El amaranto (Amaranthus cruentus L.) es un alimento de alto aporte en proteína, lisina y buen balance de aminoácidos. Además, ha demostrado ser eficiente para disminuir el colesterol del huevo. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar el efecto de diferentes niveles de inclusión de A. cruentus L. en la dieta de aves de postura, sobre el contenido de colesterol en el huevo y parámetros productivos. Se realizó un experimento con 200 gallinas Hy Line de postura de 30 semanas de vida, para evaluar la inclusión de A. cruentus en proporciones de 0, 15, 30 y 45% base materia seca. Durante 2 meses se evaluó el consumo semanal de alimento por ave, producción de huevos por semana, masa de huevo y conversión de alimento; 480 huevos fueron analizados para determinar el contenido de colesterol mediante cromatografía liquida de alto rendimiento. Los resultados fueron analizados mediante análisis de varianza en diseño de bloques al azar. La inclusión de semillas de A. cruentus en 15% de la ración disminuyó el colesterol en la yema de huevos, sin afectar significativamente los principales parámetros productivos.

Carbohydrates from lignocellulosic feed can be released by basidiomycete fungi for ruminal fermentation. This study aimed to evaluate the bioconversion of hay of ryegrass-fescue (Lolium perenne—Festuca arundinácea) by solid state fermentation with Pleurotus ostreatus, to obtain superior quality hay. After only 14 days of fermentation, crude protein (CP) (4.73 to 5.16%), and non-fibrous carbohydrates (NFC) (20.84 to 25.04%) increased, while neutral detergent fiber (NDF) (68.72 to 64.87%) and acid detergent lignin (5.88 to 1.98% ) decreased. The enzymatic biodegradation carried out by P. ostreatus was verified, through measurements of enzymatic activity. Lignin peroxidase (LiP) and laccase (Lac) reached the higher activity on day 14 (19.51 U/L and 34.17 U/L, respectively), whereas manganese peroxidase (MnP) displayed stability up to 21 days of fermentation (between 6.54 and 7.75 U/L). In conclusion, results indicate that lignocellulosic feed bioconversion by P. ostreatus is promising to improve the ruminal fermentation of fibrous feedstocks and 14 days were considered to be optimal for hay fermentation.

The recommendations for restricted egg consumption are aimed at the population with hypercholesterolemia, directing research to reduce their cholesterol. The objective was to evaluate the inclusion of red algae: Gracilaria sp. in the diet of laying poultries and its effect on productive variables and concentration of cholesterol in eggs. The alga was cultivated in the Atacama region, Chile, dried in the sun and crushed to be included in the diet. Two hundred 40-weekold laying hens were used, divided into 4 treatments and 5 repetitions, distributed in a randomized block design. The treatments were supplementation with seaweed at 0, 15, 30 and 45%. The following were evaluated: weekly feed intake, egg production, and feed conversion and egg mass were calculated. Cholesterol content was determined in 480 randomly collected eggs per week per repetition and treatment. Data were analyzed with ANOVA and Duncan's test (p<0.05). The treatments of 30 and 45% were suspended at the fifth and fourth week, respectively, due to decreased food consumption and cessation of egg laying. The cholesterol content of the yolk decreased from 23.36 to 17.27 mg g of yolk-1, due to the inclusion of the algae. The inclusion of the alga: Gracilaria sp, decreases the cholesterol level of the egg yolk, but alters the consumption of the poultries.

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