A 112-day trial was carried out to evaluate the effect of dietary calcium level and limestone particle size on the egg quality of 288 Hy-Line Brown semi-heavy layers, with 83 weeks of age at the beginning of the experiment. A completely randomized experimental design was applied in a 2x3 factorial arrangement, with two dietary calcium levels (3.5 and 4.0%) e three limestone particle size compositions (100% fine limestone (FL), with 0.185mm; 30% coarse limestone (CL), with 2.83mm, + 70% FL, with 0.185mm; and 50% CL, with 2.83mm, + 50% FL, with 0.185mm), with six replicates of eight birds each. Mean geometric diameter and in-vitro solubility of the limestone sources were, respectively, 0.185mm and 18.7% for the fine limestone, and 2.83mm and 10.5% for the coarse limestone. At the end of each 28-day period, 72 eggs per treatment were used to determine egg specific gravity, yolk percentage, albumen percentage, eggshell percentage, yolk index, Haugh units, eggshell thickness, and eggshell breaking strength. There was no influence of the treatments on the evaluated parameters. It was concluded that feeding the level of 3.5% calcium usually recommended for layers in their first laying cycle, and the substitution of up to 50% fine limestone by coarse limestone in the feed of semi-heavy commercial Hy-Line Brown layers in their second laying cycle can be applied with no impairment of egg quality

RESUMO -Com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito da debicagem e do tipo de bebedouro sobre o desempenho produtivo de codornas japonesas, 672 fêmeas de codornas de um dia foram usadas em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado e distribuídas em um dos três tratamentos como não-debicagem; debicagem até 1/3 dos bicos; e cauterização, com oito repetições de 28 aves na fase de cria. As aves foram debicadas aos 21 dias de idade e, no 35 dia, foram avaliados o ganho de peso, o consumo de ração, a conversão alimentar e a taxa de mortalidade. Aos 39 dias, 576 codornas foram remanejadas para gaiolas de postura, distribuídas em esquema fatorial 3 × 2, composto de três tipos de debicagem e dois tipos de bebedouro (taça e nipple), de modo que cada combinação foi avaliada com quatro repetições de 24 aves. A fase de produção teve início quando as aves atingiram 50% de produção de ovos, aos 60 dias de idade. As codornas submetidas a debicagem por cauterização apresentaram menor ganho de peso e menor consumo de ração na fase de cria. O estresse pela dor com a debicagem por cauterização pode justificar não só o menor consumo e o menor ganho de peso, como também a maior mortalidade. Infere-se que este método, por ser mais demorado, tenha provocado mais dor e maior nível de estresse, piorando o desempenho das aves. A debicagem de 1/3 dos bicos cortados pode ter ocasionado estresse menos intenso às aves, não interferindo no desempenho. Não se observaram diferenças no desempenho das aves e na qualidade de ovos entre os tipos de bebedouro e métodos de debicagem utilizado na fase de produção. O método de debicagem por cauterização influencia o desempenho de codornas na fase de cria, mas, na fase de produção, assim como o tipo de bebedouro utilizado, não interfere no desempenho das aves nem na qualidade de ovos.Palavras-chave: cauterização, coturnicutura, manejo, nipple, taça Beak trimming method and drinking system and a their effect on the performance and egg quality of japanese quails ABSTRACT -A total of 672 one day old-female quails was allotted to a completely randomized experimental design, with three treatments (non-trimmed birds; 1/3 of the beak trimmed and cauterized beak), 8 replicates of 28 birds to evaluate the effect of beak trimming and drinking system on productive performance. The birds were beak trimmed at 21 days of age, and at day 35 the weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion and mortality were evaluated. At day 39, 576 quails were transfered to laying cages, and assigned to a 3x2 factorial arrangement, to evaluate three beak trimming methods and two drinking systems (cup and nipple) by using four replicates of 24 birds each. The production phase started when the birds reached 50% egg production, at 60 days of age. The quails submitted to beak trimming by cauterization showed smaller weight and lower feed intake during the initial period. Stress pain due to the cauterized beak can justify not only lower feed intake and lower weight gain, but also increased mortality. It can be inferred that once this method takes more ...

In the way to reduce costs in the poultry production, high densities of birds are adopted in the production systems. Such high densities can lead to an inappropriate environment, compromising the welfare and decreasing the animal performance. In this work we aimed to evaluate the effects of different densities on the productive yield, egg quality and immunological aspects of Japanese quails. It was used 816 Japanese quails, during egg production phase, in a random design, with four treatments (121.43 cm 2 /bird; 106.25 cm 2 /bird; 94.44 cm 2 /bird and 85.00 cm 2 /bird) with six repetitions each. Results indicate density did not interfere on egg quality and all treatments can be considered excellent, once the Haugh Unit was 88.03. Therefore, higher densities decline the yield, decreasing the eggs weight (10.35 g), the laying percentage (88%), egg mass (9.16 g) and the week average feed consumption (157.35 g). IgY values were higher at smaller cage density, suggesting birds in this condition presented better immunological condition, related to welfare and stress factors, all linked to immunoglobulins IgY.

This study aimed at evaluating the effect of dietary calcium levels and the replacement of calcium sources with different particle size compositions on the performance and egg quality of brown layers in their second egg production cycle. A randomized block experimental design was applied with 12 treatments in a 3x4 factorial arrangement: three calcium levels (2.6, 3.2, 3.8 %) and four combinations of calcium sources (1- 100% fine limestone (FL), 2- 50% FL + 50% coarse limestone (CL), 3- 50% FL and 50% oyster shell (OS), 4- 50% FL and 25% CL+ 25 %OS), with six replicates of eight birds each. Calcium sources were analyzed for geometric mean diameter (GMD) and in-vitro solubility. The following performance and egg quality parameters were evaluated: egg weight (EW, g), egg production (% Eggs), egg mass (EM %), feed intake (FI g), feed conversion ratio (FCR kg/dz and FCR kg/kg), mortality (% Mort.), specific egg gravity (SG), percentages of yolk (Y%), albumen (Alb%) and eggshell (ES%), eggshell thickness (EST), eggshell breaking strength (BS), eggshell weight per surface area (EWSA), Haugh unit (HU), yolk index (YI) and yolk color. Performance and internal egg quality were not affected by the treatments (p>0.05). Blocks had a significant effect on (p<0.05) FI and FCR (kg/dz and kg/kg). Treatments significantly influenced external egg quality, which improved as dietary calcium levels increases and when up to 50% fine limestone was replaced by combinations of coarse limestone with oyster shell

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