The objective of the present study was to evaluate the performance of broiler strains (Cobb 500, Ross 308, and Hubbard Flex) in hot weather. Environmental temperatures above thermal comfort trigger responses of the animals to maintain homeothermia, which negatively affects productive performance. A total of 2,160 chicks of both sexes, were distributed in an experimental design that was completely randomized in a factorial arrangement of 3 × 2 (strains and sexes) with six replicates of 60 birds each. Feed intake (FI), live weight (LW), weight gain (WG), and feed conversion (FC) were analyzed at periods of 1–7, 1–21, 1–28, 1–42, and 1–49 days old. At 42 and 49 days old, the carcass weight (CW), carcass yield (CY), breast yield (BY), thigh yield (TY), and drumstick yield (DY) were analyzed. The strains differed in LW and WG in most periods, especially for Cobb broilers in the pre-start period (1–7 days) and Hubbard broilers in the last two periods (1–42 and 1–49 days). Except for the pre-initial stage, which there was no influence of the strains on FC, the Hubbard broilers showed the best FC, at 1–49 d, similarly to Cobb broilers. Regardless of strain, the males showed superior performance to that of females. At 42 d, the Cobb broilers showed a superior BY to that of the other strains, presenting better TY than did the Ross and Hubbard strains. At 49 d, the Cobb and Ross strains showed the best BY, with the Hubbard strain having the greatest DY. Males showed higher values in cut yields, except in the BY in which females showed better results.

The objective of this study was to obtain different dry matter contents and proportions of melon plant biomass for silage making. A completely randomized design with factorial arrangement (3 × 2) and four replications was adopted. The first factor consisted of three melon biomass mixtures based on as-fed composition of plant (branches + leaves) and harvested melon (fruits)—100% plant (0% fruit), 90% plant + 10% fruit, and 100% fruit. The second factor corresponded to the ensiled material, which was either fresh or dehydrated in the field after harvest (40% dry matter). Silages produced from dehydrated biomass after fruit harvest, containing 0% and 10% fruit, showed the highest dry matter contents: 297 g/kg and 293 g/kg, respectively. Silages produced from fresh biomass containing 0% and 10% fruit showed high concentrations of acetic acid, reaching 14.9 g/kg and 14.1 g/kg, respectively. Silages produced from dehydrated biomass containing 10% and 100% fruit showed better results in terms of the indicators associated with high-quality silage. Dehydration improves the fermentative profile and overall quality of melon silage.

Little information is available in the literature on the use of cactus pear meal (CPM) in poultry diets; therefore, it is important to evaluate diets that provide excellent performance and lower production costs. Our objective was to study the use of Miúda CPM in the diets of laying hens. In the first study, two diets for male and female chicks were used—1: 80% reference diet + 20% Miúda cactus pear meal (CPM) and 2: 80% reference diet + 20% Gigante cactus pear meal (CPM). The variety Miúda provided a better use of metabolizable energy, as well as a greater digestibility coefficient of dry matter, protein, and mineral matter. In the second study, a control diet was compared to three diets with different levels of Miúda CPM for laying hens in the proportions of 3%, 6%, and 9%. No significant differences were found in productive performance. However, there were significant differences in the some parameters egg quality, texture and color profile of the cooked yolk, egg composition, fatty acids and cholesterol in the yolk. It is possible to use 9% Miúda CPM in the diet of laying hens in a semi-intensive system that does not compromise performance and egg quality, and using 3% Miúda CPM provides a higher economic return.

A bovinocultura é um setor fundamental para o agronegócio brasileiro, porém, o estresse térmico impacta a produção global de carne, causando perdas econômicas expressivas. Esse problema tende a se agravar com as mudanças climáticas, tornando o conforto térmico essencial para o bem-estar e a eficiência produtiva dos bovinos confinados. Nesse contexto, objetivou com o presente estudo avaliar o impacto da exposição ao sol na temperatura corporal e na dinâmica respiratória de bovinos de corte das raças Angus e Nelore, na região do Cerrado, em uma área de transição para o Semiárido Brasileiro. O experimento foi conduzido em um parque de exposições durante uma feira agropecuária na Chapada das Mangabeiras, bioma Cerrado. Foram analisados parâmetros ambientais e fisiológicos. As variáveis ambientais incluíram temperatura do ar (média, máxima e mínima), umidade relativa do ar (média, máxima e mínima) e o índice de temperatura e umidade (ITU). Os parâmetros fisiológicos foram avaliados em 24 bovinos, sendo 12 da raça Angus e 12 da raça Nelore, considerando-se a frequência respiratória (FR) e a temperatura média superficial (TMS). As mensurações foram realizadas em dois dias consecutivos, em seis horários distintos ao longo do dia (08:05; 10:05; 12:05; 14:05; 16:05; 18:05). Durante o período de avaliação, as condições climáticas foram caracterizadas por temperaturas elevadas e baixa umidade relativa do ar. Os bovinos analisados apresentaram sinais de estresse térmico, evidenciados pelo aumento significativo da frequência respiratória e da temperatura média superficial. Dentre as raças estudadas, os animais da raça Angus demonstraram maior susceptibilidade às condições ambientais adversas.

The growing demand for sustainable alternative protein has driven interest in the farming of edible insects, such as Tenebrio molitor. This study evaluated the effects of diets with different proportions of poultry litter (PL) and sex ratios on the fecundity and larval viability of T. molitor, aiming at the reutilization of organic waste. Diets containing 0%, 50%, and 100% PL were tested, combined with male-to-female ratios (1:1, 1:3, 1:6, and 1:9). The results indicated that the inclusion of 50% PL balanced productivity and sustainability, increasing fecundity and larval viability. In contrast, 100% PL compromised development and reduced fecundity, possibly due to toxicity and nutritional imbalance. The 1:3 sex ratio maximized fecundity and average larval weight, regardless of diet. In PL-based substrates, the 1:1 ratio resulted in heavier larvae, suggesting that lower female densities reduce resource competition. These findings highlight the potential of T. molitor for organic waste valorization and sustainable protein production. Future studies should investigate strategies to mitigate the negative impacts of higher PL proportions and explore the interaction between microbiota, population density, and reproductive performance.

: The objective of this study was to obtain different dry matter contents and proportions of mel-on plant biomass for silage making. A completely randomized design was adopted with a facto-rial scheme (3 x 2) in four replications. The first factor corresponded to three mixtures of melon biomass on as fed basis (AF) of plant (branch + leaf) and fruit (harvested melon) as follows: 100% plant, 90% plant + 10% fruit, and 100% fruit. The other factor corresponded to the ensiled materi-al with fresh and dehydrated melon plant biomass (40% DM) which was dried in the field, after harvest. Silages with partial dehydration of the biomass available after fruit harvest with 0% and 10% fruit showed the greatest DM values: 297 and 293 g/kg DM, respectively. Silages with 0, 100 and 10% fruit showed medium LAB populations: 5.79, 5.14 and 4.58 logs CFU/g, respectively. Higher concentrations of acetic acid contents were observed in silages with 0 and 10% fresh fruit, which were 14.9 and 14.1 g/kg DM, respectively. Silages with 0% and 100% of dehydrated fruit showed better results for the indicators of good-quality silage. Dehydration improves the fer-mentative profile and quality of the melon silage.