Short-term secular change in height, body mass and Tanner-Whitehouse 3 skeletal maturity of Madeira youth, Portugal

Secular trends in height and weight are reasonably well documented in Europe. Corresponding observations for skeletal maturation are lacking. Aim: To assess secular trends in height, body mass and skeletal maturity of Portuguese children and adolescents and to provide updated reference values for skeletal maturity scores (SMSs). Subjects and methods: Data for 2856 children and adolescents of 4–17 years, 1412 boys and 1444 girls, from The ‘Madeira Growth Study’ (MGS; 1996–1998) and from the‘Healthy Growth of Madeira Children Study’ (CRES; 2006) were used. Height and body mass were measured. Skeletal maturity was assessed with the Tanner-Whitehouse 2 and 3 methods. Results: Children from CRES were taller and heavier than peers from MGS. Differences in height reached 5.8cm in boys and 5.5cm in girls. RUS SMSs did not differ consistently between surveys boys, while higher RUS scores were observed in CRES girls. Adult RUS SMSs for MGS and CRES combined were attained at 15.8 years in boys and 14.8 years in girls. Corresponding ages for adult Carpal SMSs were 14.4 and 14.0, respectively. Conclusion: The short-term trends for height and mass were not entirely consistent with the trends in RUS and Carpal SMSs and SAs.

Phytate-phosphorus and phytase contents on the relative weight of organs, intestinal morphometry and performance of broilers.

ABSTRACT: In order to evaluate the efficiency of phytase in diets with low and high phytate phosphorus (PP) content, as a consequence of wheat bran inclusion, on the relative weight of organs, intestinal morphometry and performance, three hundred and eighty-four male Cobb500 broilers were housed in metabolic cages. Animals were assigned into four treatments in a 2x2 factorial scheme in a randomized block design with eight replicates of 12 birds each. From 11 days of age birds received experimental diets, which consisted of: Diet low in PP; Diet low in PP with phytase (500FTU kg-1); Diet with a high PP and Diet with a high PP with phytase (500FTU kg-1). At 22 and 32 days of age two birds were slaughtered in order to collect gizzard, heart, liver, cecum, cloacal bursa, and at 32 days, a portion of the duodenum, jejunum and ileum was collected for morphometric evaluation. From 22 to 32 days of age average feed intake, average weight gain, average body weight and feed conversion ratio were also evaluated. Data were subjected to analysis of variance, fixed effects of diet and phytase and interaction between factors as well as the random block effects were tested. There was no significant interaction for the variables studied, concluding that phytase in diets with low or high phytate phosphorus content did not change the relative weight of organs, intestinal morphometrics and performance; only isolated effects were observed. RESUMO: Para avaliar a eficiência da fitase em dietas com baixo e alto teor de fósforo fítico (PP), em função da inclusão ou não do farelo de trigo, sobre o peso relativo de órgãos, morfometria intestinal e desempenho, foram alojados 384 frangos de corte, machos da linhagem Cobb500, em gaiolas metabólicas. Os animais foram distribuídos em quatro tratamentos em um arranjo fatorial 2x2 em delineamento de blocos casualizados com oito repetições e 12 aves por unidade experimental (UE). A partir de 11 dias de idade as aves receberam as dietas experimentais, que consistiram em: Dieta com baixo teor de PP; Dieta com baixo teor de PP com fitase (500FTU kg-1); Dieta com alto teor de PP e Dieta com alto teor de PP com fitase (500FTU kg-1). Aos 22 e 32 dias de idade foram abatidas duas aves por UE para coletar a moela, coração, fígado, ceco, bolsa cloacal, e aos 32 dias foi coletada uma porção do duodeno, jejuno e íleo para avaliação da morfometria. No período de 22 a 32 dias de idade foram avaliados o consumo médio de ração, ganho de peso médio, peso médio corporal e a conversão alimentar. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de variância, onde foram testados os efeitos fixos de dieta e fitase e a interação entre os fatores, bem como o efeito aleatório de bloco. Não foi observada interação significativa para nenhuma das variáveis estudadas, concluindo-se que a fitase em dietas com baixo ou alto de PP não altera o peso relativo dos órgãos, a morfometria intestinal e o desempenho, apenas efeitos isolados foram observados.