In diets for laying hens, excessive concentrations of non-phytate phosphorus (NPP) have been associated with disrupted calcium homeostasis, reduced eggshell quality, and an increased risk of osteoporosis. Thus, two experiments were conducted to evaluate the productive performance, egg quality, and bone characteristics of laying hens at different ages fed diets with reduced NPP levels. A total of 120 Lohmann Brown hens at 26 weeks of age (Experiment 1) and 96 hens at 66 weeks of age (Experiment 2) were assigned to a completely randomized design with two dietary treatments: a high NPP level (3.8 and 3.6 g/kg in Experiments 1 and 2, respectively) and a reduced NPP level (2.2 g/kg in both experiments). Experiment 1 consisted of ten replicates with six hens per experimental unit, while Experiment 2 consisted of eight replicates with six hens per experimental unit. Both experiments lasted 102 days. Performance, egg quality, and blood and bone traits were evaluated and analyzed by ANOVA at a 5% significance level. Dietary NPP levels did not affect performance or egg quality in either experiment. In Experiment 1, the 2.2 g/kg NPP reduced NPP intake and serum phosphorus (P), and improved tibia calcium (Ca) and P content (p < 0.05). In Experiment 2, the reduced NPP level reduced NPP intake and improved eggshell thickness, breaking strength, and Seedor index (p < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary NPP can be reduced to 2.2 g/kg without impairing the productive performance or egg quality of laying hens. Moreover, this reduction increases tibia Ca and P content in hens between 26 and 41 weeks of age and enhances eggshell thickness and breaking strength in hens between 66 and 81 weeks of age.

This study investigated the effects of dietary capsaicinoid (CAP) supplementation on broiler chickens subjected to an inflammatory challenge induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). A total of 144 Cobb500™ male broilers (Rivelli Alimentos SA, Matheus Leme, Brazil), raised from 1 to 21 days, were randomly assigned to three treatments, with eight replicates of six birds. Treatments were a control diet (CON), a control diet with LPS administration (CON+LPS), and a control diet supplemented with 1 mg CAP/kg feed and LPS (CAP+LPS). LPS was administered intraperitoneally on days 14, 16, 18, and 20. Performance, intestinal morphometry, serum metabolites, and jejunal gene expression related to oxidative and inflammatory responses were evaluated. Slaughter was at 20 days. Data were subjected to ANOVA and means compared by Tukey’s test at 0.05 significance. CON broilers exhibited the highest feed intake and a better feed conversion ratio (p < 0.05) compared to CON+LPS. CAP+LPS broilers showed higher body weight gain than CON+LPS but lower than CON broilers (p < 0.001). CON+LPS broilers had the highest crypt depth (p = 0.002). Higher mRNA expression of superoxide dismutase and catalase (p > 0.05) was observed in CON broilers. In conclusion, supplementation with a 1 mg CAP/kg diet improves the growth performance and intestinal morphometry of LPS-challenged broiler chickens.

This study evaluated the production performance and egg quality of Lohmann Brown laying hens fed diets containing different levels of Corn Bran with Solubles (CBS). A total of 144 hens aged 44 weeks were assigned to three treatments in a completely randomized design, with eight replicates per treatment and six birds per replicate. The experimental treatments included diets with CBS inclusion levels of 0%, 5%, and 10%. The experiment lasted 84 days (44 to 55 weeks of age). Data were analyzed via one-way ANOVA, with mean differences evaluated using Tukey’s HSD test (α = 0.05). No significant effects were observed for laying rate, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, or egg mass (p > 0.05). However, egg quality parameters such as shell percentage, shell weight per unit surface area (SWUSA), and yolk color were influenced by the treatments (p < 0.05). Hens fed diets with 5% CBS exhibited higher shell percentage and SWUSA compared to those on the 0% CBS diet. Yolk color intensity increased with higher CBS inclusion levels. In conclusion, incorporating up to 10% CBS in corn–soybean meal diets for laying hens can enhance egg yolk pigmentation. Notably, including 5% CBS improves eggshell quality.

Choline is an important nutrient for broiler chickens and plays several important roles in their metabolism. In recent years, there has been an observed increase in the utilization of plantderived products rich in choline to meet the nutritional requirements of poultry. Given its relevance, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of supplementation with two vegetable sources of phosphatidylcholine on the performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens. Twelve hundred broiler chicks were distributed among five experimental treatments, as follows: Basal diet (BD)-diet without choline supplementation; BD + Biocholine (218, 197, and 143 mg/kg of diet, respectively); BD + Biocholine DS1 (146, 131, and 96 mg/kg of diets, respectively); BD + Biocholine DS2 (109, 98, and 72 mg/kg of diets, respectively); BD + Biocholine DS3 (87, 79, and 57 mg/kg of diets, respectively). The five experimental treatments were composed of twelve replications and twenty birds each. A significant improvement (P < 0.05) in feed conversion was observed in animals supplemented with Biocholine and Biocholine DS during the 1 to 21-day phase. However, no improvement were noted in the other evaluated parameters (P > 0.05). In conclusion, supplementation with plant sources of phosphatidylcholine improves feed conversion in broiler chickens from 1 to 21 days of age, however, it does not have any effect on the carcass characteristics of the animals.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different sources of choline in the diet of laying Lohmann Brown hens (26 to 37 weeks of age) on productive performance, egg quality, and blood parameters. A completely randomized experimental design was adopted, consisting of five treatments, with eight replications and six birds per experimental unit. The treatments consisted of a basal diet without supplementation of any source of choline (NC); NC + supplementation with 939 mg/kg choline [...] ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different sources of choline in the diet of laying Lohmann Brown hens (26 to 37 weeks of age) on productive performance, egg quality, and blood parameters. A completely randomized experimental design was adopted, consisting of five treatments, with eight replications and six birds per experimental unit. The treatments consisted of a basal diet without supplementation of any source of choline (NC); NC + supplementation with 939 mg/kg choline

Resumo Este estudo avaliou a influência do sexo sobre as características de carcaça, dos órgãos viscerais e da qualidade da carne de codornas europeias. Foram utilizadas 300 codornas de corte de um dia de idade, criadas em lote misto até os 15 dias, quando foram selecionados 100 machos e 100 fêmeas. Aos 35 dias de idade, 50 aves de cada sexo, com peso corporal dentro de ±10 % da média do respectivo grupo, foram submetidas ao abate após jejum alimentar. Foram avaliadas as características de carcaça, os rendimentos dos cortes comerciais, as características dos órgãos viscerais e os atributos de qualidade da carne, incluindo pH muscular, parâmetros de cor (L, a e b*), perda de peso por cocção e força de cisalhamento. O sexo afetou significativamente (P < 0,05) as características de carcaça, sendo observados maiores peso corporal, peso da carcaça antes da evisceração, peso da carcaça eviscerada e peso do peito nas fêmeas em comparação aos machos. Por outro lado, os machos apresentaram maiores rendimentos de coxa e dorso. As fêmeas também apresentaram maiores pesos absolutos e rendimentos relativos de fígado, intestino e baço, além de maior peso de moela e maior comprimento intestinal. Não foram observadas diferenças significativas (P > 0,05) para os pesos de asa, coxa e dorso, peso cardíaco, perda de peso por cocção, força de cisalhamento, pH ou parâmetros de cor da carne. Conclui-se que o sexo influencia as características de carcaça e o desenvolvimento dos órgãos viscerais de codornas europeias, sem, entretanto, alterar os atributos de qualidade da carne nas condições avaliadas.