Consumo e custo de energia elétrica em equipamentos utilizados em galpão de frangos de corte Consumption and electricity costs in a commercial broiler house

Este trabalho teve por objetivo analisar o consumo e o custo da energia elétrica em um galpão comercial de frangos de corte, durante dois ciclos de criação, inverno e verão. Foram realizadas medidas de consumo dos ventiladores, nebulizadores, lâmpadas e comedouros durante o manejo de 10.500 aves, em um galpão de 12 m de largura e 80 m de comprimento, localizado na Granja Água Branca, município de Jardinópolis, SP, nos períodos de junho a julho de 1997 e de outubro a dezembro de 1998. Para se determinar os custos com energia elétrica dos equipamentos, foi obtido o valor da tarifa junto à Companhia Paulista de Força e Luz (CPFL). Os resultados desse estudo mostraram que, para o primeiro ciclo (inverno), a estimativa de consumo de energia elétrica ativa dos equipamentos para produção de um frango de corte foi de 0,1306 kWh e, para o segundo ciclo (verão), 0,1891 kWh. Os dispêndios com energia elétrica para o inverno e verão foram de R$0,0201 e R$ 0,0291 por frango, respectivamente.The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the consumption and electricity costs used by equipments in a commercial broiler chicken house. A total of 10,500 broiler chickens were allocated in a poultry farm with 12 m of width, 80 m of length, during the periods of June to July of 1997 (winter) and October to December of 1998 (summer). The consumption of electricity by the equipments such as fans, fogging system, lamps and feeders was measured. To determine the expenditure with electrical energy, the prices were obtained from 'Companhia Paulista de Força e Luz' (CPFL). The results of this study showed that equipment management affect the broiler production cost, being estimated at 0.1306 kWh of energy consumption per chicken at a cost of R$0.0201 during the winter and 0.1891 kWh of energy consumption per chicken at a cost of R$ 0.0291 during summer period

Evaluation of roof slope and exposure with different roofing materials in reduced models of animal production facilities in spring and summer

The present study was conducted at the Department of Rural Engineering and the Department of Animal Morphology and Physiology of FCAV/Unesp, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil. The objective was to verify the influence of roof slope, exposure and roofing material on the internal temperature of reduced models of animal production facilities. For the development of the research, 48 reduced and dissemble models with dimensions 1.00 × 1.00 × 0.50 m were used. The roof was shed-type, and the models faced to the North or South directions, with 24 models for each side of exposure. Ceramic, galvanized-steel and fibro tiles were used to build the roofs. Slopes varied between 20, 30, 40 and 50% for the ceramic tile and 10, 30, 40 and 50% for the other two. Inside the models, temperature readings were performed at every hour, for 12 months. The results were evaluated in a general linear model in a nested 3 × 4 × 2 factorial arrangement, in which the effects of roofing material and exposure were nested on the factor Slope. Means were compared by the Tukey test at 5% of probability. After analyzing the data, we observed that with the increase in the slope and exposure to the South, there was a drop in the internal temperature within the model at the geographic coordinates of Jaboticabal city (SP/Brazil).O presente trabalho foi desenvolvido junto aos Departamentos de Engenharia Rural e Morfologia e Fisiologia Animal da FCAV/Unesp, Jaboticabal - SP. Objetivou-se verificar a influência da inclinação , exposição e cobertura sobre a temperatura interna de modelos reduzidos de instalações zootécnicas. Para o desenvolvimento da pesquisa, foram utilizados 48 modelos reduzidos e dissimilares nas dimensões de 1,00 × 1,00 × 0,50 metros. A cobertura foi de uma água, dispostos nas exposições norte-sul, sendo 24 modelos na exposição norte e 24 na sul. Foram utilizadas, na cobertura, telha de cerâmica, aço galvanizado e fibrocimento. As inclinações variaram de 20; 30; 40 e 50% para telha de cerâmica e 10; 30; 40 e 50% para as demais. No interior dos modelos, foram realizadas leituras de temperatura, de hora em hora, durante 12 meses. Os resultados obtidos foram avaliados num modelo linear geral, no esquema fatorial aninhado 3 × 4 × 2, em que foram considerados: tipo de telha, grau de inclinação e exposição, onde os efeitos de cobertura e exposição foram aninhados no fator inclinação. As médias obtidas foram comparadas pelo teste de Tukey, a 5% de probabilidade. Após a análise dos dados, observa-se que, com o aumento da inclinação na exposição sul, houve decréscimo da temperatura interna no interior do modelo, nas coordenadas geográficas da cidade de Jaboticabal.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

Breeder age and bone development in broiler chicken embryos

O efeito da idade da matriz sobre o desenvolvimento dos ossos longos foi estudado em embriões de frango de 12 dias de incubação até o nascimento. Ovos férteis foram incubados e distribuídos em delineamento inteiramente casualizado em arranjo fatorial 2 x 6 (duas idades de matriz - 38 e 60 semanas e seis dias de incubação - 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 e 21 dias). Determinou-se a atividade enzimática das fosfatase alcalina e ácida-resistente ao tartrato no peso e nas epífises da tíbia, no comprimento e na largura da tíbia e do fêmur. A atividade das fosfatases não foi afetada pela idade da matriz. O peso absoluto e a largura de fêmur e tíbia foram maiores nos embriões das matrizes com 60 semanas de idade. Atividade enzimática e medidas morfométricas aumentaram com o dia de incubação independentemente da idade da matriz. Concluiu-se que o processo de ossificação endocondral durante os dois últimos terços de desenvolvimento embrionário não foi influenciado pela idade das matrizes. No entanto, em termos de peso absoluto, os ossos longos de embriões provenientes de matrizes velhas foram mais pesados o que foi associado à maior largura e não ao maior comprimento dos ossos.The effect of breeder age on long bone development was studied in chicken embryos from 12 days of incubation until hatching. Fertile eggs were incubated and randomly assigned in a 2 x 6 factorial arrangement (two breeder ages - 38 and 60 weeks and six incubation days - 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, and 21). Enzymatic activity of acid and alkaline phosphatases in tibial epiphyses and weights as well as length and width in tibias and femurs of the embryos were determined. Tartrate-resistant acid and alkaline phosphatases activity in epiphyses was not affected by breeder age. Absolute weight and width of femur and tibia were larger in 60-week-old embryos compared to 38-week-old. Enzymatic activity and morphometric measurements increased with incubation day, independently of breeder age. The results showed that the process of endochondral ossification during the last two thirds of embryo development was not influenced by the age of the breeders. Although, in terms of absolute weight, the long bones of embryos from older breeders were heavier, which was associated with the larger width of the bones, but and not with their length.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

Role of brain nitric oxide in the thermoregulation of broiler chicks

Nitric oxide (NO) plays a key role in body temperature (Tb) regulation of mammals, acting on the brain to stimulate heat loss. Regarding birds, the putative participation of NO in the maintenance of Tb in thermoneutrality or during heat stress and the site of its action (periphery or brain) is unknown. Thus, we tested if NO participates in the maintenance of chicks' Tb in those conditions. We investigated the effect of intramuscular (im; 25, 50, 100 mg/kg) or intracerebroventricular (icv; 22.5, 45, 90, 180 mu g/animal) injections of the non selective NO synthase inhibitor L-NAME on Tb of 5-day-old chicks at thermoneutral zone (TNZ; 31-32 degrees C) and under heat stress (37 degrees C for 5-6 h). We also verified plasma and diencephalic nitrite/nitrate levels in non-injected chicks under both conditions. At TNZ, 100 mg/kg (im) or 45,90,180 mu g (icv) of L-NAME decreased Tb. A significant correlation between Tb and diencephalic, but not plasma, nitrite/nitrate levels was observed. Heat stress-induced hyperthermia was inhibited by all tested doses of L-NAME (im and icv). Tb was correlated neither with plasma nor with diencephalic nitrite/nitrate levels during heat stress. These results indicate the involvement of brain NO in the maintenance of Tb of chicks, an opposite action of that observed in mammals, and may modulate hyperthermia. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

Fuzzy modeling to predict chicken egg hatchability in commercial hatchery

Experimental studies have shown that hatching rate depends, among other factors, on the main physical characteristics of the eggs. The physical parameters used in our work were egg weight, eggshell thickness, egg sphericity, and yolk per albumen ratio. The relationships of these parameters in the incubation process were modeled by Fuzzy logic. The rules of the Fuzzy modeling were based on the analysis of the physical characteristics of the hatching eggs and the respective hatching rate using a commercial hatchery by applying a trapezoidal membership function into the modeling process. The implementations were performed in software. Aiming to compare the Fuzzy with a statistical modeling, the same data obtained in the commercial hatchery were analyzed using multiple linear regression. The estimated parameters of multiple linear regressions were based on a backward selection procedure. The results showed that the determination coefficient and the mean square error were higher using the Fuzzy method when compared with the statistical modeling. Furthermore, the predicted hatchability rates by Fuzzy Logic agreed with hatching rates obtained in the commercial hatchery.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

Levels of digestible threonine for male broilers from 1 to 7 days of age

The influence of threonine has been studied in broilers; however, information concerning the phase from 1 to 7 d is lacking. In this study, we evaluated the effects on performance and body composition and the relationship with other amino acids with respect to digestible lysine and total glycine + glycine. Research on the initial 7-d phase of broiler growth is still poorly studied, even though it is important, especially in nutrition. It was found that threonine had a great influence on the broilers at that phase and nutritional recommendations need constant evaluation. In conclusion, the digestible threonine: digestible lysine ratio and digestible threonine: total glycine + serine ratio recommended for better performance and body composition are 0.68 and 0.40, respectively. The levels of digestible threonine and total glycine + serine that provide the best results are 0.864 and 2.192%, respectively