Digestibilidade e biodisponibilidade de diferentes fontes de cálcio para codornas de corte

Abstract

Two experiments were carried out to determine the coefficients of apparent and true digestibility of calcium in different calcium sources and to evaluate the relative calcium bioavailability of these sources for quail. In the first experiment 240 quails housed in metabolism cages were used. For the determination of the digestibility coefficients, the method of total collection of feces from the 14th day to the 17th (initial phase) and from the 28th to the 31st (final phase) was adopted. The birds were distributed in a completely randomized design consisting of five diets, where a basal diet (RB) was formulated in which calcium sources were (calcitic limestone, calcium carbonate, flour of sururu shells, maçunim and oyster), with five replicates and eight birds per experimental unit. For the determination of the relative bioavailability of calcium, a growth assay was performed using 288 European quails, distributed in a DIC, with nine treatments, four replicates and eight birds per experimental unit housed from the eighth to the 21st day in cages. The treatments consisted of a basal diet with a low level of calcium (0.166%), being the same without calcium supplementation and the same with supplementation of two levels of calcium (0.342% and 0.684%) from calcium carbonate, shells of sururu, maçunim and oysters. The coefficients of apparent and true digestibility were similar among the evaluated sources, and it is possible to conclude that the flour shells of sururu, maçunim and oyster can be used as a source of calcium in formulations of feeds for European quails. The relative bioavailability of flour shells of sururu, maçunim and oyster obtained from the standard curve and Slope Ratio methods was greater than 100%, ie larger than the standard source.