The aim of this study was to evaluate swine females of different genetic lines submitted to different reproductive management and housing systems during pregnancy on reproductive performance and animal welfare parameters. After artificial insemination protocol, 524 females were divided into two gestation housing systems: PEN1=animals housed in individual stalls during the breeding and after group-housed; PEN32=animals housed in individual stalls from breeding until 32 days of pregnancy and after group-housed. The number of piglets born, and the pregnancy and farrowing rates were evaluated. Welfare parameters related to the pregnancy phase were used. Females who weaned more piglets in the previous farrowing had a higher number of piglets born at the next farrowing. The pregnancy rate was affected by the number of semen doses. The farrowing rate was not influenced by the evaluated parameters, with average value of 91.36%. There was no effect of the gestation housing system and the genetic lines on pregnancy and farrowing rates, with values above 90.0%. The animal welfare indicators showed more compromised parameters in PEN1 system. PEN1 system did not impair the reproductive performance although it presented more compromised animal welfare parameters.

The use of blood metabolites (BM), fecal starch (FS), and apparent digestion of starch, (ATTSD) as indicators of feed efficiency (FE) in beef cattle in the feedlot was studied. Fourteen bulls were used, originating in an industrial cross, without a defined racial group, with mean body weight of 284.86kg, individually fed, being evaluated in a 42-day confinement system. After the evaluation, the animals were divided into two groups according to the individual FE: high feed efficiency (HE) and low feed efficiency (LE). There was a difference between the groups in the variables FE, feed conversion (FC), final weight (FW), and daily weight gain (DWG). The FE had a positive correlation with DWG, FC, and FW. There was no difference between the groups for the variables BM, FS, and ATTSD, nor was there any correlation between these variables and FE. Considering the feed cost, the HE animals proved more profitable. BM, FS, and ATTSD did not statistically show potential to be used as indicators of FE, despite the evidence of numerical differences of these variables between the different groups, tendency of correlations with FE, and discriminating function with potential assertiveness.

Managing fertile eggs and minimizing seasonal impacts is crucial in poultry farming. This study evaluated the effects of the storage time of fertile eggs, broiler breeder strain, and age on hatchability and first-week broiler performance. Twelve treatments were carried out in a factorial arrangement with two broiler breeder strains (Cobb MV and Ross 308AP), two breeder age intervals (between 30-40 weeks and between 50-60 weeks), and three egg storage times (4, 7 and 9 days). The Ross 308AP strain showed the highest hatchability (91.74%) at 30-40 weeks, while Cobb MV had the greatest weight gain (162.75g) from days 1 to 7 at 50-60 weeks. Longer egg storage affected weight gain at 7 days for Cobb MV. Nine-day storage reduced chick weight (45.46g) from breeders aged 50-60 weeks. Lower first-stage embryonic mortality was observed in Ross 308 AP (3.83%) in breeders aged 30-40 weeks (4.13%), and in eggs stored for 4 days (4.01%). The Ross 308AP had the greatest percentage of infertile eggs (10.25%), and breeders aged 50-60 weeks showed greater percentages of infertility (10.14%). The Cobb MV had lower second-stage embryonic mortality but higher percentages of discarded chicks. Hatchability and first-week broiler performance depend on storage time, breeder age and strain.