The objective of the present research was to study the incidence of broiler carcass condemnations over eleven years and identify the productive phase that causes greater loss in slaughter process. The origin of these condemnations was determined before and after fasting. Evaluated broilers were reared in positive pressure warehouses and slaughtered between 28 and 34 days old with carcass weight ranging from 0.7 to 1.4 kg. Fasting occurred, on average, 9 h before the slaughter. Condemnation and slaughter data were collected from 2004 to 2014 in a slaughterhouse with slaughter capacity of 120,000 broilers/day. The causes of rearing condemnations were airsaccullitis, arthritis, abscess, ascites, cachexia, cellulitis, colibacillosis, dermatosis, salpingitis, hemorrhagic syndrome, and neoplasia; and the causes of pre-slaughter and slaughter condemnations were bruising, fracture, inadequate bleeding, excessive scaling, contamination, dehydration, death at the platform, disgusting appearance, and delayed evisceration. The mean values of total and partial condemnations per year, occurrence and proportion of condemnations index (OCI) for every thousand broilers slaughtered, and rates of pre and post-fasting condemnations were calculated. Condemnations rates (%) and OCI were higher after fasting; partial and total contamination stood out, with a frequency of 77% and 30%, respectively, after fasting. Long fasting, uneven lots or unbalanced equipment may cause extravasation of the gastrointestinal contents and contaminate broiler carcasses. Practices such as monitoring fasting and equipment adjustment to broiler carcass size may reduce carcass condemnation incidence.

This study aims to evaluate the effects of the inclusion of different homoeopathic products on the diet of laying quails. We used 200 Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) distributed in a completely randomized design consisting of the adoption of four experimental diets, with eight replicates of five quails each. The treatments were control (without additives), calcium carbonate (vehicle used in the products), Fertsigo®, and Ovosigo®. We determined the performance, egg quality, and blood biochemical profile of quails. The data were submitted to Tukey test at 5% probability. There was a significant effect of the homeopathic products Fertsigo® and Ovosigo® on the variables egg weight, yolk, albumen, and shell percentage. It did not affect the performance and blood biochemical profile (p > 0.05). The addition of the homoeopathic product Ovosigo® and FertSigo® in diets of Japanese quails at the laying phase is recommended because they resulted in the better weight of the egg and its components. Thus, the application of homoeopathy in the production of quails is a viable practice, since it is easy to manage, has a reduced cost, and exerts positive effects on the performance of quails.

The objective of this study was to determine the energy values and metabolizability of different lipid sources in the diet of Japanese quail at the laying phase. The quail were distributed in a completely randomized design with ten replications of seven poultry per treatment, totaling six treatments: basal feed (control) and basal feed containing 10% soybean oil, corn oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, and poultry fat. The values of nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolizable energy (AMEn) and the metabolizability coefficient (MC%) [...] ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to determine the energy values and metabolizability of different lipid sources in the diet of Japanese quail at the laying phase. The quail were distributed in a completely randomized design with ten replications of seven poultry per treatment, totaling six treatments: basal feed (control) and basal feed containing 10% soybean oil, corn oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, and poultry fat. The values of nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolizable energy (AMEn) and the metabolizability coefficient (MC%)

This study aims to evaluate effects of inclusion of moringa in Japanese quail diets on laying performance, egg quality, blood parameters, serum biochemical profile, and behavior. One hundred and forty-four Japanese quails, approximately 35-d-old, were distributed in a completely randomized design with four treatments and six replications. Treatments were diet inclusion of 0, 2, 4 and 6% of dried and ground moringa leaves. The inclusion of moringa in diets reduces the quadratic feed intake up to the level of 1.20%, increases weight of eggs with a quadratic behavior up to 3.80%, and linearly increases yolk weight. Yolk color changes with higher levels of inclusion of moringa and resulted in more intense colors. The biochemical profile of quails changed slightly but remains within the normal range. The inclusion of 4% of moringa in diets increases alkaline phosphatase. Regarding cholesterol and triglycerides, diet with 6% moringa inclusion was lower when compared to the others. The behavior of laying quails does not change due to inclusion of moringa in diets. Up to 3.83% of Moringa oleifera can be included in Japanese quail diet to improve egg quality without compromising performance, biochemical profile, blood parameters and behavior.

An experiment was conducted to validate non-invasive evaluation techniques as in vivo evaluation tools for the myopathies wooden breast and white striping that affect broilers using biopsy as a support tool. It was evaluated thirty Cobb 500® broiler chickens in a completely randomized design consisting of two sexes (males and females) and 15 replications per treatment. At 14, 21, 35, 42 and 49 days, the surface temperature of the birds' breasts were recorded using infrared thermography, analysis of fillet depth, and echogenicity by ultrasound imaging. All broiler chickens were sent to biopsy at 21, 35 and 42 days to collect a fragment of the pectoral muscle for descriptive morphological analyses of histological lesions and muscle fiber morphometry. Males obtained higher echogenicity values at 14, 21 and 42 days. There was no influence of bird sex on the occurrence of the wooden breast and white striping myopathies at 49 days of age in broilers selected and submitted to the biopsy protocol. There was a general trend of decreasing surface temperature for both sexes according to the age. Muscles with less area occupied with fibers have a lower surface temperature. It was conclude that ultrasonography with a 3.5 MHz transducer detects muscle changes after 28 days of age, which is consistent with the myopathic lesions studied. Infrared thermography is a potential method that detected changes in breast temperature indicating myopathic lesions. Biopsy can be used as an auxiliary tool in the study of myopathies in broiler chicken breasts.

Japanese quail production can be optimized by selecting appropriate dietary lipid sources, yet comparative effects on performance and egg quality during the laying phase are not fully established. This study evaluated the impact of five lipid sources, namely soybean oil, corn oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, and poultry fat, on performance, egg quality, nutrient metabolism, serum metabolites, and organ traits of 350 Japanese quail aged 60 days with an average weight of 170 ± 10 g. Birds were assigned to diets containing 2800 kcal/kg in a completely randomized design with 10 replicates of seven birds each. Performance was recorded over three 28-day periods and egg quality assessed at the end of each period; at 84 days, one bird per replicate was sampled for nutrient metabolism, serum metabolites, and organ characteristics, and a metabolism trial estimated metabolizability coefficients and metabolizable energy. Data were analyzed by Tukey’s test at the 5% level. Egg production (p = 0.010) and marketable egg production (p = 0.008) were highest with soybean, corn, and sunflower oils, while feed conversion per dozen eggs was less efficient with canola oil (p = 0.048). Egg quality differed in specific gravity (p = 0.027), yolk color (p = 0.008), Haugh unit (p = 0.011), and air cell size (p = 0.001), with poultry fat improving yolk color and Haugh unit. Canola oil increased dry matter (p = 0.027) and ether extract digestibility (p = 0.026), while serum metabolites, organ weights, and reproductive traits were not affected (p > 0.05). All diets supported physiological health, and lipid sources can be chosen according to cost and availability to optimize quail production without compromising performance or health.