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systematic review, efficiency, maintenance, production, models
This research aimed to (1) structure a database on lysine (Lys) requirement for growing quails; (2) estimate the Lys requirement for weight gain in mg/g; (3) determine the efficiency of Lys utilization for growth; (4) parameterize a model to calculate Lys intake for growing quails and (5) fit a growth curve. The proposed model considers the partition of Lys for maintenance and growth, according to the general equation: iLys = maintenance + growth, where iLys is the ingestion of Lys. Maintenance, maintenance Lys partition was calculated for each observation using the body weight (P) value of each study included in the database. The maintenance constant used was 135.57 mg/kg P. The partition for growth was obtained by difference, growth
= iLys-Maintenance. The requirement for weight gain (kg) was obtained by the ratio between the partitioned Lys for growth and weight gain (WG) of each observation contained in the database. The utilization efficiency was obtained considering the reciprocal of kg. The variables iLys, P and GP were extracted from each publication. Initially, kg was considered as an independent constant P. Additionally, the fit between kg and P was considered as a linear, quadratic and exponential polynomial relationship and based on the fit statistics the models were selected. The growth of the body and feathers of different quail strains was described: Vicami, Fujikura and Estrela Gaúcha. To describe growth, the Gompertz function was used: P = Pm×e{[-e ((ln (-ln(Pi/Pm)))–B×t]}, in Pm is the body weight at maturity, in g; Pi is the body weight at birth, in g; B is the maturity rate, per day; t is the age, in days; e is the Euler number and ln is the natural log. The database was composed by 135 information contained in 17 studies. Some of the published studies did not provide enough information to meet the pre-established criteria, making it impossible to use these data. The value found for kg was 32 mg/g of GP. The efficiency of using Lys for quails in growth was calculated in 28.4%, when considering kg independent of P. The linear, quadratic and exponential relationship between kg and P did not improve the prediction error of iLys, being used the value of kg for all P, according to the iLys model=135.57P+32GP, ±38. Based on the relationship between weight and age, the parameters of the Gompertz curve for body and feather growth were adjusted, with m the lines showing similar growth profiles. These values were applied to the selected model, making it more dynamic and enabling the prediction of daily iLys.