Evaluation of fibrous feed ingredients alternatives to oat hulls as a source of feed structure in broiler diets.

This study aimed to evaluate several fibrous feed ingredients as potential substitutes for oat hulls (OH), assessing their efficacy in providing structural integrity to broiler feeds. A total of 4,160 day-old male Ross-308 broilers were allocated to eight dietary treatments, including a control group (CON) without additional fiber supplementation and 7 diets where 3% of the wheat content was replaced by either OH, soy hulls (SH), beet pulp (BP), carob bean (CB), wheat straw (WS), rice hulls (RH), or wheat bran (WB). The experimental design followed a complete randomized block design with 10 pens per treatment and 52 birds each.

Comparative Impact of Hydroxychloride and Organic Sources of Manganese, Zinc, and Copper in Rearing Diets on Pullet Growth, Tibia Traits, Egg Production, and Eggshell Quality in Lohmann Brown Birds up to 50 Weeks of Age.

(1) Background: This study assessed the efficacy of hydroxychloride sources of zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), and copper (Cu) compared with organic sources in the rearing diets of Lohmann brown pullets, focusing on pullet performance, tibia quality, egg production, and eggshell quality. (2) Methods: A total of 120 birds (six replications and 10 birds each) received diets with Mn, Zn, and Cu from organic or hydroxychloride sources during the rearing phase. After the onset of lay, birds were fed diets containing oxide/sulfate sources up to 50 weeks of age.

Application of bioelectrical impedance analysis to assess body composition of male and female broiler chickens from 2 different strains throughout the growth period.

Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) was performed in males and females of 2 different broiler strains from 0 to 42 d of age to develop and validate equations to predict body composition (BC). A total of 528 birds, 132 birds per sex and strain (Ross 308 and Cobb 500) were used in the experiment. Birds were fed ad libitum following CVB recommendations with a common starter (0-14 d), grower (15-29 d), and finisher diet (30-42 d).

The impact of digestible lysine and sulfur amino acids on eggshell quality and egg weight control in old ISA brown hens during 62 to 74 wk.

Modifying dietary amino acids has been proposed as a strategy to improve eggshell quality by slowing down increases in egg weight (EW). This study aimed to investigate the effects of different levels of digestible lysine (dLYS) and ratios of digestible sulfur amino acids (dTSAA) to dLYS on performance and eggshell quality in ISA brown hens. A total of 288 hens were individually housed and assigned to 8 treatments, which combined 2 levels of dLYS (5.

Application of Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) to Assess Carcass Composition and Nutrient Retention in Rabbits from 25 to 77 Days of Age.

The aim of this study was to assess and validate, using independent data, the prediction equations obtained to estimate in vivo carcass composition using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) to determine the nutrient retention and overall energy and nitrogen retention efficiencies of growing rabbits. Seventy-five rabbits grouped into five different ages (25, 35, 49, 63 and 77 days) were used in the study. A four-terminal body-composition analyzer was applied to obtain resistance (Rs, Ω) and reactance (Xc, Ω) values.

Effect of Type and Dietary Fat Content on Rabbit Growing Performance and Nutrient Retention from 34 to 63 Days Old.

The study was carried out on individually and collectively housed growing rabbits from 34 to 63 days of age. Two experiments were conducted using three fat sources: Soybean oil (SBO), Soya Lecithin Oil (SLO), and Lard (L; Exp. 1), and SBO, Fish Oil (FO), and Palm kernel Oil (PKO; Exp.

Hydroxychloride trace minerals have a positive effect on growth performance, carcass quality and impact ileal and cecal microbiota in broiler chickens.

Background: The objective was to study the effect of hydroxychloride trace minerals (HTM) on growth performance, carcass quality and gut microbiota of broiler chickens in comparison to sulphate trace minerals (STM). In total 1440 male Ross 308 day-old chicks were divided into 12 replicate pens with 30 birds each per treatment. Four different treatments were tested according to a 2 × 2 factorial study design, where the animals received a three phase diet containing either inorganic Zn from sulphates or Zn from HTM in high (80 mg/kg Zn) or low Zn dosage (20 mg/kg Zn).

Relationship between Bone Quality, Egg Production and Eggshell Quality in Laying Hens at the End of an Extended Production Cycle (105 Weeks).

(1) Background: Nowadays the industry aims to improve lay persistency for extended cycles (100 weeks or longer) to make egg production more sustainable. However, intensive egg production challenges hen health, inducing severe osteoporosis and the incidence of bone fractures. In this study, the relationship between bone quality and egg production, and/or eggshell quality, was evaluated at the end of an extended laying cycle of 100 weeks, comparing groups of hens with different production and eggshell quality parameters; (2) Methods: Quality parameters of egg (as weight, egg white height), eggshell (as thickness, weight, breaking strength, elasticity and microstructure) and tibiae bone (weight, diameter, cortical thickness, ash weight, breaking strength, medullary bone) were determined; (3) Results: Hens from groups with a high egg production and good eggshell quality have poorer bone quality (lower ash weight and lesser amount of medullary bone).