Bone mineral density of production birds: Gallus gallus (hens and broiler chickens) and Struthio camelus (ostrich)

• Grant number: 05/03181-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: March 01, 2006
• End date: February 28, 2009
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry
• Principal Investigator: Ariel Antonio Mendes
• Grantee: Ibiara Correia de Lima Almeida Paz
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Two experiments and one study will be carried about the bone mineral density of birds, in the experimental installations of the FMVZ-UNESP/Botucatu. In the first experiment will be used 64 hens in production, Isa Brown. Will be adopted a completely randomized experimental design, with 2 treatments (calcium percentage in the diet) and 4 repetitions of 8 birds each. Will be used diets isoproteinic and isocaloric and will have adequate calcium levels (3,8%) and basses (1,8%). Analyses of bone mineral density (DMO) of the tibias and femurs will be carried through at 18, 24, 30, 36 and 42 weeks of age. After each radiographic collection 4 hens/treatments will be slaughtered for accomplishment of analysis of bone resistance, Seedor index (Seedor, 1995), fat free dry matter, ash and bone mineral composition. The values of DMO will be associates at arched of egg production, production of egg mass, quality of the shell of eggs and bone quality. In the second experiment analyses of DMO of femurs will be carried for evaluation of incidence of necrosis of head of femur. Will be used male and female broiler chickens, Hybro and Cobb, to the 42 days of age. In the occasion of it slaughtered the birds will be evaluated through the macrocospic examination of the head of femur, being selected 3 males and 3 females of each lineage, inside of each one of the 5 score macrocospic, for posterior radiographic analysis. Such bones will be submitted, still to the analysis of bone resistance and Seedor index. The performance of the birds will be evaluated and associate to the DMO analyses and macrocospic examination. In the study it will be evaluated the DMO and the bone resistance of tibias and femurs of ostriches, 10 males and 10 females, of the race African Black. The radiographic collections will be carried through in a commercial slaughter. The birds will be proceeding from one same lot and slaughtered in the same day. The values of DMO and RO will be associates to the performance of these birds in the period of fattening (4 at 12 months). (AU)