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ABSTRACT The objective was to examine the effects of supplementing different levels of zeolite in the diet of laying hens during the laying phase, at 54 weeks of age, on production performance, egg quality, ammonia volatilization, excreta pH, blood parameters, weight, and organ morphometry. The treatments consisted of a control diet free of zeolite and five diets including increasing levels of zeolite (0.7, 1.4, 2.1, 2.8, and 3.5%). A completely randomized design was adopted with eight replicates of five birds per plot, totaling 240 laying hens, for four 28-day periods. Results were subjected to ANOVA, Dunnett’s test, and regression analysis at 5% probability. The zeolite levels had no significant effect on production performance, egg quality, and blood parameters. The zeolite levels have a significant effect on ammonia volatilization, excreta pH, liver weight, and organ morphometry specifically on the intestinal length. Ammonia and pH reached a linear plateau. Ammoniacal nitrogen levels in the excreta differed from that observed in the control group at all zeolite levels, whereas the pH was lowest at the zeolite inclusion levels of 0.7 and 1.4%. Ammonia volatilization and the pH value of the excreta decreased by 46.9% and 4.6%, when the laying hens consumed diets with 0.93% and 1.19% zeolite, respectively. There was an effect on the relative weight of the organs, with higher liver yield and intestinal length provided by zeolite inclusion. Therefore, zeolite can be included in the diet of commercial layers at up to 0.93% without affecting their production performance or egg quality.

ABSTRACT These experiments were performed to determine the chemical composition, coefficients of nutrient and energy metabolizability, amino acid composition, and cytotoxicity of different castor oil meals subjected to different detoxification processes and added to the diet of Japanese quails. In the trial, 180 46-d-old female Japanese quails were distributed according to a completely randomized design into five treatments and with replicates of six bird each. The treatments consisted of following detoxification methods of castor oil meal: Castor oil meal A (CMA) - recovery in alcohol at 80 °C for 20 minutes and drying at 80 °C; castor oil meal B (CMB) and C (CMC) - recovery in alcohol at 80 °C for 6 minutes, neutralization with 5% NaOH, and drying under direct sunlight sun for two days (CMB) or pelleted (CMC); castor oil meal D (CMD) - recovery in alcohol at 110 °C for 15 minutes and drying at 110 °C. Castor oil meal was added replacing 20% of the reference diet. There was slight chemical composition variation (1.21% in crude protein, 6% in dry matter, 2.2% in ether extract and 64 kcal/kg in gross energy) among the castor oil meals submitted to the different treatments. The castor oil meal submitted to treatment C showed the highest amino acid values. In the cytotoxicity test, treatment D presented lower ricin activity. Castor oil meals A, C, and D may be included in Japanese quail diets; however, castor oil meal D is recommended due to the simplicity its industrial process, its low toxicity, and metabolizability coefficients obtained.

The aim of this study was to determine the chemical composition, amino acid content and energy values, as well as to quantify the passage rate in the digestive tract of three different poultry offal meals (POM), in two experiments carried out with broilers. In the first experiment, metabolizable energy values were determined (AMEn and TMEn) using the method of total excreta collection. In this experiment, 150 15-d-old male and female broilers were distributed according to a completely randomized experimental design with 5 treatments of 5 replicates of 6 birds each. The following treatments were applied: a reference diet, three test diets consisting of 250 g/kg of the tested ingredient (POM) + 750 g/kg of the reference diet, and one group of birds fasted for excreta collection to determine endogenous and metabolic losses. In the second experiment, POM passage rate results were obtained using 90 26-d-old broilers distributed according a completely randomized design with three treatments of 5 replicates of 6 birds each. POM passage rate was correlated (r = -99.86%) with its EE content. The evaluated POMs presented the following ME values: 16,727; 15,781 and 17,443 MJ AMEn /kg and 17,877; 15,882 and 17,527 MJ TMEn /kg for samples A, B and C, respectively.

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of diets formulated with corn plus soybean meal (CSM) or with 21% autoclaved castor meal (ACM), with the addition of two enzyme complexes (EC1 and EC2), on the performance and egg quality of laying quail. Two hundred and sixteen quails were selected by egg production and weight uniformity and distributed in a completely randomized design with six treatments (in a 2 × 3 cross-factorial arrangement) and six replicates with six birds each. Three CSM and three ACM diets supplemented withEC1, EC2, or unsupplemented were established. The trial lasted three cycles of 21 days. Feed intake, laying rate, egg mass, feed conversion per egg mass, and feed conversion per dozen eggs did not differ. The use of ACM diet reduced egg (EW), yolk (YW), and eggshell (SW) weights, egg specific gravity and increased yolk color. However, EW and YW were similar among quails fed diets containing CSM and ACM when supplemented with CE1.The use of enzyme complex containing xylanase, b-glucanase, and phytase is recommended when 21% autoclaved castor mealis included in the diet of laying quails.

This study was conducted with the objective of evaluating the impact of replacing inorganic mineral sources (IM) with amino acid complexed minerals (AACM) in laying hens' diets on performance, egg quality, bone, and intestinal health. The effects of 4 different diets with varying levels of AACM substitution were evaluated on 400 Lohmann White hens aged 78-98 weeks. The control diet contained only IM sources at levels of 60, 60, 7, 40, 0.2, and 2 mg/kg of Zn, Mn, Cu, Fe, Se, and I, respectively. The other treatments were made by a total substitution of IM with AACM, as follows: AACM70-70% of IM levels; AACM50-50% of IM levels; and AACM40-40% of IM levels. Orthogonal polynomial contrasts and Dunnett's test were used to determine their impact (P < 0.05). The treatment AACM40 improved egg production, egg weight, egg mass, and feed conversion ratio (P < 0.05). Hens that received AACM40 also produced the thickest eggshells and better tibial bone density (P < 0.01). Histomorphometry analyses demonstrated significant effects of AACM treatments. The optimal supplementation levels of 24, 24, 2.8, 16, 0.08, and 0.8 mg/kg of Zn, Mn, Cu, Fe, Se, and I, respectively., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The present study was to evaluate the effect of trace minerals (Zn, Mn, and Cu) from complexed amino acid minerals (ZMCAA) and bis-glycinate chelated minerals (ZMCGly) in laying hen diets on performance, internal and external egg quality, yolk mineral deposition, intestinal morphometry, and bone characteristics. From 78 to 98 weeks of age, 400 White LSL-Lite strain laying hens were distributed in a randomized design with 4 treatments with 10 replicates per treatment. Treatments were distributed in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement using either Zn, Mn, and Cu of ZMCAA or ZMCGly source at 2 levels: low (20, 20, and 3.5 mg/kg of Zn, Mn, and Cu, respectively) or high (40, 40, and 7 mg/kg of Zn, Mn, and Cu, respectively). The analysis of variance was performed, and in cases where differences were observed, the means were compared using Tukey's test ( P < 0.05). The source and level of trace mineral supplementation had a significant impact on the performance of laying hens. Hens fed ZMCAA had higher egg production ( P  = 0.01), egg weight ( P  = 0.02), egg mass ( P  = 0.01), and lower feed conversion ratio ( P = 0.05) compared to those fed ZMCGly. The ZMCAA supplementation showed higher albumen height ( P  = 0.01), albumen weight ( P  = 0.01), and eggshell thickness ( P < 0.01). The deposition of Zn ( P < 0.01), Mn ( P < 0.01), and Cu ( P < 0.01) in the egg yolk was greater for hens received ZMCAA. Tibia weight ( P  = 0.04) and bone densitometry ( P < 0.01) in the tibia were higher with ZMCAA supplementation. In the small intestine, ZMCAA resulted in longer villi ( P  = 0.02) and shorter crypt depth ( P  = 0.01) in the duodenum. Jejunum and ileum measurements were influenced by the level and source of trace minerals ( P < 0.05). Laying hens fed ZMCAA exhibited superior performance, egg quality, deposition of trace minerals in the egg yolk, and bone density compared to hens fed ZMCGly. In this study, older laying hens supplemented with ZMCAA at lower levels demonstrated adequate levels of supplementation., Competing Interests: We declare that we have no financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that can inappropriately influence our work, and there is no professional or other personal interest of any nature or kind in any product, service and/or company that could be construed as influencing the content of this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different levels of digestible lysine, at fixed amino acid ratios, in performance, blood parameters and diet digestibility of barrows from 15 to 30 kg. Fifty barrows of the Duroc breed with an average initial body weight of 14.95±3.22 kg were assigned to five treatments in a completely randomized experimental design with five replicates and of two animals per experimental unit. Treatments consisted of crude protein and lysine levels, maintaining a fixed ratio with the other digestible amino acids (8.4, 9.4, 10.4, 11.4, and 12.4 g kg-1lysine/kg of diet). The feed conversion decreased linearly according to lysine levels. The apparent digestibility coefficients of dry matter and crude protein increased linearly, and the same response was observed for serum total protein and urea. The results indicate that digestible lysine level for Duroc barrows in the starter phase is 12.4 g kg-1 of diet, as it improved feed conversion ratio and apparent nutrient digestibility.