The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of a diet supplemented with Lactobacillus plantarum on performance, immunological parameters, and bacterial microbiota of the digestive tract of white leg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). We used six earthen ponds (1.2 ha) stocked with 14 shrimp m−2 (3 g mean weight). Three ponds received a diet supplemented with L. plantarum and three were maintained as control. The survival and feed efficiency of shrimp fed the supplemented diet were greater than that […]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of three levels of crude cottonseed oil on performance, organ weights, and blood parameters of growing broilers. Carcass and cut yields after 33 and 42 days of age and the economic viability of the diets were also evaluated. Male broilers of the Ross line were distributed in a completely randomized design, in a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement (0, 2, 4, and 6% inclusion of cottonseed oil, with and without […]

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of eggshell colour and spot properties (colour and size of the spot area) on eggshell incubation temperature and hatching outcomes of Japanese quail eggs (Coturnix coturnix japonica). Study material was allocated to five groups according to their eggshell and spot colours: black spots on greyish white coloured eggshell (I), blue spots on greyish white coloured eggshell (II), diffuse brown spots on greyish brown coloured eggshell (III), brown spots on light green […]

The present study was conducted to determine the effects of supplemented juniper berry (Juniperus communis) on fattening performance and some carcass traits of quails. A total of 150 one-day-old Japanese quail chicks were randomly divided into five groups (one control and four treated groups) with three replicates. Four different juniper berry levels (0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2%) and a control treatment (0%) were added to the diet. Juniper berry supplementation to the diets initiated at the end of the 1st […]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the digestibility of cashew bagasse bran as well as the performance of swine fed diets with different levels of inclusion of this by-product and their economic viability. In the digestibility trial, ten crossbred barrows weighing 60±6.86 kg were housed in metabolic cages. Five received standard feed and five received test feed with 300 g kg−1 cashew bagasse bran included. For the performance and economic viability study, forty crossbred pigs weighing 60±5.24 kg […]

This study was carried out to evaluate the levels of digestible phosphorus in diets for barrows with a high potential for lean meat deposition from 50 to 80 kg. Eighty barrows, with an initial weight of 47.93±3.43 kg, were distributed in completely randomized blocks, with each group given five levels of digestible phosphorus (1.86, 2.23, 2.61, 2.99, and 3.36 g kg−1). There were eight replicates, and two animals per experimental unit. Phosphorus levels did not significantly influence feed intake, weight […]

The present study examined the effect of aflatoxin (AFB1) and fumonisin (FB1) at the levels of 2 mg kg−1 AFB1 and 100 mg kg−1 FB1 and the efficiency of use of different levels of adsorbent based on sodium and calcium aluminosilicate on growth performance, hematological parameters, and biochemical parameters of broilers. A total of 1,440 Cobb broilers were distributed into the following treatments: positive control (PC) – no mycotoxin and adsorbent (AD); PC+3AD – no mycotoxin, with 3 g kg−1 […]

The objective of this study was to determine whether the type of bedding materials (sand, wood shavings, and paper) and of two chemical amendments (lime and bentonite) could interfere with litter quality (moisture, pH, and total bacterial counts), thereby influencing also the growth performance and the development of intestinal traits and cecum microbiota of chickens. Two hundred and seventy male Ross 308 broiler chickens were randomly assigned into nine treatment groups with three replicates per treatment. Broiler productive parameters, relative […]

The objective of this experimental study was to evaluate the effects of different dietary energy sources on the carcass and meat traits of feedlot Nellore bulls. A total of 48 Nellore bulls at 32 months of age with 354.35±19.56 kg body weight were studied for 85 days. The bulls were allotted to four groups of 12 individuals: Whole corn grain – diet based on whole corn grain; Ground corn – diet based on ground corn grain; Citrus pulp – diet […]

A survey was conducted on chicken broiler farms from Romania in August-November 2010 to evaluate economic losses due to coccidiosis. Data were collected from six broiler farms of different capacity regarding chemoprophylaxis program, weight gain, feed conversion, and mortality, for two previous flocks in two houses of each farm, and finally we evaluated the economic losses. Also, faeces samples were collected and oocysts were classified according to their size, and virulence of each Eimeria spp. field isolate was determined by […]