The description of the genetic potential is the first step to estimating amino acid requirements and the ideal amino acid relation (IAAR). The aim of this study was to estimate the parameters that describe the daily maximum theoretical nitrogen retention (NRmaxT, mg/BWkg0.67), daily nitrogen maintenance requirement (NMR, mg/BWkg0.67), protein quality (b), dietary efficiency of the limiting amino acid (bc−1) and determine the lysine requirement and the IAAR for Japanese quail breeders. Two nitrogen balance assays were performed, one assay using 49 quails distributed in seven treatments (protein levels between 70.1 and 350.3 g/kg) and seven replicates and other assay to determine the IAAR by the use of bc−1, 12 treatments and 10 replicate, with a control diet (CD) and 11 treatments that had limited essential amino acids by providing only 60% of the CD. The values obtained for NRmaxT, NMR, b and bc−1 were 3386.61, 0.000486 and 0.000101, respectively. The daily intake of Lys was 291 mg/bird day. Lys was set at 100% for determining the IAAR: 87, 67, 21, 117, 96, 66, 142, 39, and 133 for Met + Cys, Thr, Trp, Arg, Val, Ile, Leu, His, and Phr + Tyr, respectively, for Japanese quail breeders.

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Background Understanding how Japanese quails respond to arginine intake has been an objective that previous studies have not fulfilled. The main responses to be quantified include the arginine requirement for maintenance (mg/kg0.67) and egg mass production (mg/g). Quantifying maintenance and production relationships are essential steps for predicting animal response. The current study aimed to describe how quails respond to arginine intake and determine arginine requirements for maintenance and egg production in Japanese quails. Methods The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design, with seven treatments and seven replicates with individual birds as experimental units. The arginine levels were: 2.43, 3.64, 4.85, 6.07, 9.07, 12.13, and 14.56 g/kg. The experiment lasted for eight weeks. The variables analyzed were daily arginine intake, daily arginine deposition in eggs, and body weight. The data were analyzed using a mixed model, with the experimental unit being the random effect and the experimental levels of arginine as a fixed effect. When the effect of arginine levels was detected (P ≤ 0.05), saturation kinetics and an exponential model with four parameters (monomolecular) were adopted. ANOVA results indicated that dietary arginine levels significantly affected (P < 0.01) the analyzed variables. The formulation strategy of the experimental diets allowed amplitude in the dietary arginine levels, and according to bird responses, arginine was the limiting nutrient. Results The arginine requirement for body weight maintenance (BW0.67) was estimated to be 90 mg/kg BW0.67 by the monomolecular function. The requirement for egg mass (EM) production was estimated to be 25 mg/g per egg. A factorial model was parameterized as follows: daily arginine intake mg/bird = 90 × BW0.67 + 25 × EM ± 12 mg. The model was applied to data obtained from literature, and the resultant error was within the expected limit of 12 mg. The recommended daily arginine intake for the daily production of 11 g of egg and 180 g of BW was determined to be 304 mg/bird. The current study provides procedures that researchers can easily adopt.

This study aimed at evaluating the internal and external quality of brown-shelled eggs commercialized in the municipality of Parintins-AM. A total of 540 eggs were evaluated and distributed in a completely randomized design, which consisted of three treatments and six replications of 30 eggs each. The treatments were: eggs sold in supermarkets; in grocery stores; and eggs sold directly at the farm. The age of the eggs from supermarkets and grocery stores was unknown, however, the eggs bought at the farm were marketed as being from the day of laying. The collected data were submitted to analysis of variance and Tukey test at 5% probability. There were no differences (p > 0.05) of treatments in the percentage of dirty eggs, however, grocery and farm eggs presented higher (p < 0.05) crack percentage. The eggs at the farm presented higher incidence (p < 0.05) of internal stains of blood. The weight of the egg and albumen presented no differences (p > 0.05). However, the albumen percentage of the farm eggs was higher than the other treatments (p < 0.05). The percentages for yolk and eggshell weight from the farm eggs were lower than the supermarket and grocery eggs (p < 0.05). For the variables albumen height, Haugh unit, albumen index, yolk and albumen pH, the best results were observed for the farm eggs, however, regarding these variables, eggs sold in supermarkets and grocery stores did not differ from each other.  The brown shell eggs sold in the city of Parintins/AM have high rates of external defects, and the eggs bought directly from the farm presented better internal quality, when compared to eggs sold in different establishments.

RESUMO O desenvolvimento de tecnologias para a criação de peixes ornamentais nativos deve ser visto como um novo ramo a ser explorado pela aquicultura nacional, gerando renda, bem como proteção aos estoques naturais. Este trabalho objetivou avaliar a influência da densidade de estocagem (0,3 e 0,2 peixes L-1) no desempenho produtivo do Mesonauta festivus, na fase de juvenil, em condições de cativeiro. Ração comercial foi oferecida durante 30 dias, dividida em