of the enzyme complex, with or without utilization of EC. The parameters analyzed were feed intake (g/bird/day), egg production (%/bird/day), egg weight, egg mass (g/bird/day), feed conversion ratio per egg mass, feed conversion ratio per dozen eggs, body weight gain, egg components (yolk, albumen and eggshell) and the economic efficiency index (EEI). There was no interaction between EC addition and the SFM levels in the diet. The addition of EC in the diets of laying hens did not affect egg productive or components parameters. The increase in the SFM levels in the diet presented quadratic effect on egg production and feed conversion ratio per dozen eggs, with calculated optimal sunflower meal inclusion levels of 6.72% and 5.83%, respectively, for each parameter. The best economic efficiency per dozen eggs was obtained with the diet with 16.0% SFM and EC inclusion, whereas per egg mass with the diet with of 24.0% SFM and no EC addition

Sunflower meal and enzyme supplementation of the diet of 21- to 42-d-old broilers

O artigo não contém o resumo em português.The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of male broilers between 21 and 42 days of age fed diets supplemented with an enzyme blend (EB) and containing graded levels of sunflower meal (SFM). In total, 1920 male Cobb broilers were distributed according to a randomized block experimental design in a 4 x 3 factorial arrangement (four SFM dietary levels vs. three feed formulations) with eight replicates of 20 birds each. Dietary SFM inclusion levels were 0, 8, 16, and 24%. Feed formulation included one negative control diet (NC) formulated to supply broiler nutritional requirements, considering EB nutritional matrix values; a diet formulated as the first one, but with the addition of 0.5% EB (NC+EB); and the third diet (positive control – PC) was calculated to supply broiler requirements. Feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and carcass parameters were evaluated. There was no effect of EB dietary supplementation on the evaluated performance or carcass parameters (p > 0.05). Increasing dietary addition of SFM reduced weight gain and worsened feed conversion ratio (p > 0.05). The best EEI was obtained with the NC+EB diet containing 8.0% SFM

Sunflower meal and enzyme supplementation of the diet of 21- to 42-d-old broilers

The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of male broilers between 21 and 42 days of age fed diets supplemented with an enzyme blend (EB) and containing graded levels of sunflower meal (SFM). In total, 1920 male Cobb broilers were distributed according to a randomized block experimental design in a 4 x 3 factorial arrangement (four SFM dietary levels vs. three feed formulations) with eight replicates of 20 birds each. Dietary SFM inclusion levels were 0, 8, 16, and 24%. Feed formulation included one negative control diet (NC) formulated to supply broiler nutritional requirements, considering EB nutritional matrix values; a diet formulated as the first one, but with the addition of 0.5% EB (NC+EB); and the third diet (positive control - PC) was calculated to supply broiler requirements. Feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and carcass parameters were evaluated. There was no effect of EB dietary supplementation on the evaluated performance or carcass parameters (p > 0.05). Increasing dietary addition of SFM reduced weight gain and worsened feed conversion ratio (p > 0.05). The best EEI was obtained with the NC+EB diet containing 8.0% SFM

Performance of layers fed diets containing different oils

A trial was carried out at the Animal Science Department of the Federal University of Viçosa to evaluate the performance of heavy and light layers. During four periods of twenty-eight days, 432 layers in the second production cycle, being 216 Hy Line W36 (light birds) and 216 Hy Line Brown (heavy birds), were used. A completely randomized experimental design with a 1+(4x2x2) factorial arrangement (one control treatment, four oil sources, two inclusion levels, and two genetic lines) with four replicates of six birds per experimental unit, was applied. The treatments consisted of diets containing 16.5% crude protein, formulated to supply the nutritional requirements, and the inclusion of each oil source at 2 or 4%. Soybean, canola, linseed and fish oils were used. The control diet did not contain any oil. The studied parameters were: feed intake (g/hen/day), egg production (%), egg weight (g), egg mass (g/hen/day), feed conversion ratio (kg feed /dozen of eggs and per kg eggs). Oil levels and sources did not influence egg mass, feed conversion ratio (per kg eggs and dozen eggs), or egg production. During the first three periods, independently of oil source or genetics, eggs from layers fed 4% oil were the heaviest, except for those of light birds fed soybean oil during the third period, which egg weight was similar for the 2 and 4% levels. Light layers presented lower feed intake and better feed conversion ratio (per kg eggs and dozen eggs) as compared to heavy layers, and there was no influence of the evaluated oil sources on feed intake