The Effects of Dietary Vitamin C, Protein, Strain and Age on Egg Quality, Production and Serum and Albumen Protein of Chickens

Abstract

The influence of feeding supplemental vitamin C was determined on dietary protein level and upon protein patterns of serum and egg albumen and on egg quality from hens of different ages and strains. One-year-old Single Comb White Leghorn (S.C.W.L.) strain A hens were randomly assigned to either a 15% protein basal layer ration with or without a 3300 p.p.m. vitamin C supplement. Two-, four- and seven-year-old S.C.W.L. strain A hens and two-year old S.C.W.L. strain B hens were assigned to either a 15% or an 18% protein diet with or without supplementation of 1322 p.p.m. vitamin C.Egg production was significantly (P < 0.05) decreased in two-year-old strain A hens when vitamin C was included in the 18% protein diet but significantly (P < 0.05) increased egg production was obtained from seven-year-old strain A hens. Adding vitamin C to the 15% protein ration fed to two-year-old strain B and seven-year-old strain A hens, egg weight was significantly (P < 0.05) increased. Haugh units of eggs from two-year-old strain A and B hens were significantly (P < 0.05) increased when vitamin C was included in the 15% protein ration. Adding vitamin C to the 18% protein ration significantly (P < 0.05) decreased Haugh units of eggs from two- and seven-year-old strain A hens.Shell thickness was significantly (P < 0.01) improved by supplementing two-year-old strain B hens fed the 15% protein ration with vitamin C. Egg dry matter percent was significantly (P < 0.05) increased in eggs obtained from two-year-old strain B and seven-year-old strain A hens when vitamin C was added to the 15% protein ration. Egg dry matter percent was also significantly (P < 0.05) increased in eggs obtained from two-year-old strain A hens when vitamin C was added to the 18% protein ration. Total calculated albumen protein was significantly (P < 0.01) increased in two-year-old strain B and seven-year-old strain A hens when vitamin C was incorporated into the 15% protein diet.