The objective of this study was to determine the chemical and energy composition of spirulina (Spirulina platensis), the nutrient metabolizability coefficients, and the values of apparent metabolizable energy (AME) and the apparent metabolizable energy corrected for nitrogen balance (AMEn) in broilers. A digestibility trial was carried out by using total excreta collection method, with 90 Cobb 500 lineage chicks, with initial weight of 256 ± 5 g at 11 days of age. Birds were allotted in metabolic cages for 10 days, distributed in a completely randomized design, with three treatments and six repetitions with five birds each. Diets consisted on a reference-ration based on corn and soybean meal and two test diets, one containing spirulina (30%) and the other one with soybean meal (30%). Spiruline was superior to soybean meal for contents of dry matter (DM), gross energy (9.60%), crude protein (26.56%), ether extract (54.45%), mineral matter (42.77%), calcium (100%) and total phosphorus (130.77%) and also for most amino acids, except lysine, glutamate, histidine and proline. Nevertheless, spiruline presented lower values of gross fiber (83.95%), acid detergent fiber (85.12%) and neutral detergent fiber (6.15). The AME and AMEn values (kcal/kg of DM) were, respectively, 2,906 and 2,502 for the spirulina and 2,646 and 2,340 for the soybean meal and AMEn of spirulina was 6.92% higher than soybean meal.

Our findings suggested that essential oil from Brazilian red pepper or chlorohydroxyquinoline added in weanling pig diets affect gut microbiota and histology without affecting performance and organ weights. In addition, there was an indication that high doses of essential oil could reduce the incidence of diarrhea. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

The aim of this article was to evaluate the in vivo mechanism of action through which ractopamine reduces the amount of adipose tissue in carcass of animals fed diets supplemented with this drug. Literature search was carried out, using the keywords Ractopamine, lipogenesis, lipolysis, fatty acid and adipose tissue. The scoring system was designed for the adequacy of the methodology. A total of eight papers were found-all published in the English language. The determination of lipolysis and lipogenesis was carried out using different methods-from the quantification of non-esterified fatty acids in the blood to molecular analyses of adipose tissue. The review analysis suggested that, at least in the pigs, the use of this drug reduced lipid deposition in the carcass due to a greater inhibition of lipogenesis than an increase in lipolysis.

Objetivou-se avaliar a composição química, vitreosidade e valores nutricionais de diferentes híbridos de milho através de análises laboratoriais e de um ensaio de metabolismo com suínos em crescimento. Foram utilizados 24 suínos em fase de crescimento (35,6 Kg ±± 3,05 kg de PV) machos castrados mestiços (LD x LW), os quais foram mantidos em gaiolas de metabolismo e distribuídos em um delineamento inteiramente ao acaso totalizando 24 parcelas. Os tratamentos experimentais consistiram de 6 rações com os seguintes híbridos de milho: milho óleo (Móleo), milho QPM (MQPM), milho dentado (Mdent), milho semidentado (Msemi) e dois milhos duros (Mdur1) e (Mdur2). Os valores obtidos de vitreosidade, coeficiente de digestibilidade da proteína bruta (CDPB) e energia digestível (ED) para Móleo, MQPM, Mdent, Msemi, Mdur1 e Mdur2 foram 78,5%; 71,7%; 57,2%; 68,2%; 75,9%; 82,8%; 81,68%; 80,14%; 82,35%; 69,71%; 76,98%; 75,61%; 3680; 3426; 3597; 3441; 3340 e 3469 Kcal/Kg, respectivamente. Foram observadas diferenças significativas (P<0,05) para os valores de vitreosidade, mostrando que os milhos de textura dura apresentam maior vitreosidade em relação ao semidentado e ao dentado. Houve diferenças significativas no CDMS, CDPB e ED entre os milhos estudados (P<0,05), mostrando que o milho óleo (Móleo) e o dentado (Mdent) foram superiores aos demais. Em relação ao nitrogênio retido (%NR), houve diferenças significativas (P<0,05) entre os milhos estudados. Para esta variável os milhos dentado, QPM e alto óleo mostraram-se superiores aos milhos semidentado e os duros. Conclui-se que os milhos dentado, Móleo e MQPM foram superiores aos demais.

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