Maria Fernanda de Castro Burbarelli

This study aimed to investigate whether the beef cattle production system enhances the commercial value of beef carcasses. We assessed which characteristics of the production system most significantly influence the carcass grade and consequently the value generated, using a database from a commercial property analyzed through mixed factor analysis. The dataset included information on 3,612 cattle slaughtered commercially from a property in Mato Grosso do Sul in 2019. Qualitative explanatory variables considered were breed, sex, type of finishing, slaughterhouse, [...] ABSTRACT This study aimed to investigate whether the beef cattle production system enhances the commercial value of beef carcasses. We assessed which characteristics of the production system most significantly influence the carcass grade and consequently the value generated, using a database from a commercial property analyzed through mixed factor analysis. The dataset included information on 3,612 cattle slaughtered commercially from a property in Mato Grosso do Sul in 2019. Qualitative explanatory variables considered were breed, sex, type of finishing, slaughterhouse,

Objective carcass and meat quality assessment has advanced through non-destructive technologies capable of generating information from live animals, carcasses, or tissues during industrial processing. This narrative review aimed to discuss the applications of ultrasound, near-infrared and visible-near-infrared spectroscopy, and predictive models in carcass and tissue evaluation. Articles published preferably between 2016 and 2026 were considered, in addition to classic studies required for technical contextualization, using searches oriented to Scopus and Web of Science and complemented by indexing databases and journal webpages. The literature indicates that ultrasound is useful for estimating muscle area, fat thickness, cut yield, and phenotypes related to genetic improvement, although its accuracy depends on species, probe frequency, operator skill, and methodological standardization. NIRS and Vis-NIR are valuable for tissue discrimination and prediction of chemical and quality traits, especially when combined with chemometrics and machine learning. It is concluded that integrating ultrasound, NIRS, and predictive modeling may strengthen precision livestock systems, carcass classification, industrial automation, and genetic selection.

This study evaluated whether the complexity and temporal dynamics of environmental enrichment during the nursery phase are associated with piglets’ threat-related responses and affective state using a multimodal approach. We combined an Attentional Bias Test (ABT) with bioacoustic measures, Qualitative Behavior Assessment (QBA), and biomarkers (hair cortisol and serum BDNF). In a commercial nursery setting, 675 piglets were allocated to three treatments: UNI (single continuous item: chains), ALT (chains plus an additional object rotated weekly), and SIM (continuous simultaneous provision of multiple objects). A subsample of 32 piglets underwent the ABT (UNI, n = 10; ALT, n = 11; SIM, n = 11). Most ABT measures related to threat-directed attention and space use showed no detectable treatment differences under the present protocol, and feeding latency was affected by stimulus exposure but not by treatment. In contrast, treatments differed in coping-related responses: UNI showed a higher frequency of excretions, ALT showed a longer standing-inactive duration, and SIM showed more escape attempts. Vocalizations were restricted to harsh grunts, with ALT showing longer harsh-grunt duration and higher total vocal output. QBA and biomarkers further differentiated treatments: SIM showed calmer/less tense expressive profiles, whereas UNI showed higher post-exposure hair cortisol and lower serum BDNF than the more complex conditions. Overall, enrichment-related differences were more consistently detected in coping-related behavior, QBA, and biomarkers than in ABT attentional measures, suggesting that enrichment implementation (stable vs. rotational) shapes partially dissociable behavioral and physiological adaptation profiles, and that both more complex strategies showed a more favorable biological profile than UNI.

In this study, the effects of hydrolyzable tannin supplementation (0.25 g/kg) combined with different lipid sources in diets for Japanese quails on productive performance, egg quality, yolk fatty acid profile, and nutrient digestibility were evaluated. A 4 × 2 factorial design was used, consisting of four lipid sources (soybean oil, beef tallow, poultry fat, and fish oil), with or without tannin supplementation, totaling seven replicates with six birds per experimental unit. Data were analyzed by analysis of variance, and means were compared using Tukey's test at a 5% significance level. Egg production and the number of marketable eggs were significantly affected by both lipid source and tannin supplementation. Soybean oil combined with tannins resulted in lower egg production, whereas beef tallow promoted higher production. Bird viability was greater in diets containing poultry fat or fish oil, regardless of tannin supplementation. Tannin supplementation improved feed conversion per egg mass and increased egg mass, particularly when combined with beef tallow. Egg quality traits were not affected by the treatments. Lipid source significantly influenced yolk fatty acid composition: soybean oil increased monounsaturated and omega‐9 ( ω ‐9) fatty acids, whereas fish oil and beef tallow increased saturated fatty acids. Polyunsaturated fatty acids were higher in birds fed poultry fat or fish oil. Poultry fat and fish oil also enhanced yolk antioxidant capacity, as indicated by greater 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity. Overall, the combination of hydrolyzable tannins with specific lipid sources, particularly beef tallow, improved quail productivity without compromising performance. Practical Applications : The results suggest that using beef tallow in combination with hydrolyzable tannins can be a cost‐effective strategy to enhance egg production and feed efficiency in Japanese quail, especially in systems aiming to reduce reliance on conventional lipid sources. Additionally, specific lipid sources can be selected to modulate the yolk's fatty acid profile and antioxidant content, supporting the production of functional eggs with added nutritional value.

Broiler leg health is a complex and multidimensional welfare concern that may be inadequately characterized using isolated indicators. This study developed an individual-level multidimensional welfare-response profiling framework to evaluate broilers subjected to three dietary strategies—negative control, zinc bacitracin as an antimicrobial growth promoter (AGP), or a multi-strain probiotic—combined with environmental enrichment in a 3 × 2 factorial experiment involving 1,440 male broilers housed in 48 pens. Welfare outcomes were organized into five biological domains: locomotor performance, skeletal–mineralization, postural deformity, cartilage and joint disorders, and spinal and muscular disorders. Outcomes were directionally harmonized and normalized to a 0–1 scale, with greater values consistently representing a more favorable welfare response, before aggregation into domain-specific scores and a global welfare-response index. Mixed-effects models included dietary additive, environmental enrichment, and their interaction as fixed effects and pen as a random effect to account for clustering within the experimental unit. The global welfare-response index ranged from 0.727 ± 0.022 for the control with enrichment to 0.759 ± 0.013 for the control without enrichment. No significant effects of dietary additive (P = 0.599), environmental enrichment (P = 0.207), or their interaction (P = 0.715) were detected for the global index. At the domain level, probiotic supplementation with enrichment produced the greatest numerical skeletal–mineralization score (0.631 ± 0.026), but neither dietary additive (P = 0.150), enrichment (P = 0.933), nor their interaction (P = 0.758) significantly affected this domain. The additive × enrichment interaction for postural deformity showed a tendency (P = 0.073), whereas no significant effects were detected for the locomotor, cartilage/joint, or spinal/muscular domains (P > 0.05). Sensitivity analyses using alternative domain-weighting scenarios showed that treatment rankings varied with welfare priorities, reinforcing that the composite index should be interpreted together with domain-specific outcomes. Overall, probiotic-supplemented groups showed global leg-health welfare profiles within the range observed for the zinc-bacitracin groups, while treatment responses were primarily domain-specific rather than consistently expressed across the integrated welfare profile.

This study evaluated the effects of classical music as auditory environmental enrichment on chronic stress and anxiety‐related responses in broiler chickens. Two hundred Cobb 500 chicks were assigned to a control group (no enrichment) or an enriched group exposed to classical music for 6 h daily from 1 to 40 days of age. At 40 days, affective states were assessed using the attention bias test (ABT), while chronic stress was evaluated through feather corticosterone (CORT) concentrations. Music‐exposed birds had significantly lower feather CORT concentrations than controls ( p < 0.0001), indicating reduced chronic stress. No significant treatment effects were detected for ABT behavioral measures. However, music‐exposed birds showed a numerically longer latency to take the first step ( p = 0.055), although this difference did not reach statistical significance. Overall, these findings demonstrate that classical music enrichment can reduce physiological indicators of chronic stress in broilers, while evidence for effects on anxiety‐related behavior remains inconclusive. The results suggest that auditory enrichment may help reduce chronic stress in broilers under the conditions evaluated and highlight the need for further replicated studies to clarify its effects on affective states and behavioral responses.

This study evaluated the effects of dietary Pracaxi ( Pentaclethra macroloba ) oil inclusion on productive performance, egg quality, nutrient metabolizability, yolk fatty acid composition, serum biochemical parameters, organ biometry, and intestinal morphometry in laying Japanese quails. A total of 175 84‐day‐old quails were assigned to five dietary treatments containing 0%, 0.045%, 0.090%, 0.180%, and 0.360% Pracaxi oil in a completely randomized design with seven replicates of five birds over two consecutive 28‐day experimental periods. Productive performance, egg quality, serum biochemical parameters, and organ biometry were not affected by dietary treatments, although feed conversion per dozen eggs increased linearly with increasing dietary Pracaxi oil inclusion. Crude protein and mineral matter metabolizability increased linearly. Among yolk fatty acids, only α‐linolenic acid showed a quadratic response, with a maximum predicted concentration of 0.182% at a dietary Pracaxi oil inclusion level of 0.170%. Duodenal crypt depth decreased linearly, whereas the remaining intestinal morphometric variables were unaffected. Overall, dietary Pracaxi oil produced limited biological responses under the conditions evaluated, with no improvements in productive performance despite increases in crude protein and mineral matter metabolizability, changes in yolk α‐linolenic acid concentration, and reduced duodenal crypt depth. Further studies are warranted before practical recommendations can be established.

Commercial broiler production faces the challenge of optimizing animal welfare and rapid genetic gains in growth rate, with locomotor disorders and footpad lesions remaining important limiting factors. Antibiotic growth promoters and probiotics are dietary strategies for modulating gut health, whereas environmental enrichment promotes physical development. This study evaluated the effects of dietary additives and environmental enrichment on welfare indicators in broiler chickens. A total of 1440 male chicks were assigned to a completely randomized 3 × 2 factorial design (control, antibiotic, and probiotic diets, with or without environmental enrichment), with eight replicates per treatment. Environmental enrichment consisted of a plastic ramp and rotating objects (mirrors, hay, chains, and balls). Locomotor traits, including gait score, pododermatitis, angular deformities, and latency to lie, were assessed. A significant interaction between dietary additives and environmental enrichment was observed for femoral degeneration, with probiotic‐fed birds under enriched conditions showing the lowest degeneration scores. Probiotics also improved gait score at 36 days, whereas both probiotics and antibiotics reduced pododermatitis severity. No effects were detected on tibial dyschondroplasia, spondylolisthesis, latency to lie, angular deformities, dorsocranial myopathy, or bone strength. The combination of probiotics and environmental enrichment positively influenced selected locomotor welfare indicators, whereas both dietary additives reduced pododermatitis without affecting major skeletal disorders.

This study aimed to analyze the economic viability of replacing sawdust and rice husk bedding with plastic flooring in broiler chicken production, using simulation methods. The viability indicators used were the net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), modified internal rate of return (MIRR), profitability index (PI), discounted payback period (DPP), and equivalent uniform annual value (EUAV). Scenario analysis, sensitivity analysis, and Monte Carlo simulation were conducted in this study. The results revealed that the initial investment required to implement plastic flooring was R$ 350,000.00. The average price paid for the manure produced was R$ 250.00 per ton, which was converted into revenue in the project’s cash flow. The cash flow result was positive, with an NPV of R$ 64,786.23 over the entire study period. The IRR was 18.5% per annum, and the MIRR was 16.7% per annum, confirming the project’s economic viability given the market conditions at the time of the study. The profitability index (PI) was 1.35, indicating high profitability, whereas the discounted payback period (DPP) was 4.5 years, indicating an adequate time to recover the investment. The Monte Carlo simulation highlighted a low risk of negative NPV, emphasizing the project’s economic robustness. In addition to the economic benefits, the adoption of plastic flooring improved hygiene and welfare, reduced waste production, and enhanced the sustainability of poultry production. These factors make replacing flooring with plastic a promising choice for poultry producers with the Sustainable Development Goals. Therefore, replacing conventional bedding with plastic flooring in broiler production is economically viable, improving profitability and promoting sustainability in poultry production.

This study evaluated the effects of different plant-based lipid sources on the performance, serum biochemical profile, meat physical traits, body temperature, and intestinal histomorphometry of Japanese quails during the rearing phase. A total of 400 Japanese quails were assigned to a completely randomized design with five dietary treatments consisting of soybean, corn, cottonseed, sunflower, or canola oil included at 25 g/kg, with ten replicates of eight birds each. Quails fed diets containing cottonseed, sunflower, or canola oil exhibited lower feed conversion ratios compared with those fed corn oil (p0.05). In addition, birds receiving cottonseed oil showed a higher villus-to-crypt ratio in the ileum (p<0.01). Dietary inclusion of cottonseed oil at 25 g/kg improved feed efficiency and intestinal morphology in Japanese quails during the rearing phase, without inducing adverse changes in serum biochemical indicators related to lipid metabolism.