Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT This study investigated the effects of discarded date (DD) inclusion in broiler diets, with or without multi-enzymes (MZ) supplementation, on the growth performance, carcass characteristics, and blood metabolites. In a completely randomized design, 480 one-day-old Ross 308 unsexed broiler chicks (average body weight, 42.23 ± 1.84 g) were divided into 8 experimental groups in a 4×2 factorial arrangement comprising four inclusion levels of DD (0%, 10%, 20%, and 30%) and two levels of MZ (0.0 and 1.0 g). Each group included 6 replicates with 10 birds in each replicate, over 35 days. The results of this study showed that including up to 30% of DD did not affect (p>0.05) growth, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, or carcass characteristics. No interaction (p>0.05) was observed between DD levels and MZ supplementation on growth, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, carcass characteristics, or serum biochemical parameters. Supplementation with EZ improved growth (p<0.05) during days 28-35 and 0-35. Glucose concentration increased with rising DD levels, with diets containing 20% and 30% DD yielding higher (p=0.035) values than the 0% DD diet. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the inclusion of up to 30% of discarded dates in broiler diets is effective and sustainable, without adversely affecting performance or carcass traits. Furthermore, multi-enzymes supplementation enhances the growth of broilers in diets containing discarded dates.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT This study evaluated the productive performance and economic feasibility of including biological silage from Colossoma macropomum by-products (BST) in the diets of commercial laying hens at different stages of the production cycle. Two experiments were conducted using young hens (23 weeks old) and older hens (83 weeks old), fed diets containing 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4% BST for 63 days. Productive performance (feed intake, egg production and mass, feed conversion) and economic parameters (feed cost, revenue, profit, break-even point, and profitability index) were analyzed. In young hens, inclusion levels up to 1% BST resulted in performance and profitability similar to the control group, while higher levels significantly impaired egg production and economic indicators. In older hens, inclusion levels of 1% to 2% provided better productive performance and greater financial returns, particularly due to reduced unit egg cost and increased profitability. From 3% onward, negative effects similar to those observed in the first group were noted. It is concluded that BST is a viable alternative ingredient in layer diets, provided its inclusion is adjusted according to the birds’ production phase. The rational use of BST promotes the valorization of regional residues, contributing to the economic and environmental sustainability of poultry farming in the Amazon region.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of supplementing Linum usitatissimum (flaxseed) with Moringa oleifera leaf (moringa) on the carcass quality, fatty acids profile, and oxidative stability of broiler chicken. A total of 240 one-day-old mixed-sex Cobb 500 broilers were assigned to the following four dietary treatments: T1 - Control diet; T2 - Flaxseed 0.5% + Moringa 1%; T3-Flaxseed 1%+ Moringa 1%; and T4-Flaxseed 1.5% + Moringa 1%. The final body weight gain was similar in all groups after 35 days, with significantly (p<0.05) reduced feed intake in T4 compared to the control. The thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values of the meat were reduced in the flaxseed and moringa groups (p<0.05) compared to the control. Cholesterol content in thigh meat decreased significantly (p<0.05) in groups T3 and T4 compared to the control. In breast and thigh meat, the omega 3 fatty acids were higher, alongside significantly increased polyunsaturated fatty acids, and a lower omega 6 to omega 3 ratio (except in the T2 group) was observed in the thigh meat of the flaxseed and moringa groups (p<0.05). Overall, the results indicate that diets with up to 1.5% flaxseed and 1% moringa improved meat composition and omega 3 fatty acids and reduced the lipid oxidation of broiler meat.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT The study aimed to evaluate dietary Lactiplantibacillus pentosus [LP]-based probiotic as an alternative to in-feed antibiotics for broilers fed diets containing different nutrient densities. A total of 630 day-old male Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to 42 pens (15 birds/ pen) in a 2×3 factorial design with three additives (none, salinomycin at 60 mg/kg, or LP at 1.0 × 108 cfu/kg) and two nutrient density levels (optimal [OPT] or reduced [DEF]). The OPT diets increased (p<0.05) body weight gain in relation to the DEF ones. The LP diet impaired body weight gain and feed intake compared with the control and salinomycin diets (p<0.05). The LP diet lowered feed conversion ratio in the OPT diet, but increased it in the DEF diet, leading to a significant interaction between the two factors (p<0.05). Breast meat yields were increased in the salinomycin group but decreased in the LP group as compared to the control group (p<0.05). CIE a* and b* values in breast meat and CIE a* value in thigh meat were highest in broilers fed salinomycin as compared to the control groups (p<0.05). The OPT diets increased cooking loss in breast meat and decreased CIE L* value in thigh meat (p<0.05) in comparison to DEF diets. Serum superoxide dismutase was higher in the salinomycin and LP groups than in the control group (p<0.05). The salinomycin diet lowered jejunal secretory immunoglobulin A compared with the control group (p<0.05). An interaction between additives and nutrient density on serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase was observed (p<0.05). Under the conditions of this study, dietary L. pentosus S14 increased serum SOD activity but impaired growth performance and breast meat yield; therefore, this strain cannot be recommended as a direct replacement for salinomycin without further dose optimization, strain validation, and challenge-model testing.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT Under commercial conditions during a respiratory challenge, birds fed 25 mg Hydroxytyrosol (HT)/kg of feed had higher body weight (BW) (p=0.02) and BW gain (BWG) (p=0.02) compared with birds fed 50 mg HT/kg of feed from 1 to 20 days. Over the entire period (40 days), HT affected BW, BWG, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) (p≤0.01), whereas feed intake (FI) and viability were not affected. Broilers fed 25 mg HT/kg of feed showed the highest BW and BWG (p=0.01), while the birds fed 10 mg HT/kg of feed showed the best feed conversion ratio (FCR) (p=0.004). RT-PCR analysis of throat swabs of dead animals and litter revealed the presence of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) and low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) H9N2 in chickens treated and untreated with HT. In vitro assays indicated that HT reduced H9N2 infectivity after 24 h at concentrations as low as 0.01 mg/mL. In the in ovo model, HT concentrations ≥1 mg/mL were well tolerated and were associated with fewer typical IBV macroscopic lesions (dwarfism or hemorrhage) compared with the positive control.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT The development of the gastrointestinal tract and gut morphology is greatly influenced by the composition of the gut microbiota, as well as the structure and function of the digestive system. A properly balanced gut microbiota facilitates the digestion of feed components, promotes nutrient utilization, and stimulates the development of the immune system. Previous studies have demonstrated that the gut microbiota can be influenced by the administration of feed additives such as prebiotics or probiotics. These compounds affect the animal’s humoral immunity, enhancing nutrient absorption, which in turn improves growth performance and overall health. More recently, insects have been identified as a significant source of nutrients and biologically active compounds that can positively influence gastrointestinal health by modulating microbiome diversity without negatively affecting production parameters or product quality. Chickens can be fed insects directly, or the insects can be processed into insect meals and added to the diet as a supplement. Thus, the objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive insight into recent findings published over the last ten years regarding the role of insects in enhancing the health, gut status, and welfare of poultry in production systems.