Effect of supplementation of diets for quails with vitamins A, D and E on performance of the birds and quality and enrichment of eggs

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Triptofano na alimentação de codornas japonesas nas fases de recria e postura

Objetivou-se estudar o efeito de diferentes planos alimentares, de acordo com os níveis de triptofano, sobre o desempenho e estresse (pela avaliação de parâmetros fisiológicos) de codornas japonesas (Coturnix coturnix japonica) nas fases de recria e postura. Cento e noventa e duas codornas japonesas na fase de recria (30 a 44 dias de idade) foram alojadas em gaiolas e distribuídas em um delineamento em blocos casualizados, com quatro planos de nutrição [0,27 (controle); 0,52; 0,77 ou 1,02% de triptofano], seis repetições e oito aves por parcela. Foram avaliados os parâmetros de desempenho (consumo de ração, ganho de médio peso, conversão alimentar e taxa de mortalidade) e os parâmetros fisiológicos das aves (relação heterófilo/linfócito e concentração de corticosterona no plasma sangüíneo). Outras 192 codornas japonesas na fase de postura (45 a 146 dias) foram distribuídas em delineamento de blocos ao acaso e submetidas a quatro planos de nutrição (0,23 [controle]; 0,48; 0,73 ou 0,98% de triptofano), com seis repetições e oito aves por parcela. Foram avaliados o consumo de ração, a produção de ovos, a conversão alimentar por dúzia de ovos, a taxa de mortalidade, a relação heterófilo/linfócito e a concentração de corticosterona no plasma. Os níveis de triptofano testados não afetaram o desempenho e os parâmetros fisiológicos de codornas japonesas nas fases de recria e postura.

Diurnal variation in transect counts of birds in a cerrado landscape in the state of São Paulo, Brazil

The general statement that birds are recorded more often on morning than on afternoon counts is quite common and widespread among ornithologists. Although many investigators have reported temporal variations in bird detections using Point Counts in temperate regions, few researches regarding the same objectives have been conducted in Neotropical habitats or used transect counts as field method. We used transect counts to test the hypothesis that birds are evenly recorded between times of day in a predominantly open Cerrado landscape in southeastern Brazil. Although not always significantly, the number of species and individuals were consistently greater during the morning counts, which corroborates the fact that birds can be more detectable during this time of day. However, a few families as well as a small percentage of species were more likely to be recorded during either one of the two periods we analyzed. Our results suggest that morning counts should detect higher number of both species and individuals in our study area, but specific taxa show distinct patterns of detection which should be acknowledged prior to sampling.

An Oligosilsesquioxane Cage Functionalized with Molybdenum(II) Organometallic Fragments

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Intestinal protozoan parasites with zoonotic potential in birds

The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of potentially zoonotic intestinal protozoan infections in exotic and wildlife Brazilian birds. Fecal samples from 207 birds of 45 species were examined. Infections by Balantidium sp., Entamoeba sp., and Blastocystis sp. were observed in 17 individuals (8.2%) of Gnorimopsar chopi, Oryzoborus angolensis, Sporophila caerulescens, Ramphastos toco, Aratinga leucophtalmus, and Pavo cristatus.

Effects of dietary calcium levels and limestone particicle size on the performance, tibia and blood of laying hens

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium spp. from fecal samples of birds kept in captivity in Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Performance and egg quality of laying hens fed diets containing aflatoxin, fumonisin and adsorbent

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Performance and egg quality of Japanese quails submitted to cyclic heat stress

Aiming at evaluating the influence of cyclic temperatures on the performance and egg quality of Japanese quails an experiment was carried out with 480 birds after egg production peak. Birds were housed in a bioclimatic chamber with automatic temperature control that contained two rooms, one maintained at thermoneutral temperature (21 ºC) and the other adjusted for the tested cyclic temperatures (24, 27, 30, 33 and 36 ºC at a time). Each room had a battery of five floors and ten cages, with a capacity of 24 birds per cage, totaling 240 birds per battery. Birds were fed iso-nutritious and iso-caloric diets. Data obtained under the tested cyclic temperatures were compared with those obtained under thermoneutral temperature. At the end of each experimental period (14 days) performance and egg quality parameters were evaluated. A completely randomized experimental design with two treatments (thermoneutral temperature and tested temperature) and ten replicates of 24 birds each. Cyclic increases of 27 ºC and higher in environmental temperature negatively affected bird performance, with reduced feed intake and consequent reductions in egg weight and mass. A cyclic increase of the environmental temperature to 36 ºC reduced the percentage of saleable eggs and egg production.

Influence of cage fish farming on the diet of dominant fish species of a Brazilian reservoir (Tiete River, High Parana River basin)

The cage farming of aquatic organisms was initiated 50 years ago, and was introduced to Brazil in the 1990's. In these systems, there is an input of organic matter from ration that is not totally used by the cage fishes, becoming available for the organisms of adjacent biota, including fish fauna. The aim of this work is to evaluate the interference in the diet of three dominant fish species (Plagioscion squamosissimus Heckel, 1840, Astyanax altiparanae Garutti and Britski, 2000 and Metynnis maculatus Kner, 1858) associated with ish cage farming. For determination of the diet, the Alimentary Index (AI) was used. In both stretches (around cage farm and control), P. squamosissimus selected aquatic insects, while A. altiparanae preferred terrestrial insects and M. maculatus eats ration remains. Diferences in abundance of these feeding resources found of the stomach content were observed among the two stretches. Thus, the small alterations in the diets of P. squamosissimus and A. altiparanae, indicate that cage farming can change the diet of resident species in reservoirs. This practice also influences the population structure of fish species, since higher middle standard lengths were found in A. altiparanae and P. squamosissimus populations resident around cage farms, in relation to the control stretch.

Influence of a cage farming on the population of the fish species Apareiodon affinis (Steindachner, 1879) in the Chavantes reservoir, Paranapanema River SP/PR, Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Granivorous birds as potentially important post-dispersal seed predators in a Brazilian forest fragment

In tropical forests, rodents exert a prominent role as post-dispersal seed predators, while other vertebrates apparently have a minor effect on seed predation. In some forest fragments in southeast Brazil, however, the density of rodents is unusually low, whereas terrestrial granivorous birds are abundant. In this study, we used seeds of a second-growth tree (Croton priscus, Euphorbiaceae) to investigate experimentally the relative importance of rodents and birds as seed predators in a forest fragment. We also estimated the density of terrestrial granivorous birds and trapped small mammals. Results indicate that, as a consequence of decreased rodent population and increased bird abundance, the latter are at least as important as the former as the main post-dispersal seed predators of C priscus. We interpret such apparent imbalance in the interaction between C priscus and their seed predators as a possible consequence of forest fragmentation.

Frugivory and habitat use by fruit-eating birds in a fragmented landscape of southeast Brazil

To investigate the movement of seeds transported by fruit-eating birds in an agricultural, fragmented landscape of the Atlantic forest of southeast Brazil, I asked which bird species are the main seed dispersers in such environment, and how they use the available habitats (small forest fragments, forest thickets, live fences, isolated trees, and active pastures) where they are most likely to drop the seeds they swallow the relative importance of fruit-eating birds as seed vectors was evaluated based on the number of fruit species eaten, the number of visits, and visitation rate to fruiting plants. Habitat use was accessed by recording the habitats where birds were seen or heard during walks conducted throughout the study area. Sixteen plant species were observed during 308.3 plant-hours. Forty-one bird species were observed eating fruits in a total of 830 visits to fruiting plants. Sayaca Tanagers (Thraupis sayaca) and Pale-breasted Thrushes (Turdus leucomelas) ate the greatest number of fruit species, were the most frequent plant visitors in terms of number and rate of visits, and had a broad range of habitat use. These two species and the Rusty-margined Guan (Penelope superciliaris), which is able to swallow large fruits with large seeds that smaller bird species cannot cat, likely have a great contribution to the movement of seeds throughout this highly degraded landscape.