Two experiments were carried out to evaluate digestible arginine:lysine, isoleucine:lysine, valine:lysine and tryptophan:lysine ratios for male broilers in two periods: 7 – 21 (starter) and 28 – 40 (finisher) days of age. A total of 1800 starter and 1440 finisher broilers were distributed in a completely randomized experimental design with 9 treatments, eight replicates of 25 and 20 birds per experimental unit in the starter and the finisher periods, respectively. The ratios used in the starter period were: 100, 105 […]

The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of in ovo inoculation of nutritious solutions on the hatchability and the performance of broilers at 21 days of age. It was incubated 2,400 eggs from Cobb broiler breeders at 40 weeks of age on four different dates. On the 17.5 day of incubation, the eggs were inoculated with 0.5 mL with one of the following saline solutions: 0.5%; solutioin of 2.0% glucose + 2.0% sucrose solution; 2.5% glucose + […]

This work aimed to assess the effects of preslaughter lairage time on the welfare and mortality of broilers transported in different farm-abattoir distances. It was evaluated 215 poultry transport trucks from a commercial poultry slaughterhouse from 2006 to 2007. Data were obtained from the holding area acclimatized through fans and water misting in the mornings, afternoons and at night. The thermal variables (temperature and relative humidity), distance, lairage time and density of birds per cage were considered in the analysis. […]

The objective of this study was to characterize the the microclimatic profile of broiler chicken transport trucks under commercial conditions, in the winter by continuous monitoring of environmental variables (temperature and relative air humidity) and deaths on arrival (DOA’s). Three loads were monitored, from farm to slaughterhouse, considering factors such as distance (short, medium and long) and periods of the day (morning, afternoon and night). To obtain the environmental variables profile in the trucks during the journey, data loggers were […]

A trial was carried out to evaluate the effect of sunflower meal inclusion in the broiler diets on the performance, carcass yield and cuts and the economics viability. A randomized block experimental design was used, with five treatments and eight replications of 20 birds per experimental unit. Treatments consisted of including 0, 5, 10, 15, or 20% sunflower meal in a basal diet. Birds and diets were weighed at the beginning and at the end of each experimental phase (1 […]

Four hundred male Cobb chicks were used in an experiment to study the effects of different dietary levels of garlic and copper on the performance, carcass characteristics and serum and tissue cholesterol levels of broiler chicks. The experimental period was comprised between the first 21 days of age of the birds. A completely randomized design was used in a factorial 3 × 3 with the following levels: garlic (0, 1.5, and 3.0%) and copper (0, 125, and 250 mg/kg of […]