Orientador: Ariel Antonio Mendes / Coorientador: Márcia Regina Fernandes Boaro Martins / Banca: José Roberto Sartori / Banca: Rodrigo Garófallo Garcia / Resumo: Com objetivo de avaliar a integridade intestinal, por meio da microscopia óptica e eletrônica de varredura (MEV), e o desempenho de frangos de corte suplementados com aditivos alternativos aos antimicrobianos foram alojados 1080 pintos machos, com densidade populacional de 12 aves/m². O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado, com seis tratamentos e seis repetições de 30 aves cada. Os tratamentos foram: dieta basal (controle); dieta basal mais antimicrobiano; dieta basal mais probiótico; dieta basal mais prebiótico; dieta basal mais simbiótico e dieta basal mais ácidos orgânicos. Foram avaliados o ganho de peso, consumo de ração, conversão alimentar e viabilidade aos 10, 21, 35 e 42 dias de idade. Aos 42 dias, 72 aves (duas aves por repetição de cada tratamento) foram pesadas individualmente e eutanasiadas. Para avaliação da morfometria das diferentes túnicas da parede intestinal foram coletados segmentos do intestino delgado e cecos de duas aves por repetição e para as análises da integridade intestinal (MEV) foram coletados os mesmos segmentos de duas aves por tratamento. No período inicial de criação as aves suplementadas com os aditivos alternativos mostraram ganho de peso similar àquelas tratadas com antimicrobiano, porém não diferiram do grupo controle. A conversão alimentar das aves que receberam aditivos alternativos no intervalo de 1 a 10 dias foi melhor que o controle, porém para os demais períodos de criação a conversão alimentar foi similar ao antimicrobiano sem, contudo diferir do controle. A morfometria das diferentes túnicas da parede intestinal das aves não foi influenciada pelos tratamentos. No período total de criação, os aditivos alternativos avaliados não melhoraram a integridade intestinal, bem como o desempenho dos frangos de corte / Abstract: In order to evaluate the intestinal integrity, through optical microscopy and scanning electronic (SE), and the performance of broilers receiving diets supplemented with additives instead of antimicrobial growth promoters 1080 male chicks were allocated in a population density of 12 birds / m2. The experimental design was a completely randomized arrangement with six treatments and six replications of thirty birds each. The treatments were: basal diet (control); basal diet + antimicrobial growth promoter (AGP); basal diet + probiotic; basal diet + prebiotic; basal diet + symbiotic; and basal diet + organic acids. The weight gain, feed intake, feed:gain ratio and the viability at days 10, 21, 35 and 42 were evaluated. At 42th day, 72 birds (two birds per replicate of each treatment) were individually weighted and sacrificed. For morphometric evaluation of different tunics of intestinal wall, small intestine and caecum fragments from 2 birds per repetition were collected and for intestinal integrity analysis (SE) the same fragments were collected from 2 birds per treatment. At the first period of breeding alternative additives-fed chickens showed similar weight gain compared to AGP-fed chickens, but they did not differ from control group. The feed:gain of alternative additives-fed chickens from 1st to 10th days was better than control group, but for the others periods the feed:gain ratio was similar to AGP-fed birds, without differing from control group. The morphometric of different tunics of intestinal wall was not influenced by treatments. The alternative additives did not improve the intestinal integrity, neither the broiler performance during the whole breeding period / Mestre

Orientador: Silvia Helena Venturoli Perri / Coorientador: Manoel Garcia Neto / Banca: Antonio Carlos Laurentiz / Banca: Guilherme de Paula Nogueira / Resumo: O estresse calórico é o agente desencadeador de diversos distúrbios metabólicos em frangos de corte, entre eles o desequilíbrio ácido- base. Com a finalidade de evitar esses efeitos e melhorar o desempenho dos animais, faz-se necessário a utilização de níveis adequados de eletrólitos e, também, uma correta proporção entre esses na ração, obtendo assim uma formulação com um equilíbrio eletrolítico apropriado para os animais. Assim, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o desempenho e a mortalidade de frangos de corte submetidos a diferentes balanços (Na++K+-Cl-)e relações eletrolíticas [(K++Cl-)/Na+] na dieta em condições de termoneutralidade e sobre estresse térmico. Para tanto um primeiro experimento foi realizado com um total de 1575 pintos de corte machos de 1-21, em condições termoneutras, em que os tratamentos consistiam de cinco dietas decorrentes de combinações BE/RE (150/3, 250/2, 250/3, 250/4 e 350/3). Foram avaliados os parâmetros peso corporal, consumo de ração e conversão alimentar, os quais se apresentaram sensíveis aos níveis de suplementação de BE e RE, enquadrados numa análise de superfície que permitiu melhor avaliação dos crescentes níveis de BE e relação estreita e larga do RE. Os resultados indicaram que o melhor desempenho foi obtido somente com as combinações simultâneas de eletrólitos para BE entre 251 e 255mEq/kg e RE entre 2,73:1 e 3,5:1. Em um segundo experimento, foram utilizados os mesmos animais, porém de 21-46 dias de idade, distribuídos em arranjo fatorial 5x3, totalizando 15 tratamentos. Os tratamentos consistiram das mesmas cinco dietas com diferentes combinações entre BE e RE, associado com a aplicação do estresse por calor, no 25° ou 35° dia de idade. Foi possível verificar que a formulação estratégica do correto equilíbrio de eletrólitos melhora o desempenho e é capaz de evitar o efeito do estresse / Abstract: The heat stress is the causative agent of several metabolic disorders in broiler chickens, including the acid-base imbalance. In order to avoid these effects and improve animal performance, it is necessary to use adequate levels of electrolytes and also a correct proportion of these in the diet, thereby obtaining a formulation with an appropriate electrolyte balance for the animals. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the performance and mortality of broilers submitted to different balances Na++K+-Cl-) and relations electrolyte [(K++Cl-)/Na+] in the diet at thermoneutrality and on thermal stress. Therefore, a first experiment was conducted with a total of 1575 male broiler chicks of 1-21 in thermoneutral conditions, in which treatments consisted of five diets resulting from combinations BE/RE (150/3, 250/2, 250/3, 250/4 and 350/3). The parameters evaluated were body weight, feed intake and feed conversion, which were susceptible to dietary supplementation of BE and RE, embedded in a surface analysis which allowed a better assessment of rising levels of BE and close and wide-RE. The results indicated that the best performance was obtained only with simultaneous combinations of electrolytes to between 251 and 255mEq/kg BE and RE and between 3,5:1-2,73:1. In a second experiment, we used the same animals, but in 21-46 days of age in a factorial arrangement 5x3, totaling 15 treatments. The treatments were the same five diets with different combinations of BE and RE, together with the application of heat stress on the 25th or 35th day of age. It was possible to verify that the correct formulation of the strategic balance of electrolytes improves performance and is able to avoid the effect of heat stress in broilers, whereas a diet with BE of 250 mEq/kg and RE 3 for better performance and a diet with BE of 350 mEq/kg and 3 RE aimed at survival of animals / Mestre

This study was designed was to determine the effects of additive supplementation of Moringa oleifera leaf meal on growth performance, digestibility, digestive organ size, intestinal integrity, bone ash content and bone breaking strength, as well as meat yield and quality of broiler chickens. A total of 2400 day-old unsexed Cobb-500 broiler chicks were randomly allocated to 5 treatment groups: T1, positive control, 668 g/ton Salinomycin and 500 g/ton Albac; T2, T3 and T4 contained graded levels of MOLM at 1 percent, 3 percent and 5 percent of dry matter (DM) intake, respectively; and T5, a negative control (0 percent additives) in a complete randomized design experiment. Except for week one, FI and FCR was highest (P < 0.05) in T4 birds; while T1 birds had the highest FI in the period of 22 to 27d (P < 0.05). Throughout the production period, birds supplemented with MOLM had the highest BW (P < 0.05) than the birds fed the control diets. Feed intake (FI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) among treatments was highest (P < 0.05) in T4 birds during the period of 8 to 14 d; and was highest (P < 0.05) for T1 birds in the period of 22 to 27d. Protein efficiency ratio (PER) and energy utilization efficiency (EEU) ratios were statistically significant among treatments (P < 0.05). However, dietary treatments had no effect (P > 0.05) on the weights of the heart, liver, spleen, or the gizzard, although the bursa for T2 birds was the lightest (P < 0.05); while gizzard erosion score was highest in T2 birds. All of the nutrients measured, except for fat, had negative intercepts that were significantly different (P < 0.05) from zero, indicating the presence of endogenous fecal losses. Tibiae length (TL) was highest in T2. The dried defatted weight (DW) was heaviest (P < 0.05) for T3 (11.20 ± 0.347) and T5 (11.08 ± 0.328). A positive correlation (r = 0.667; P < 0.01) between TW and DW was observed. There were no dietary effects on bone breaking strength (BBS), but T1 tibiae had highest resistance to breaking force (T1 > T4 > T3 > T2 > T5). Calcium was highest (P < 0.05) in T1; and lowest inT2 and T5. Phosphorus levels were lowest (P < 0.05) in T1; and highest (P < 0.05) in T5 compared. The highest Ca: P ratio was obtained in T4 (P < 0.05); while the ash percent was highest (P < 0.05) in T1. Drip loss increased as L* values increased; and a negative correlation was observed between L* and pH. On D1, C18: 0 and C22 in T2, while C15:0 was highest in T4. On D1, C20:2, C20:3n6 and C22:6n3 were highest in T2 (P < 0.05); T4 had the highest C18:3n6 (P < 0.05), while C20:2 was highest in T5 (P < 0.05). The P/S ratio on D1 was highest in T4; while n-6/n-3 was highest in T1; and n-3 was highest in T3. On D8, the n-3 was highest in T1 (P < 0.05). Results of the current study show that supplementation of M. oleifera leaf at additive levels of up to 5 percent of the bird’s DMI does have the potential to influence the bird performance without any detrimental effects on nutrient utilization, bird health, bone strength and/or meat quality, which can be concluded that MOLM enhanced the bird’s genetic potential for optimal productivity.

Orientador: Jorge de Lucas Junior / Banca: Marco Antonio Martin Biaggioni / Banca: Monica Sarolli Silva de Mendonça Costa / Banca: Valeria Cristina Rodrigues Sarnighausen / Banca: Tânia Mara Baptista dos Santos / Resumo: Objetivou-se avaliar a produção de biogás no processo anaeróbio da cama de frango, submetido ao processo de peneiramento e trituração, em função da diluição e reciclo, em sistema de abastecimento batelada e semi-contínuo. Para o processo de peneiramento utilizou-se uma peneira vibratória com malha de um mm e para trituração da cama de frango foi utilizado uma bomba trituradora. As diluições da cama de frango foram feitas de duas formas: cama de frango + água e cama de frango + reciclo. No sistema de abastecimento batelada, foram estudas as diluições nas seguintes proporções 1:8, 1:10 e 1:12 e a utilização de 20% de reciclo em substituição a água de diluição, avaliando-se as reduções de sólidos voláteis, produção de biogás e potenciais de produção de biogás. Para reduções de sólidos voláteis obtiveram-se bons resultados para as diluições 1:8 e 1:10, e para produção de biogás a diluição 1:8 com reciclo foi a que apresentou melhor resultado, bem como para os potenciais de produção de biogás. No sistema de abastecimento semi-contínuo, foi estudada a diluição 1:10 com 40% de reciclo. O tratamento que continha só reciclo foi o que proporcionou melhor redução de sólidos voláteis, não apresentando diferenças para a produção de biogás. Os melhores potenciais de produção de biogás foram obtidos com o tratamento que continha água. Concluiu-se que para o sistema batelada as diluições e o reciclo apresentaram bons resultados para redução de sólidos voláteis e produção de biogás e para sis... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the biogas production in the anaerobic process of the chicken litter, submitted to the screening and grinding process, as a function of dilution and recycle, in a batch and semi-continuous supply system. For the screen process used a vibrating screen with a mesh mm and grinding poultry litter was used a shredder pump. Dilutions of poultry litter were done in two ways: poultry litter + water and poultry litter + recycle. In the batching system, the dilutions were studied in the following ratios 1: 8, 1:10 and 1:12 and the use of 20% recycle to replace the dilution water. Evaluating the volatile solids reductions, biogas production and biogas production potentials. For volatile solids reductions, good results were obtained for the 1: 8 and 1:10 dilutions, and for biogas production at 1: 8 dilution with recycle it was the one that presented the best result and the biogas production potential obtained satisfactory results. In the semi-continuous supply system, the 1:10 dilution with 40% recycle was studied. The treatment that contained only recycle was the one that provided better reduction of volatile solids, the biogas production did not have difference between the treatments and for the potential of biogas production treatment that contained water was that presented better result. It is concluded that for the batch system dilutions and recycle presented good results for reduction of volatile solids and biogas production and for semi-continuous system the recycle proved to be efficient in the reduction of volatile solids and not interfering in the production ... / Doutor

No description available.

This study is a summary of production costs of commercial broilers as reported by a sample of producers and contract feed dealers in the Shenandoah Valley area of Virginia. The results are presented in the form of estimated costs under stated situations of production facilities, performance, and input costs. The presentation of average investment requirements for buildings and equipment needed for the production of commercial broilers should be of particular interest to prospective producers and contract dealers. Various factor-product and factor-factor relationships are studied along with their effects on both cash and non-cash costs of production. A particular attempt is made to estimate the effects of scale on various production factors and cost items. The multiple regression approach is used to estimate the effect of scale on building and equipment costs and the effect of weight and age at sale on feed efficiency. The total cost of production is divided into cash and non-cash costs, and an economic appraisal is made, using examples, of operations under varying conditions of factor costs and product prices. Computational methods are presented that will enable an individual producer to adjust these findings to his present or prospective production.methods and facilities. / Master of Science

Small (48-54 g) and large (58-64 g) or low (≤1.070) and high specific gravity (≥1.080) eggs from broiler breeder flocks were used. The hatching sequence was divided into four periods with 25% of the chicks being hatched in each period. One-half of each group was weighed and returned to the hatcher and the remainder were placed in floor pens. Hatch-held chicks were removed at 21 days, l2 hrs, weighed and placed in floor pens. Effect of two post-hatch holding times (0 and 30 hrs) on bursa and spleen weights were measured through 35 days of age. Hematocrits, heterophil/lymphocyte ratios, plasma proteins and glucose were measured through 11 days of age. Broilers from large vs small eggs were 10% heavier and had lower mortality at 49 days of age. Chicks that were held for extended time in the hatcher had lower body weights throughout the growing period. Held chicks had 1.6% (Exp 1) and 2.1% (Exp 2) lighter body weights at 49 days of age than removed chicks. No effect on body weight was observed for egg specific gravity. Relative bursa and spleen weights were lower in held chicks through 14 days of age. Total plasma protein (TPP) and glucose levels were higher in the held chicks at 1, but lower at 3 days of age. Heterophil/lymphocyte ratios were higher in held females at 3 and 5 days and males at 3 days of age. Females had higher TPP levels through 5 days and hematocrits through 11 days of age. / Master of Science

Previous studies indicated that exposure of broiler cockerels to acute heat for 24 hr at five days of age increased their survivability when exposed to high ambient temperature prior to market. Since they were conducted at low relative humidity, the aims of the present study were to determine if higher relative humidity affected the response and to investigate the physiological basis of the response. The early, neonatal, heat stress consisted of increasing ambient temperature to between 35.0 to 37.8 C for 24 hr at five days of age in half of the pens (early heat stress) while the remaining pens were kept at 29.4 C (early control). At 6 wk of age a second, late, juvenile, heat challenge was administered. Ambient temperature in half of the early heat stressed pens and early control pens was gradually increased to between 35.0 to 37.8 C for 8 hr on two consecutive days. Significantly lower mortality during the second heat challenge was observed in the early heat stressed birds. This reduction in mortality ranged from 75 to 90% of that seen in the early control birds. Additionally, there were no deleterious effects on body weight, body weight gain or feed efficiency caused by exposure of birds to early heat stress. Feed restriction or administration of a commercially available electrolyte package to the water had no effect on the ability of the birds to withstand high ambient temperature. Water consumption, core and surface body temperature were increased upon exposure to late heat; however, there were no significant differences between the early heat stressed and early control groups. There was a significant reduction in plasma T₃ concentration in the late heat stressed birds. No significant differences in plasma glucose were observed among the heat treatment groups. A significant increase in total plasma protein occurred during the first sampling period during late heat stress, with values returning to control levels during the second sampling period. No significant differences between the early heat stressed and early control groups were observed in plasma T₄ and total plasma protein during late heat. Heterophil to lymphocyte ratio was lower in the early heat stressed group than in the early control group during the second day of late heat exposure These results indicate that thermotolerance can be induced by exposing broiler chicks to 35.0 to 37.8 C for 24 hr at 5 days of age with no adverse effects on performance. Although the mechanism by which Early, neonatal, heat exposure induces thermotolerance is unknown, it is clear that it does not resemble acclimation. / Master of Science

Master of Science

The effects of vitamin E (VE) and Arginine (ARG) on humoral and cellular immunity in chickens were investigated in two experiments. The humoral immunity was measured by antibody responses to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and maternal antibody titers to the infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV), while the cellular immunity was studied using the cutaneous basophil hypersensitivity test to phytogemagglutinin (PHA) and by counting subpopulations of T-lymphocytes. We used two levels of ARG: normal (NARG, 1.2% in feed) and high ARG (HARG, additional 0.3% in drinking water or 1% in feed in experiments 1 and 2, respectively); and three levels of VE were given: 40, 80, and 400 IU/kg feed in experiment 1, and 40, 80, and 200 in experiment 2. / HARG improved the antibody response to SRBC compared with NARG ( P&lt;0.01 for experiment 1 and P&lt;0.013 for experiment 2) 4 days after injection in both experiments. In experiment 1, the VE80 birds maintained higher antibody titers to SRBC (P&lt;0.001) than the VE40 and VE400 birds 4, 8 and 16 d after inoculation. In experiment 2, the antibody titers to SRBC were higher in the VE80 birds compared with the VE200 birds at days 5, 8, and 12 after inoculation (P&lt;0.001). Maternal antibody titers (log10) to the IBDV were higher in the HARG than in the NARG diet in 17-day-old birds (P&lt;0.001) and higher in the VE80 than in the VE40 birds (P&lt;0.001), yet similar to those of the VE200 birds. No interactions were found between ARG and VE. / Naive birds fed HARG exhibited a higher response than NARG birds (P&lt;0.05) to PHA-P at d 17 and to PHA-M at d 41, but, after a second exposure, high ARG levels did not have an effect. Also, in naive birds, the effects of VE were not significant at d 17, but showed an influence after a second exposure in 41-d-old birds. / The percentage of T-helper (Th) and T-cytotoxic (Tc) cells in the blood of 29-d-old birds were not different between ARG levels (P=0.07 and P=0.06, respectively), but Th cells were higher in the VE80 and VE200 birds than in the VE40 birds, and Tc was higher in the VE80 than in the VE40 birds (P=0.02). The B-cell:T-cell ratio was higher in the HARG than the NARG birds (P=0.01) and in the VE40 compared with the VE80 and VE200 birds (P&lt;0.001). Neither ARG nor VE had an effect on the ratio of Th:Tc cells, nor on the percentage of immature T-lymphocytes. / A combination of high levels of ARG and high levels of VE (80 IU/kg of BW) has an important immunomodulation effect on the cellular and humoral immune responses in broiler chickens, improving both maternal antibody titers against the IBDV and antibody titers against SRBC. A combination of ARG and VE increases the proportions of Th and Tc cells, the B-cell:T-cell ratio, and growth performance. The evidence suggests that ARG and VE play complementary and regulatory role on immune response and may enhance the resistance of broilers to infectious diseases. / Key words. Arginine, vitamin E, humoral immunity, cell-mediated immunity, lymphocyte, ELISA. / L'effet de la vitamine E (VE) et l'arginine (ARG) sur les systèmes hummoraireet cellulaire de l'immunité a était évalué chez la volaille dans deux recherches. Lesystème hummoraire de l'immunité a était évalué en utilisant les paramètres tels que laproduction d'anticorps après une injection des globules rouge provenant des moutons(SRBC) et le niveau d'anticorps maternelle après une infection avec les virus causantla maladie 'infectious bursal disease' (lBDV), tandis que les effets sur le systemcellulaire de l'immunité avaient aussi été évalués en utilisant les paramètres comme'cutaneous basophil hypersensitivity test to phytogemagglutinin (PHA)' et endéterminant la concentration des lymphocytes T. Deux concentrations de ARG avaientété utilisées: normale (NARG, 1.2 % de la diète) et une concentration élevée (HARG,additionel 0.3 % dans l'eau ou 1 % dans les diètes); et 3 concentrations de VE: 40, 80et 400 lU/kg dans les diètes dans la première recherche et 40, 80, et 200 lU/kg dans ladeuxième recherche.