Physical Changes in Eggs Produced by Hens Receiving Sterculia foetida Oil Supplements

Abstract

PREVIOUS investigators have shown that the presence of Sterculia foetida oil or sterculic acid ▪ in the diet of laying hens caused the appearance of pasty or putty yolks and pink discoloration of the whites in stored eggs (Masson et al. 1957; Shenstone and Vickery, 1959; Doberenz et al., 1960).This investigation was designed to determine the physical changes which occurred in eggs produced by hens fed S. foetida oil. Yolk index, Haugh units, and pH of yolks and whites were used as criteria for comparisons of physical changes and were not intended to describe egg quality. EXPERIMENTALForty-eight S. C. White Leghorn hens having averages of 2, 3, and 4 day clutches were selected and distributed at random into four lots of 12 hens each. The hens were housed in individual laying cages, and were fed a practical type laying diet and water ad libitum (Table 1).S. foetida …