Treonina digestível na dieta de codornas de corte em crescimento.

Abstract

The aim of this dissertation was to evaluate the appropriate level of threonine in the diet of quails in their initial period and growing period, the carcass allometric development, intestinal morphology and intestinal biometrics were studied. This study consisted of two experiments: the first one looks into the initial period (7 to 21 days), and the second one investigates the growing period (22 to 42 days). Four levels of threonine were used in the diet. The experimental design was completely randomized in a factorial arrangement with four treatments and 10 repetitions, totaling 40 experimental units. In the allometric study, male quails with a diet composed of 0.98% of digestible threonine obtained positive effects for breast growth in the initial period, but this growth is delayed; for 42-day quails of both genders with a diet composed of 0.72% of digestible threonine the breast growth is also delayed. In the study of intestinal morphology, different levels of threonine were obtained which showed positive effects to the different parts of the small intestine, however it was not possible to determine an optimal value for area and height of intestinal villi as well as crypt depth. In the analysis of intestinal biometrics of 42 days, the females presented a larger weight and intestinal length.