Electrolyte equilibrium as a nutricional strategy to prevent drop in performance of commercial laying hens under high temperature condictions

• Grant number: 12/13348-2
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: October 01, 2012 - September 30, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Nutrition and Feeding
• Principal Investigator: Rosemeire da Silva Filardi
• Grantee: Rosemeire da Silva Filardi
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia (FEIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Ilha Solteira. Ilha Solteira , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Antonio Carlos de Laurentiz ; Manoel Garcia Neto ; Otto Mack Junqueira.

Abstract

The main metabolic disease that affects the layers is the acid-base disturbance. This disorder, which is aggravated by heat stress is to increase blood pH, leading to respiratory alkalosis, which in turn ultimately impair the performance and quality of eggs. To alleviate this problem it is possible to manipulate the birds diet and favoring the electrolyte ration and balance in order to prevent the acid-base disturbances and thus reduce losses, especially those related mortality and fragility of the egg shell. Thus, the present study will be conducted to evaluate the performance, egg quality, composition of excreta, economic feasibility and the storage time of eggs from laying hens reared in conditions of high temperature and subjected to different electrolyte balance (Na+ + K+ - Cl-) and electrolytic ration [(K+ + Cl-)/Na+] in the diet. Two hundred eighty-eight laying hens will be distributed in a randomized 4X3 factorial design (electrolyte balance - 140, 210, 280 and 350 mEq/kg x electrolytic ration - 2:1, 3:1 and 4:1), totaling 12 treatments with four replications of six birds each. To obtain the experimental diets will be used different levels of sodium (Na), potassium (K) and chlorine (Cl) in the diets formulated by nonlinear programming in free software. The experiment will last for 4 cycles every 28 days and the results will be submitted to ANOVA and in case of for electrolyte balance will be used polynomial regression and significant effect for electrolytic ration means are compared by Tukey test at 5%. (AU)