Leg problems and disorders are of major concern for the poultry industry and animal welfare. Previous studies suggest that it may be possible to improve skeletal characteristics through nutrition. Omega-3 fatty acids, including Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are essential nutrients and are known to play an important role in bone tissue development. FORPLUS™ (Alltech, Inc.) is an unextracted, whole-cell microalgae (Aurantiochytrium limacinum CCAP 4087/2) that contains 64% fat and 16% DHA. Zinc (Zn) is a trace element and essential nutrient for growth and skeletal development. Bioplex® Zn (Alltech, Inc.) is a Zn proteinate that has been shown to be more bioavailable to broiler chickens compared to inorganic sources of Zn. One objective of this research was to investigate the effects of 2 dietary levels of FORPLUS™ (0% vs. 2%) and 2 dietary Zn sources (ZnO vs. Bioplex® Zn) on skeletal characteristics and reproduction of broiler breeders. Breeders were maintained on these diets throughout the entire pullet and layer phases. Subsequent studies were conducted to evaluate the effect of breeder diet and offspring dietary Zn sources (ZnO vs. Bioplex® Zn) and microalgae supplementation (0% vs. 1%) on offspring performance and skeletal characteristics. During the broiler breeder pullet phase, dietary supplementation of 2% FORPLUS™ increased (P < 0.05) femur ash content and length. Pullet uniformity was in increased (P < 0.05) by Bioplex® Zn vs ZnO when microalgae was not included in the diet. Hen day production (HDP) was increased (P < 0.05) by ZnO vs. Bioplex® Zn supplementation during post-peak lay. During post-peak lay, hatchability and hatch of fertile eggs were improved (P < 0.05) by dietary supplementation of 2% FORPLUS™ or Bioplex® Zn in breeder diets, however egg weight, egg yolk weight, offspring hatch weight, and offspring body weight gain (BWG) significantly were decreased (P < 0.05) by 2% FORPLUS™. Bioplex® Zn in breeder diets increased (P < 0.05) growth plate zone heights, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase enzyme activity, and dimensions of offspring bones at hatch. At 3 weeks of age, offspring from breeders fed Bioplex® Zn during peak-lay had greater (P < 0.05) Zn content in tibia ash and bone dimensions, while offspring from breeders fed 2% FORPLUS™ vs. 0% FORPLUS™ had longer (P < 0.05) femurs. No interaction effect of breeder diet and offspring diet on early performance was observed. Offspring fed diets containing Bioplex® Zn vs. ZnO had greater (P < 0.05) body weight (BW) and tibia dimensions at 3 wk of age. Offspring fed diets containing 1% FORPLUS™ had decreased feed conversion (feed intake: BWG), but no main effects were observed on skeletal characteristics. Overall, dietary microalgae supplementation in broiler breeder diets improved early bone development in broiler breeders, early bone development in broiler breeder offspring, and hatchability of offspring during post-peak lay, while Bioplex® Zn supplementation in broiler breeder diets improved broiler breeder pullet uniformity, offspring hatchability during post-peak lay, embryonic skeletal development of offspring, and offspring bone quality. Bioplex® Zn in offspring diets also improved offspring early growth performance and leg bone morphology.

No description available.

This thesis is an investigation of dietary alterations, including the addition of fibre and an appetite suppressant (alternative diet) and the use of a skip-a-day (SAD) feeding regime, which may reduce hunger. Broiler breeders are severely feed restricted to limit growth, leading to symptoms of chronic hunger. We used behavioural indices, feather condition scoring and preference tests were used to compare satiating properties of the diets. Alternative diets reduced symptoms of hunger such as feather, object and aggressive pecking and resulted in better feather condition. Although SAD birds feather pecked more during feeding bouts, SAD birds still had better feather condition than daily birds. Preference testing revealed no differences in dietary preference, implying a lack of preference, or a methodological flaw. However, no aversion to the alternative diet was evident. Alternative diets, regardless of feeding frequency, may be the best option for bettering the welfare of growing broiler breeders. / Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, OMAFRA, Canadian Poultry Research Council

Resumo: Foram avaliados parâmetros fisiológicos e imunológicos de matrizes de corte vacinadas ou não contra o vírus da bronquite infecciosa das galinhas (VBIG), submetidas a diferentes períodos de jejum após a eclosão, seguido de alimentação até a terceira semana de vida. No Capítulo 2, encontram-se os resultados do desempenho zootécnico e o desenvolvimento de órgãos gastrintestinais. No Capítulo 3, estão descritos os resultados de parâmetros hematológicos e bioquímicos. O Capítulo 4 apresenta as cinéticas de decaimento dos anticorpos maternos e os perfis cinéticos da reposta imune humoral nos compartimentos local e sistêmico. A vacina contra a BIG influenciou parâmetros de desempenho, de morfometria intestinal, o hematócrito, parâmetros bioquímicos, percentuais de heterófilos e linfócitos e induziu a resposta imune humoral na secreção lacrimal. O jejum pós-eclosão prolongado seguido de alimentação influenciou negativamente o desempenho, o desenvolvimento das vísceras gastrintestinais, as variáveis bioquímicas, imunológicas e a maioria das variáveis hematológicas. Os dados indicam que períodos de jejum pós-eclosão superiores a 48 h devem ser evitados, pois ao afetar negativamente parâmetros hematológicos, intestinais e imunológicos, podem comprometer o crescimento das matrizes e inferir negativamente sobre sua resposta imune. No entanto, o jejum moderado pode favorecer a resposta imune vacinal / Abstract: Immunological and physiological parameters were evaluated in broiler breeder vaccinated or not against infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), submitted to different periods of fasting post-hatching, followed by feed until the third week of life. In Chapter 2, are the results of zootechnical performance and development of gastrointestinal organs. The Chapter 3 describes the results of hematological and biochemical parameters of blood. Chapter 4 presents the kinetics of decay of maternal antibodies and the kinetic profiles of humoral immune response in local and systemic compartments. The IBV vaccine influenced parameters of performance, intestinal morphology, hematocrit, biochemical parameters, percentage of heterophils and lymphocytes, and induced humoral immune response in tear secretion. Prolonged fasting post-hatching, followed by feeding, negatively affected the performance, the development of gastrointestinal organs, biochemical variables, immunological and the most of hematological variables. The data indicate that periods of fasting post-hatching over 48 h should be avoided as they adversely affect the hematological, gastrointestinal and immunologic, may compromise the growth of broiler breeder and infer a negative effect on their immune response. However, moderate fasting can promote the immune response vaccine / Orientador: Renato Luís Furlan / Coorientador: Hélio José Montassier / Banca: Ricardo de Albuquerque / Banca: Vera Maria Barbosa de Moraes / Mestre

The development of new feed additives has improved poultry performance. Potassium Diformate (KD) is one of the most recent product used in the animal production, especially in pork industry, however for poultry few data are available up to now. Two trials were done, with the objective to evaluate KD effect on broiler breeder productive and reproductive performance. The experiments were carried out at the Poultry Science Laboratory, Federal University of Santa Maria, RS, Brazil. For Trial 1, was used Cobb Breeder from 46th to 54th weeks old were used. Second Trial, Ross Breeder was with 41th to 49th weeks old were used. Birds were submitted to diets with increasing levels of KD. The parameters measured with brioler were: body weight, body weight gain, egg production, egg weight and specific gravity, relative weight of egg shell, yolk and albumen. At hatchery, measured parameters were percentage of alive hatched chick, hatchability, day-old chick weight, percentage of first and second grade chick, and embriodiagnosis. With the progeny, body weight, weight gain, feed intake and feed efficiency were recorded. A complete randomized design was used. For Trial 1, three treatments were used (0; 0.15 and 0.30% of KD), with four replicates with 45 female and 5 males per floor pen. For Trial 2, four treatments were used (0; 0.1; 0.2 and 0.3% of KD) with five replicates. Each replicate was composed by 23 females and two males by floor pen. Data were submitted to ANOVA and regression analysis. When statistically different (P< 0.5), Tukey test was used for mean comparison. Based on the current experiments, it can be concluded that KD fed to broiler breeder, resulted in negative effect on hatchery parameters, however positive effect on progeny performance were observed. Doing to the exploratory character of the trials, more research should be done, elucidating KD applicability and mode of action on broiler breeder. / O desenvolvimento de novos aditivos para rações tem contribuído na melhoria da produtividade das aves, como o Diformiato de Potássio (DK), que têm demonstrado eficiência no desempenho de suínos, entretanto, existem poucos estudos na área avícola. Foram conduzidos dois experimentos com objetivo de avaliar os efeitos do DK sobre o desempenho produtivo e reprodutivo de matrizes de corte. Os experimentos foram conduzidos no Laboratório de Avicultura da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, RS. Foram utilizadas matrizes de corte da linhagem comercial Cobb da 41a a 49a semanas de idade, para o Experimento 1 e, linhagem Ross da 46a a 54a semanas de idade para o Experimento 2. As matrizes foram submetidas aos tratamentos com adição de DK às dietas. Foi avaliado peso corporal, ganho de peso corporal, taxa de postura, gravidade específica, peso médio de ovos, e, peso percentual de clara, gema e casca. No incubatório foram avaliados percentagem de nascimento, eclodibilidade, peso de pintos, percentagem de pintos de primeira e segunda, e embriodiagnóstico. Nas progênies foram avaliados, peso corporal, ganho de peso corporal, consumo de ração e conversão alimentar. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado. Para o Experimento 1, utilizouse três tratamentos (0,00%, 0,15% e 0,30% de DK) com quatro repetições de 45 fêmeas e 5 machos por unidade experimental. Para o experimento 2, utilizou-se quatro tratamentos (0,0%, 0,1%, 0,2% e 0,3% de DK) com cinco repetições de 23 fêmeas e 2 machos por unidade experimental. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de variância e análise de regressão. Onde ocorreram diferenças ao nível de 5% de significância, foi aplicado o teste de Tukey para comparação de médias. Nas condições em que foram realizados os experimentos, conclui-se que a adição de DK na alimentação de matrizes de corte implicou em efeitos negativos a nível de incubatório, entretanto, promoveu efeitos positivos no desempenho zootécnico de progênie. Contudo, em virtude do trabalho realizado ser inédito, se faz necessário mais estudos para elucidar a aplicabilidade e os mecanismos de ação do DK que possam beneficiar ou prejudicar o desempenho produtivo e reprodutivo de matrizes de corte.

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of the consumption of aflatoxins and adsorbents (esterifid glucomannan) for broiler breeders on productive and reproductive aspects addition to verify the residual effects on the progeny. Four experiments were conducted, with the first consisting of 240 broiler breeders feed with increasing levels of aflatoxins, according to the treatment: T1 free aflatoxins diet and treatments T2, T3 and T4, dies containing 0.250, 0.500 and 0.750mg the aflatoxins/kg of diet. The second experiment was composed of 300 broiler breeders submitted to diets containing aflatoxins, in the presence or not of adsorbent as treatments: T1 breeders feed free aflatoxins diets, T2 breeders feed diets containing 0.500mg of aflatoxins / kg of diet, T3 breeders submitted to the same level of aflatoxins in T2, but with 0.10% of adsorbent, T4 consists of breeders feed diets containing 0.750mg of aflatoxins/kg of diet and treatment T5 breeders submitted to the same level of aflatoxins of T4, but with 0.10% of adsorbent. The third and fourth experiments were composed of chicks from broiler breeder belonging to the first and second experiment, respectively. The parameters evaluated in the broiler breeders were: body weight, egg production, mass of eggs, egg weight, specific gravity, hatchability and chicks quality, and the study involving progeny were evaluated body weight, weight gain, feed conversion by weight gain, blood protein and albumin and liver and bursa weights in the first day of age. The performance of breoiler breeders subjected to diets containing increasing levels of aflatoxins, as well, broiler breeders subjected to diets containing levels of aflatoxins and adsorbent in the throws was not influenced. The progeny performance, in the same way, does not show the effect of the treatments applied on the broiler breeder hens. / Este estudo foi realizado para investigar o efeito do consumo de aflatoxinas e adsorventes (glucomananos esterificados) por matrizes de corte sobre aspectos produtivos e reprodutivos, além de verificar os efeitos residuais sobre a progênie. Foram realizados quatro experimentos, sendo o primeiro composto por 240 matrizes submetidas a níveis crescentes de aflatoxinas, segundo os tratamentos: T1 - dieta isenta de aflatoxinas, T2, T3 e T4, matrizes submetidas à dietas contendo 0,250, 0,500 e 0,750mg de aflatoxinas/kg de dieta. O segundo experimento foi composto por 300 matrizes submetidas à dietas contendo aflatoxinas, com presença ou não de adsorvente, conforme os tratamentos: T1 - matrizes submetidas à dietas isentas de aflatoxinas; T2 - aves alimentadas com dietas contendo 0,500mg de aflatoxinas/kg de dieta; T3 - aves submetidas ao mesmo nível de aflatoxinas do T2, porém com 0,10% de adsorvente, T4 - constituído por aves alimentadas com dietas contendo 0,750mg de aflatoxinas/kg de dieta e o tratamento e T5 - aves submetidas ao mesmo nível de aflatoxinas do T4, porém, com 0,10% de adsorvente. O terceiro e o quarto experimentos foram compostos por pintos oriundos de matrizes pertencentes ao primeiro e segundo experimento, respectivamente. Os parâmetros avaliados nas matrizes de corte foram: peso corporal, taxa de postura, massa de ovos, peso de ovos, gravidade específica, eclodibilidade e qualidade de pintos, e no estudo envolvendo a progênie foram avaliados peso corporal, ganho de peso, conversão alimentar, proteína e albumina sanguíneos e pesos de fígado e bursa ao primeiro dia de idade. O desempenho de matrizes de corte submetidas à dietas contendo níveis crescentes de aflatoxinas, bem como, de matrizes submetidas a dietas contendo níveis de aflatoxinas e adsorvente na deita não foi influenciado. Os índices zootécnicos da progênie, da mesma forma, não evidenciaram efeito dos tratamentos aplicado às matrizes de corte.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:28:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2010-08-04Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:57:30Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 alarcon_mff_me_jabo.pdf: 1406127 bytes, checksum: 842dbbaa540dbb4b860fec0374842606 (MD5) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Foram avaliados parâmetros fisiológicos e imunológicos de matrizes de corte vacinadas ou não contra o vírus da bronquite infecciosa das galinhas (VBIG), submetidas a diferentes períodos de jejum após a eclosão, seguido de alimentação até a terceira semana de vida. No Capítulo 2, encontram-se os resultados do desempenho zootécnico e o desenvolvimento de órgãos gastrintestinais. No Capítulo 3, estão descritos os resultados de parâmetros hematológicos e bioquímicos. O Capítulo 4 apresenta as cinéticas de decaimento dos anticorpos maternos e os perfis cinéticos da reposta imune humoral nos compartimentos local e sistêmico. A vacina contra a BIG influenciou parâmetros de desempenho, de morfometria intestinal, o hematócrito, parâmetros bioquímicos, percentuais de heterófilos e linfócitos e induziu a resposta imune humoral na secreção lacrimal. O jejum pós-eclosão prolongado seguido de alimentação influenciou negativamente o desempenho, o desenvolvimento das vísceras gastrintestinais, as variáveis bioquímicas, imunológicas e a maioria das variáveis hematológicas. Os dados indicam que períodos de jejum pós-eclosão superiores a 48 h devem ser evitados, pois ao afetar negativamente parâmetros hematológicos, intestinais e imunológicos, podem comprometer o crescimento das matrizes e inferir negativamente sobre sua resposta imune. No entanto, o jejum moderado pode favorecer a resposta imune vacinal / Immunological and physiological parameters were evaluated in broiler breeder vaccinated or not against infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), submitted to different periods of fasting post-hatching, followed by feed until the third week of life. In Chapter 2, are the results of zootechnical performance and development of gastrointestinal organs. The Chapter 3 describes the results of hematological and biochemical parameters of blood. Chapter 4 presents the kinetics of decay of maternal antibodies and the kinetic profiles of humoral immune response in local and systemic compartments. The IBV vaccine influenced parameters of performance, intestinal morphology, hematocrit, biochemical parameters, percentage of heterophils and lymphocytes, and induced humoral immune response in tear secretion. Prolonged fasting post-hatching, followed by feeding, negatively affected the performance, the development of gastrointestinal organs, biochemical variables, immunological and the most of hematological variables. The data indicate that periods of fasting post-hatching over 48 h should be avoided as they adversely affect the hematological, gastrointestinal and immunologic, may compromise the growth of broiler breeder and infer a negative effect on their immune response. However, moderate fasting can promote the immune response vaccine