Abstract
An experiment was conducted to compare 13-day and 42-day assays for egg yolk pigmentation in the laying hen. Birds previously fed a commercial-type diet were fed experimental diets with white corn meal (replacing yellow corn) and varying levels of canthaxanthin. Egg yolks were evaluated for dominant wavelength (DWL) and excitation purity (EP) at various intervals for 21 days using a MC-1010® Reflectance Colorimeter. These data were then compared with similar data obtained from eggs from hens that were fed the same experimental diets but that were allowed to deplete the eggs of pigment on a xanthophyll-free diet for 21 days and then replete the eggs with pigment on the experimental diets for 21 days.The data indicated that it was possible to obtain accurate and consistent pigmentation values for DWL and EP in 13 days by allowing hens to deplete and replete xanthophyll stores simultaneously. This results in savings in both time and expense in collecting egg yolk pigmentation data.
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