Oleoresins from chili pepper and turmeric could substitute for salinomycin in broilers

Background: Coccidiosis is the infectious disease with the greatest economic impact in poultry production. Additionally, chemotherapeutic growth promoters are being substituted for safer alternative strategies. Objective: To evaluate the effect of feeding oleoresins from chili pepper (Capsicum annuum) and turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) on the performance, survival rate, and the Productive Efficiency Index of broilers from 1 to 21d challenged by Eimeria sp. Methods: A total of 700 male 1-dayold chicks (Cobb 500) challenged with Eimeria sp, were assigned to a completely randomized design with four treatments: (1) negative control diet, without anticoccidial agent or growth promoters; (2) control diet+0.05% salinomycin; (3) negative control diet+100g/ton; and (4) negative control diet +140g/ton of test product (Curcuma longa L. plus Capsicum annuum oleoresins). Results: Body weight, weight gain, feed conversion and Productive Efficiency Index did not differ between broilers fed anticoccidial chemotherapeutics and oleoresins. In addition, there was no difference in feed intake and survival rate between dietary treatments. Conclusion: Broilers supplemented with chili pepper and turmeric oleoresins from 1 to 21d present similar body weight, weight gain, feed conversion, and Productive Efficiency Index compared to broilers supplemented with chemotherapeutic anticoccidials without affecting feed intake or survival rate.Antecedentes: O impacto econômico da coccidiose é o maior quando comparado a outras doenças na produção avícola. Além disso, promotores de crescimento quimioterápicos tem sido substituídos por estratégias alternativas. Objetivo: Avaliar o efeito das oleoresinas da pimenta Chilli (Capsicum annuum) e açafrão-da-terra (Curcuma longa L.) no desempenho zootécnico, taxa de sobrevivência e Índice de Eficiência Produtiva de frangos de corte de 1 a 21d desafiados por Eimeria sp. Métodos: Foram utilizados 700 pintos de 1d, machos (Cobb500) distribuídos em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, em quatro tratamentos: (1) dieta controle negativo, sem agente anticoccidiano ou promotores de crescimento; (2) dieta controle+0,05% de salinomicina; (3) dieta controle negativa+100g/ton; e (4)+140g/ton de produto teste (oleoresina de Curcuma longa L. mais Capsicum annuum) e desafiados por Eimeria sp. Resultados: Houve resultados similares para peso, ganho de peso, conversão alimentar e Índice de Eficiência Produtiva entre frangos alimentados com dietas contendo anticocidiano quimioterápico e dietas contendo oleoresinas. Além disso, não houve diferença para consumo de ração e a taxa de sobrevivência entre os tratamentos dietéticos. Conclusão: Frangos de corte alimentados com dietas suplementadas com oleorresinas de pimenta chili e açafrãoda-terra apresentaram resultados similares para peso, ganho de peso, conversão alimentar e Índice de Eficiência Produtiva que frangos de corte alimentados com dietas suplementadas com anticoccidianos quimioterápicos de 1 a 21d, sem afetar o consumo de ração e a taxa de sobrevivência dos animais.Antecedentes: El impacto económico generado por la coccidiosis en el sector avícola es el mayor en relación con otras enfermedades. Adicionalmente, los promotores de crecimiento quimioterapéuticos se han venido reemplazando por estrategias alternativas. Objetivo: Evaluar el efecto de oleorresinas de pimiento (Capsicum annuum) y cúrcuma (Curcuma longa L.) sobre el desempeño zootécnico, tasa de supervivencia y el Índice de Eficiencia Productiva en pollos de engorde de 1 a 21 dias desafiados con Eimeria sp. Métodos: Se utilizaron 700 pollos machos (Cobb500) de 1 día de edad, distribuidos en un diseño completamente al azar con cuatro tratamientos: (1) dieta control negativo sin agentes anticoccidianos ni promotores de crecimiento; (2) dieta control+0,05% de salinomicina; (3) dieta control negativa+100g/ton; y (4) dieta control negativa +140g/ton del producto a evaluar (oleorresina de Curcuma longa L. y Capsicum annuum). Resultados: Se obtuvieron resultados similares repecto a peso corporal, ganancia de peso, conversión alimenticia e Índice de Eficiencia Productiva en los tratamientos que contenían anticoccidiano quimioterapéutico y los que contenian oleorresinas. Además, no se observaron diferencias en el consumo de alimento ni en la tasa de supervivencia entre los tratamientos dietarios. Conclusión: Los pollos de engorde suplementados entre 1 y 21 d con oleorresinas de pimiento y cúrcuma presentan similar peso corporal, ganancia de peso, conversión alimenticia e Índice de Eficiencia Productiva en comparación con los suplementados con anticoccidianos quimioterapéuticos, sin afectar el consumo de alimento ni la viabilidad

Year-round poultry litter decomposition and N, P, K and Ca release

Poultry litter is an important nutrient source in agriculture, although little information is available regarding its decomposition rate and nutrient release. To evaluate these processes, poultry litter (PL) was applied to the soil to supply 100, 200 and 300 kg ha-1 N contained in 4,953, 9,907 and 14,860 kg ha-1 PL, respectively. The litter bag technique was used to monitor the process of decomposition and nutrient release from the litter. These bags were left on the soil surface and collected periodically (after 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, 240, 270, 300, 330, and 365 days). The dry matter (DM) loss was highest (35 %) after the first 30 days of field incubation. The highest nutrient release occurred in the first 60 days on the field, when 40, 34, 91, and 39 %, respectively, of N, P, K, and Ca of the initial PL dry matter (4,860 kg ha-1) was already released to the soil. In absolute terms, these percentages represent 40, 23, 134, and 69 kg ha-1 of N, P, K, and Ca and these values doubled and tripled as the PL fertilization rates increased to 9,907 and 14,860 kg ha-1, respectively. After one year of field incubation, the residual contents in the litter were 27, 15, 18 and 30 % of the initial DM , and N, P and Ca, respectively. The release rate of K was the fastest and 91 % of the K had been released from the PL after 30 days of field incubation

Growing knowledge: an overview of Seed Plant diversity in Brazil

Abstract An updated inventory of Brazilian seed plants is presented and offers important insights into the country's biodiversity. This work started in 2010, with the publication of the Plants and Fungi Catalogue, and has been updated since by more than 430 specialists working online. Brazil is home to 32,086 native Angiosperms and 23 native Gymnosperms, showing an increase of 3% in its species richness in relation to 2010. The Amazon Rainforest is the richest Brazilian biome for Gymnosperms, while the Atlantic Rainforest is the richest one for Angiosperms. There was a considerable increment in the number of species and endemism rates for biomes, except for the Amazon that showed a decrease of 2.5% of recorded endemics. However, well over half of Brazillian seed plant species (57.4%) is endemic to this territory. The proportion of life-forms varies among different biomes: trees are more expressive in the Amazon and Atlantic Rainforest biomes while herbs predominate in the Pampa, and lianas are more expressive in the Amazon, Atlantic Rainforest, and Pantanal. This compilation serves not only to quantify Brazilian biodiversity, but also to highlight areas where there information is lacking and to provide a framework for the challenge faced in conserving Brazil's unique and diverse flora