Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT Eggs are a cornerstone of the food industry. They are a versatile ingredient used in a wide variety of products for their rich protein, vitamin and mineral contents. The use of efficient and high-quality eggs is of great importance in hatcheries, as well as in direct food consumption. The use of quality and efficient eggs in hatcheries has a strong impact on chick, egg, and white meat production. Artificial intelligence-based smart systems usage for product quality classification is growing steadily in productive sectors. In many of these systems, product images are used as input data. The use of such smart systems provides both fast and low-error quality control. Smart systems can quickly and accurately classify new products with algorithms trained by product images. In this study, an intelligent classification system using a machine learning algorithm, which is a subfield of artificial intelligence, was designed to classify the quality and efficiency of chick eggs in a chicken hatchery. Eggs are most commonly classified according to their size as either Large (L), Medium (M) or Small (S). In this study, 425 egg images were obtained using the image acquisition system designed on the hatchery belt system, and the data for each egg was recorded in a dataset. In the next stage, image processing methods (Morphological operations and Hough Transform) and the SVM machine learning algorithm were used together in the proposed model. According to our results, the classification of eggs into L, M, and S was successfully achieved at 98.0% using the SVM algorithm on the dataset.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT Salmonella spp. is one of the major bacterial causes of foodborne gastroenteritis in humans. The aim of this study was to investigate antimicrobial susceptibility to cephalosporins and quinolones, and to identify the genetic mechanisms related to this resistance in strains of Salmonella spp. Seventy chicken carcass samples were collected from slaughterhouses in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The phenotypic profile was detected by the disk-diffusion method and the search for genes encoding betalactamases, and resistance to quinolones was evaluated by PCR. The search for mutations in gyrA and parC was carried out by sequencing these genes. Eleven strains of Salmonella spp. of different serotypes were isolated. All the strains were resistant to at least one of the antimicrobials tested, and 63.64% (7/11) showed resistance to three or more antimicrobials. In the phenotypic test for ESBL production, 36.36% (4/11) of the strains were considered positive. PCR detected the resistance genes bla CMY-2, qnrB, bla CTX-M, and bla TEM. Among the isolates, 45.45% (5/11) simultaneously presented the bla CTX-M, bla TEM, qnrB genes and a mutation (Thr-57→Ser) in parC. Point mutations in the parC gene were detected in all the analyzed samples. Genes such as bla SHV, qnrA, qnrC, qnrD, qnrS, aac(6’)-Ib, qepA, and oqxAB were not detected. The study identified Salmonella spp. resistant to cephalosporins and quinolones, with resistance genes and mutations in parC, highlighting concerns about the adoption of biosecurity measures, responsible use of antimicrobials, and surveillance of resistant strains in the poultry chain.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT The use of enzymes is a concrete fact in broiler feeding. The global economic situation has been undergoing major changes, especially in the cost of agricultural commodities such as corn and soybean meal, the main ingredients in broiler diets in many parts of the world. This study aimed to assess the effect of increasing doses of phytase by assigning an optimized non-linear increasing nutritional matrix to the diet of broilers from 1 to 42 days of age, using economic production indicators as response variables. 900 one-day-old chicks were distributed in a randomized block design with six treatments and ten replications. Different nutritional matrices were studied: a positive control diet without phytase; diets with increasing levels of this enzyme (350, 500, 1,000, 1,500 FTU); and a negative control diet (-100 kcal/kg EMA) without phytase supplementation. Performance from 1 to 42 days of age and economic viability were assessed. It was observed that the negative control and the overdose (1,500 FTU) of phytase showed worse feed conversion than the positive control diet. In the economic analysis, there was a reduction in feed costs with increasing doses of the enzyme, as well as lower production costs per carcass kilo. The data found in this study shows that performance indicators do not always reflect economic efficiency responses. Specifically, the production cost was lower in broiler diets (1 to 42 d) formulated with increasing doses of phytase (up to 1,500 FTU kg-1).

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT The selection of an appropriate production system plays a crucial role in ensuring the health, welfare, and productivity of American Pekin ducks. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of various rearing production systems on the performance of American Pekin Ducks. A total of 180 straight run ducklings (10 days old) were randomly allocated into three experimental groups: intensive production system (IPS), free-range production system (FRPS), and pool with yard production system (PYPS). The distribution was carried out following a completely randomized design. We investigated the morphological parameters, growth performance, serum chemistry, meat cholesterol and triacylglycerol, cellular immunity, intestinal morphology, and carcass traits of Pekin ducks. The results indicate that PYPS birds exhibited significantly better morphometric parameters compared to IPS and FRPS ones. Ducks raised in PYPS had the highest growth rate till the 75th day as compared to those reared in IPS and FRPS. Triacylglycerol, total lipids, blood and meat fat and triacylglycerol were higher in IPS; whereas albumin, AG ratio, total proteins, glucose, and globulin were higher in PYPS. Similarly, cellular immunity (phagocytic activity, eosinophils, basophils, and monocytes) was increased in PYPS. Intestinal morphology and overall carcass traits were better in birds reared under PYPS than in those of IPS and FRPS. American Pekin ducks raised in PYPS showed improved growth, serum chemistry, cellular immunity, and carcass traits. These results suggest that the PYPS could be a promising production system for raising ducks in sub-tropical regions.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT The apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD; trial 1) and the apparent (AID) and standardized (SID) ileal digestibility of the amino acids (AA) (trial 2) in canola meal (CM) were evaluated with the addition of exogenous multi-carbohydrase (MC) and phytase (Phy). A total of 80 28-day-old broilers were allotted in a completely randomized design to receive treatments up to 35 days of age. A 2 × 2 factorial design was used to determine the enzyme effects on the ATTD of dry matter, nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus and fibre; as well as energy use and the AID and SID of AA, in five replicate cages. Supplementation with exogenous enzymes showed a positive interaction (p<0.05) between MC and Phy for nitrogen and energy. The isolated inclusion of Phy or MC showed a favorable effect (p<0.05) for dry matter, calcium, phosphorus and fiber. The enzyme inclusion on the AID and SID of AA in CM, established by comparing the means, suggested a better response to the addition of MC or Phy. Supplementation with Phy or MC was shown to be a viable alternative to increase the ATTD of nutrients and energy. The isolated inclusion of Phy or carbohydrate resulted in higher apparent and standardized digestibility of AA from CM.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of acidifier on broilers’ performance. A total of 648-day-old broilers were assigned to four treatments (0, 1, 2, and 3 g/kg acidifier in the diet). In the grower period, the acidifier inclusion resulted in a higher average daily weight gain (ADWG) than in the control. On the 40th day of age, 3 g/kg of acidifier increased ADWG and average daily feed intake (ADFI). The highest ADWG was observed in the 3 g/kg of acidifier treatment for the whole period. Orthogonal contrast between acidifier and control indicated that cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) concentration in the serum was lower in the acidifier-fed broilers. Inclusion of 2 and 3 g/kg of acidifier reduced Salmonella population in the ileum. Adding 2 and 3 g/kg acidifier to the diet increased crypt depth compared to other treatments. Weight and length of the tibia were also significantly increased by acidifier. The quadratic effect showed that the acidifier had a significant effect on the tibio-tarsal index. The mRNA expression of PPARγ and Toll-Like Receptor 4 (TLR4) genes in the ileum of broilers that were fed 3 g/kg acidifier was significantly higher than in other treatments. Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 1 gene showed a significant enhancement effect by the acidifier: with increasing levels of acidifier, its expression also increased. In conclusion, the acidifier improved the performance, upregulated the expression of ileal fatty acid-binding protein 1 (FABP1), TLR4, and PPARγ genes, as well as increased the tibia length, and reduced the Salmonella population in the ileum.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT This study investigated the impact of housing environment on performance parameters of the Lohmann LSL Classic (LW) and Lohmann Sandy (LS) strains. The deep litter (DL), free access to outdoor Mentha piperita (MP), Petroselinum crispum (PC), and Medicago sativa (MS) housing environments were examined. A total of 260 four-week-old birds were randomly allotted to DL and outdoor plant-associated groups, with four and three replicates, respectively, and 10 birds per replicate. Data collection for weekly feed intake began at 4 weeks until the end of the study. Weekly hen weights were measured from 4 weeks of age until the age of 50% egg production; and then later, at 52 weeks of age. From the day of the first egg until the last day of the study, eggs laid in each nest box tier (upper, middle, bottom, and floor) were recorded and weighed at 9:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, and 3:00 p.m. Housing environment influenced the age at first egg and 50% egg production, hen-day egg production, feed intake during the egg-laying period, feed conversion ratio, average egg weight, and egg size distribution (p<0.01; p<0.05). Age at first egg and 50% egg production, hen-day egg production, feed intake, average egg weight, and egg size distribution varied between strains (p<0.01; p<0.05). Most of the eggs were laid in the morning and on the upper nest box tier (p<0.01). Additionally, average egg weight varied among the egg-laying time and nest box tiers, and most of the eggs laid were in the large egg size (56-65 g) category (p<0.01). It was concluded that access to Medicago sativa offers hens the most ideal environment for production performance. The two strains were quite similar in terms of overall performance outcomes.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT This study determined the effect of layer age, egg-laying time, cage tier, and cage direction (outward-inward) on egg quality parameters of commercial layer chickens reared in enriched cages. A total of 944 layers (approximately 100 eggs every four weeks, from the 26 to the 58th week) obtained from Lohmann LSL-Classic layers reared at the Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University Ayhan Şahenk Agricultural Application and Research Centre were analyzed. Laying hen age significantly affected all the egg quality variables (p<0.01). Egg weight, shell-breaking strength, egg surface area, Haugh unit, and yolk color score differed across egg-laying time (p<0.05; p<0.01). There was variability in all the external egg quality traits among the cage tiers (p<0.05), but not for internal egg quality (p>0.05). Furthermore, it was found that cage direction had a significant effect on egg weight, shell thickness, egg surface area, and all the internal egg quality traits, except for yolk color score (p<0.05; p<0.01). In conclusion, our results highlight significant changes in egg quality traits due to layer age, egg-laying time, cage tier, and cage direction.