Eggshell Research Articles

EVALUATING TIME SERIES PREDICTION MODELS: EGG PRICES IN MEXICO

Mexico is the world’s largest consumer of eggs, producing 3.05 million Mg in 2021. The high variation in wholesale prices is a feature of the egg production system, which is important to producers and government institutions that need to forecast future prices for activity planning. As a result, it is necessary to propose tools that can reliably predict egg prices. The goal of this paper was to compare the performance of various statistical models by analyzing the time series of egg prices using the Akaike index and forecast error to determine which model best predicts the wholesale price of white eggs. The models evaluated were the autoregressive integrated moving average model (ARIMA), ARIMA with interventions, ARIMA with transfers, and regression with ARIMA errors. Two time series were used: the wholesale price of white eggs, constructed with data from the National System of Information and Market Integration (SNIIM) and the Agrifood and Fisheries Information Service (SIAP), and egg imports, calculated with data from the Economic Information System. The latter was used as an exogenous variable to explain the price of eggs. Both cover the period from January 2006 to December 2021. According to the Akaike index, the model with the best adjustment was ARIMA (0,1,1)(1,0,1)[12] with interventions. In the evaluation of forecast error, the best models were the regression models with ARIMA (1,1,0)(1,0,1)[12] and ARIMA (1,1,0)(1,0,1)[12] errors with transfer.

Productive Performance of Layer Chickens Fed Diets Containing Enzyme Fortified Feather Meal

The research was conducted to investigate the replacement value of enzyme fortified feather meal (EFFM) for fish meal in the layer chicken diets. A total of one hundred and fifty (150) ISA Brown birds of thirty-five (35) weeks old were used for this study. The birds were randomly assigned to five treatment groups in a completely randomized design. Each treatment was replicated three times. In each experiment, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 layer diets were formulated such that diet one (1) contained 0% of enzyme fortified feather meal, while diets 2, 3, 4 and 5 contain 1, 2, 3 and 4% levels of EFFM respectively. Each level of EFFM was used to partially replace fish meal in the experimental diet, while treatment effects were assessed over the experimental period. Results obtained showed that the initial weights were similar (P>0.05) between the treatment groups. However, final weight, weight gain and average daily feed intake differed significantly (P<0.05) between treatment groups. Birds on diet T5 had significantly lower egg number than the control, while maintaining similar egg length and shell weight with the control. The egg internal quality characteristics showed that the treatment effects for the yolk height and albumen weight were significantly (P<0.05) reduced in T5 and T4 birds compared to the other groups, while the rest were similar (P>0.05) with each other. Feeding of EFFM forced down (P<0.05) the cost of producing the layer diet per kg of feed with the lowest cost being recorded for T5 (4.00% EFFM). Similar trend was also observed for feed cost/kg of egg produced which was also reduced with increasing inclusion of EFFM in the diets. Thus, the returns from sales were increased as EFFM increased in the poultry diet.

An Experimental Study on Partial replacement of cement with Egg Shell powder in Concrete.

An Experimental Study on Partial replacement of cement with Egg Shell powder in Concrete.

Eggshell microstructure, shell quality indices, mineralogy, and UV–Vis absorbance of domestic eggs of Iran

The structure and quality of eggshells (ES) vary around a mean value depending on different items, and these variations are important in their many industrial and technological applications as will be mentioned (vide infra). Five commercial egg brands of different laying hens are examined and their quality indices, morphological microstructure, elemental composition, and light absorbance at 200–700 nm UV/Vis spectra were compared. The ES layers include a limiting membrane, inner and outer shell membranes, a mammillary layer, a palisade layer, a surface vertical crystal layer, and a bilayer cuticle. The elemental composition of each layer reflects the proteinous or calcified nature of the layers, and various elements, C, O, N, Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn, Pb, Sr, Sc, Hf, Co, and La, were found. The weight difference between egg brands was significant, as well as the difference in ES percentage between white and colored eggs. ES weight possessed a positive relationship with the thickness of the calcified layer. So, the ES is heavier and the egg is larger and heavier when the calcified layer is thicker. The calculated average ES index was 7.99% ± 0.16 SE. In all ES samples, the absorbance in UV wavelength spectra (300–350 nm) was slightly higher than in Vis spectra (400 - 700 nm) and their difference was significant. The difference in absorbance of various treatments was significant and mean absorbance was the highest in the after-furnace (ash) samples and was the lowest for acid-treated ones. It seems that turning the ES into ash can improve the absorbance capability, especially in white ESs.

Effects of replacing Na selenite in laying hen feed with selenized glucose on production performance, egg quality, egg selenium content, microbial population, immunological response, antioxidant enzymes, and fatty acid composition

This study aimed to explore the effects of selenized glucose (SeGlu) and Na selenite supplementation on various aspects of laying hens such as production performance, egg quality, egg Se concentration, microbial population, antioxidant enzymes activity, immunological response, and yolk fatty acid profile. Using a 2 × 2 factorial design, 168 laying hens at 27-wk of age were randomly divided into 4 treatment groups with 7 replications. Se source (Na selenite and SeGlu) and Se level (0.3 and 0.6 mg/kg) were used as treatments. When 0.3 mg SeGlu/kg was compared to 0.3 mg Na selenite/kg, the interaction findings revealed that 0.3 mg SeGlu/kg increased egg production percent and shell ash (P < 0.05). When compared to 0.3 mg Na selenite/kg, dietary supplementation with 0.3 and 0.6 mg SeGlu/kg resulted in an increase in albumen height, Haugh unit, and yolk color of fresh eggs (P < 0.05). SeGlu enhanced albumen height, Haugh unit, shell thickness (P < 0.01), albumen index, yolk share, specific gravity, shell ash (P < 0.05) of fresh eggs and shell thickness (P < 0.05) of stored eggs as compared to Na selenite. The interaction showed that 0.6 mg SeGlu/kg enhanced yolk Se concentration while decreasing malondialdehyde levels in fresh egg yolk (P < 0.05). SeGlu enhanced Se concentration in albumen and glutathione peroxidase activity in plasma (P < 0.05) as compared to Na selenite. 0.6 mg Se/kg increased lactic acid bacteria, antibody response to sheep red blood cells, and lowered ∑n-6 PUFA/ ∑n-3 PUFA ratio (P < 0.05). As a result, adding SeGlu to the feed of laying hens enhanced egg production, egg quality, egg Se concentration, fresh yolk lipid oxidation, and glutathione peroxidase enzyme activity.

DYNAMIC MECHANICAL AND STATIC ANALYSIS OF KEVLAR FIBER REINFORCED EPOXY COMPOSITES INCORPORATED WITH EGG SHELL PARTICLE

Research on composite material has been carried out stringently by using various reinforcing elements in the matrix with an intend to replace traditional monolithic materials eventually. In this regard, the Calcium-rich egg shell, which is abundantly available as a solid waste, can be used as a possible filler material for reducing material cost, improving processability, and refining the requisite properties of composite for specific applications with simultaneous reduction of the waste. In this study, the static and dynamic mechanical characteristics of eggshell particle-filled Kevlar/epoxy composites have been investigated. Through stirring with the aid of an Ultrasonicator, different weight percent of NaOH-treated eggshell particles (0, 10, 20 wt. %) of 90 micron sizes are mixed with epoxy to fabricate the composite using the traditional hand-layup method. In comparison to the hybrid composites, the mechanical properties of Kevlar/epoxy (0 wt. % filler) composite demonstrate superior tensile and flexural strength and modulus. However, when the Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and the Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) are accomplished for evaluating the thermal deterioration and viscoelastic characteristics, the hybrid composites demonstrated improvement in overall damping properties including storage modulus and loss modulus along with the thermal stability characteristics. Also, the elongation before failure is more for composite with 10 wt. % (71%) as well as 20 wt.% (18%) filler content with substantial improvement in Inter Laminar Shear Strength. Thus, the presently prepared composite is recommended for weight-sensitive and high-performance engineering applications under elevated temperatures and intense dynamic loading.

Comparative Evaluation of Bioavailability, Efficacy and Safety of MICROCORE NESC® with Calcium Carbonate and Calcium Citrate Malate in Osteopenic and Osteoporotic Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Osteoporosis is a skeletal disease characterized by loss of bone mass, reduced bone strength and increased bone fragility predisposing to fractures. This study was planned to evaluate the efficacy, safety and relative bioavailability of Microcore NESC® (Natural Egg Shell Calcium) in osteopenia and osteoporotic patients. This was a randomized, open label, parallel group interventional clinical trial which included 60 study participants with osteopenia and osteoporosis who were randomized into three groups (20 each). Group 1-Microcore NESC®, Group 2-Shelcal and Group 3-CCM with 12weeks treatment period. The participants were evaluated for relative oral bioavailability, bone mineral density (BMD), serum osteocalcin, change in VAS pain scale and quality of life-Questionnaires. There was significant improvement in the BMD T scores-post-treatment with MICROCORE NESC® and Shelcal. Higher percentage of improvement in calcium absorption as depicted by an increase in serum calcium levels (10.23%) in the MICROCORE NESC®-treated group when compared to Shelcal (7.7%) and CCM (7.2%). The relative bioavailability of MICROCORE NESC® with respect to Shelcal was 93%. MICROCORE NESC®, has shown a better oral relative bio availability of calcium (93%), better improvement of BMD T score compared to Shelcal and CCM. The general health status has improved to very good/excellent in 83% of patients in MICROCORE NESC®-treated group. Thus, MICROCORE NESC® can be considered a better and safe calcium supplement, as there are very few side effects observed without any clinically significant abnormalities in lab parameters.

Eggshell as a biotemplate for the synthesis of layered porous carbon by co-pyrolysis with eucalyptus leaves

Based on its substantial specific surface area (SSA), quick ion transport path, and excellent pore structure, biomass carbon is a common ingredient in energy storage materials. In this study, hierarchical porous carbon was fabricated by the hard template method, using eucalyptus leaves (EL) as raw material, eggshells (ES) obtained from biomass waste act as a green biotemplating agent, and through co-pyrolysis technology to acquire high-value biomass carbon materials. A large SSA with a hierarchical porous structure displayed a honeycomb appearance obtained by adding eggshells in appropriate proportions. The ELES0.25 electrodes demonstrated a specific capacitance (Cs) of 310 F g−1 (0.5 A g−1) and 232 F g−1 (20 A g−1) in a three-electrode system, which displayed a capacitance retention of 74.8% with an outstanding electrochemical stability. The assembled ELES0.25//ELES0.25 symmetric supercapacitor displays a desirable energy density of 7.35 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 65 W kg−1 and preserves a capacitance retention of 97.38% after a charge/discharge cycle for 10,000 times. This research on ES acts as the biological template for assisted pyrolysis synthesis of porous carbon and proposes a novel approach for the clean and effective use of biomass waste.

Production Biodiesel from Vegetable Oils Using Duck Egg Shell Catalyst

Population growth causes energy needs to increase. Energy needs in Indonesia currently still depend on petroleum fuel. This research aims to determine the effect of the concentration of adding catalyst from egg shells on the production of biodiesel and determine the quality of biodiesel produced using egg shell catalyst. This research was carried out in 2 stages, namely catalyst preparation and the biodiesel manufacturing process. In catalyst preparation, egg shells that have been washed clean are then dried and crushed, then calcined using a furnace at a temperature of 1000°C for 7 hours. Next is the stage of making biodiesel using the conventional method which is carried out with variations in catalyst concentration of 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% and 5% (w/w). The research results showed that the best product yield was 78% at a concentration of 3% in 2 hours with a specific gravity of 0.889 gr/cm3 and a viscosity of 5.74 cSt.

Effect of Storage Period on the health of Selected Eggs of Domestic Birds in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

The marketing of eggs must follow a standard that will check production and storage against the expiration date. There is a need to evaluate the storage period and the health nature of the eggs of domestic birds from different poultry farms in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. A total of 135 eggs were collected aseptically, 3 each from 5 domestic birds in 3 different poultry farms. These eggs were collected on different storage days (1–7, 8–14, and 15–21) and weighed to ensure their healthy nature. The weight of the different eggs was weighed with an electronic weighing balance and compared among storage days. The result showed that the weight of eggs collected from days 1–7 recorded a mean value, ranging from 54.5±1.0-70.6±0.7g for whole egg, 27.0±0.6-37.5±0.9g for Albumin, 20.1±1.2- 24.7±0.3g for egg York and 5.4±0.3-11.2±0.9g for egg shell. For days 8-14, the weight ranging from 48.8±0.4-64.1±0.4g for whole egg, 24.4±0.1-33.0±1.1g for Albumin, 18.2±0.5-24.3±0.3g for egg York and 6.0±0.2-9.5±0.4g for egg shell. The weight of egg recorded for days 15-21, ranges from 43.5±0.6- 60.6±0.9g for whole egg, 20.8±0.6-30.5±0.8g for Albumin, 16.3±0.6-23.6±0.7g for egg yolk and 5.3±0.1-8.9±0.1g for egg shell. The effects of egg weight and qualities do not significantly decrease within days 1–7, but dramatically decrease from days 8–14 and days 15–21 of storage. The weight of eggs increases with egg size and decreases with an increase in storage period

Omega-3 content and sensory evaluation of scrambled eggs from two strains of laying hens fed diets enriched with alpha-linolenic acid

The objective of the study was to assess the accumulation of omega-3 (n-3) fats and the sensory quality of scrambled eggs from two strains of laying hens (brown and white) given omega-3 enriched diets. The design of this research was a completely randomized block design, with a 3 × 2 factorial. A total of 24 Hy-Line brown and 24 Hy-Line white were fed three experimental diets. The alphalinolenic acid (18:3n3, ALA) levels of the dietary treatments were either low (0.3%), moderate (3.0%), or high (6.0%) with the linoleic acid (18:2n6, LA) level kept constant at approximately 4%en. The results showed that dietary supplementation of ALA enhanced n-3 fats and had no impact (P&gt;0.05) on sensory properties including oily odour, butter aroma, sulphur aroma, taste, flavour, or off-flavour of scrambled eggs. Diets high in ALA resulted in Scrambled eggs with less intense egg aroma compared to those given diets with low or moderate ALA. Eggs of brown hens had a significantly stronger egg aroma, butter flavour, and sulphur flavour (P&lt;0.05) compared to white eggs. In conclusion, the dietary inclusion of 3.0% ALA was discovered to be optimum with respect to the accumulation of n-3 fats and the sensory properties of the eggs.

Karakteristik Sensorik Telur Asin dengan Pemberian Tepung Daun Jeruk Purut (Citrus Hystrix)

Eggs are a food ingredient with a relatively high protein content and have complete amino acids, unsaturated fats, vitamins and minerals that the body needs and are easy to digest. Eggs are always available throughout the year, but the fact is that egg shells crack easily, relative humidity and temperature in the storage room can affect the quality of eggs and cause chemical and microbiological changes so preservation efforts are needed to maintain the quality of the eggs. Salted eggs are a way to preserve eggs which has the benefit of improving the taste and the texture of the egg yolk. The addition of kaffir lime leaf flour is one of the diversification methods for processing salted eggs. The aim of this research was to determine the sensory characteristics of salted eggs by administering kaffir lime leaf flour. The experimental research used a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 5 treatments, namely S0: 0% kaffir lime leaf flour, S1: 15% kaffir lime leaf flour, S2: 20% kaffir lime leaf flour, S3: 25% kaffir lime leaf flour, and S4: 30% kaffir lime leaf flour with 5 repetitions. he results of the research showed that salted eggs with 25% kaffir lime leaf flour produced salted eggs that were liked by the panelists in terms of sensory characteristics.

Evaluation of Egg Quality and Performance in Late-Lay Hens Fed Different Combinations of Copper, Manganese, and Zinc Complexed with Sulfate or Amino Acid Ion

Dietary inclusion of copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn) can improve egg shell quality through changing the membrane structure. This study aimed to compare the responses of egg shell to different mineral sources. In this study, 60-week-old laying hens (n = 378) were assigned to one of seven treatments with 18 replicates each in an RCBD. Treatments included the following: control (basal + sulfated minerals (CuSO4, MnSO4, and ZnSO4)), and basal + amino acid complexed (AAC) minerals (AAC Cu, AAC Mn, AAC Zn, AAC Cu + Mn, AAC Mn + Zn, AAC Zn + Cu). Trace minerals were added to a basal diet containing 20 ppm MnSO4 and 20 ppm ZnSO4 to achieve overall target concentrations of 20 ppm Cu, 60 ppm Mn, and 60 ppm Zn. The hens were fed the treatment diet for 15 weeks, and egg production and egg quality were assessed during weeks 5, 10, and 15 of the experiment. Egg shells, egg contents, and excreta were analyzed for Cu, Mn, Zn, Ca, and P during weeks 10 and 15. No treatment differences (p &gt; 0.05) were observed for production or egg quality. Differences between excreta mineral content were observed. The mineral content of egg shells and egg contents did not differ (p &gt; 0.05) at any time point. The mineral source did not affect egg mineral deposition and egg quality measures (p &gt; 0.05). Some AAC trace minerals enhanced retention of zinc, calcium, and manganese, although AAC Cu increased Cu excretion. Taken together, feeding AAC trace minerals does not significantly affect egg production or egg quality during the late-lay period. More research is needed to demonstrate whether Cu excretion is increased when feeding AAC Cu due to increased bioavailability or other factors.

An Adaptive Partial Least-Squares Regression Approach for Classifying Chicken Egg Fertility by Hyperspectral Imaging.

Partial least-squares (PLS) regression is a well known chemometric method used for predictive modelling, especially in the presence of many variables. Although PLS was not initially developed as a technique for classification tasks, scientists have reportedly used this approach successfully for discrimination purposes. Whereas some non-supervised learning approaches, including, but not limited to, PCA and k-means clustering, do well in identifying/understanding grouping and clustering patterns in multidimensional data, they are limited when the end target is discrimination, making PLS a preferable alternative. Hyperspectral imaging data on a total of 672 fertilized chicken eggs, consisting of 336 white eggs and 336 brown eggs, were used in this study. Hyperspectral images in the NIR region of the 900-1700 nm wavelength range were captured prior to incubation on day 0 and on days 1-4 after incubation. Eggs were candled on incubation day 5 and broken out on day 10 to confirm fertility. While a total number of 312 and 314 eggs were found to be fertile in the brown and white egg batches, respectively, the total number of non-fertile eggs in the same set of batches was 23 and 21, respectively. Spectral information was extracted from a segmented region of interest (ROI) of each hyperspectral image and spectral transmission characteristics were obtained by averaging the spectral information. A moving-thresholding technique was implemented for discrimination based on PLS regression results on the calibration set. With true positive rates (TPRs) of up to 100% obtained at selected threshold values of between 0.50 and 0.85 and on different days of incubation, the results indicate that the proposed PLS technique can accurately discriminate between fertile and non-fertile eggs. The adaptive PLS approach was, thereby, presented as suitable for handling hyperspectral imaging-based chicken egg fertility data.

Effect of Saccharomyces cerevisiae dietary supplementation (Original XPCTM) and stocking density on production performance and egg quality in white egg strain laying hens

Effect of Saccharomyces cerevisiae dietary supplementation (Original XPCTM) and stocking density on production performance and egg quality in white egg strain laying hens

Remediation of multifarious metal ions and molecular docking assessment for pathogenic microbe disinfection in aqueous solution by waste-derived Ca-MOF.

The present study demonstrates an eco-friendly and cost-effective synthesis of calcium terephthalate metal-organic frameworks (Ca-MOF). The Ca-MOF were composed of metal ions (Ca2+) and organic ligands (terephthalic acid; TPA); the former was obtained from egg shells, and the latter was obtained from processing waste plastic bottles. Detailed characterization using standard techniques confirmed the synthesis of Ca-MOF with an average particle size of 461.9 ± 15nm. The synthesized Ca-MOF was screened for its ability to remove multiple metal ions from an aqueous solution. Based on the maximum sorption capacity, Pb2+, Cd2+, and Cu2+ ions were selected for individual parametric batch studies. The obtained results were interpreted using standard isotherms and kinetic models. The maximum sorption capacity (qm) obtained from the Langmuir model was found to be 644.07 ± 47, 391.4 ± 26, and 260.5 ± 14mgg-1 for Pb2+, Cd2+, and Cu2+, respectively. Moreover, Ca-MOF also showed an excellent ability to remove all three metal ions simultaneously from a mixed solution. The metal nodes and bonded TPA from Ca-MOF were dissociated by the acid dissolution method, which protonated and isolated TPA for reuse. Further, the crystal structure of Ca-MOF was prepared and docked with protein targets of selected pathogenic water-borne microbes, which showed its disinfection potential. Overall, multiple metal sorption capability, regeneration studies, and broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity confirmed the versatility of synthesized Ca-MOF for industrial wastewater treatment.

Investigation on mechanical properties of the green synthesis bamboo fiber/eggshell/coconut shell powder-based hybrid biocomposites under NaOH conditions

Abstract This research delves into the effects of different alkalization treatment approaches on the mechanical characteristics of epoxy matrix composites that are reinforced with natural bamboo fibers and enriched with egg and coconut shell powders as fillers. Various weight ratios of fibers and fillers were investigated, specifically at 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, and 30%. The study assessed mechanical properties such as tensile strength, flexural behavior, microhardness, and impact resilience. Findings indicate that composites with alkali-treated fibers demonstrate superior mechanical performance (49.28 MPa of tensile, 57.33 MPa of flexural 89 HV of hardness, and 1.3 kJ·m−2 of impact) compared to untreated counterparts. Particularly noteworthy is the significant improvement in fracture toughness observed with the inclusion of 20% hybrid laminates, surpassing the performance of existing biomaterial-based composites. This heightened toughness is attributed to the optimized composition of fibers and enhanced water absorption capabilities. Conversely, the incorporation of 25% and 30% hybrid composites led to a decrease in mechanical strength (38.65 MPa of tensile, 46.7 MPa of flexural, 72 HV of hardness, and 1.19 kJ·m−2 of impact) due to the formation of additional interfacial contacts, pores, and voids within the polymeric matrix.

Physical and chemical characteristics of eggs from eight Italian chicken breeds

Specific characteristics of the eggs from nucleus populations of Ancona (AN), Bianca di Saluzzo (BS), Bionda Piemontese (BP), Livorno, Mericanel della Brianza (MB), Mugellese (MU), Siciliana (SI) and Valdarnese (VA) chicken breeds kept in University Research Centres across Italy were evaluated. The physical characteristics considered were whole egg weight and shell, yolk and albumen proportion. The chemical characteristics considered were dry matter (DM), ash and protein content of the yolk and albumen, and the yolk fat. Among the breed groups evaluated in this study, BS and BP produce large eggs that are rich in total crude protein and lipids, with abundant egg whites. MB and MU produce small eggs with a high yolk percentage. AN and SI hens produce medium-small-sized eggs. The heaviest yolks were observed in AN eggs, and the highest shell percentage was found in SI eggs. LB and VA produce medium-large-sized eggs with low yolk lipid content.

Biogenic calcium improved Cd2+ and Pb2+ immobilization in soil using the ureolytic bacteria Bacillus pasteurii

Bioremediation based on microbial-induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) was conducted in cadmium and lead contaminated soil to investigate the effects of MICP on Cd and Pb in soil. In this study, soil indigenous nitrogen was shown to induce MICP to stabilize heavy metals without inputting exogenous urea. The results showed that applying Bacillus pasteurii coupled with CaCl2 reduced Cd and Pb bioavailability, which could be clarified through the proportion of exchangeable Cd and Pb in soil decreasing by 23.65 % and 12.76 %, respectively. Moreover, B. pasteurii was combined separately with hydroxyapatite (HAP), eggshells (ES), and oyster shells (OS) to investigate their effects on soil heavy metals' chemical fractions, toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP)-extractable Cd and Pb as well as enzymatic activity. Results showed that applying B. pasteurii in soil significantly decreased the heavy metals in the exchangeable fraction and increased them in the carbonate phase fraction. When B. pasteurii was combined with ES and OS, the content of carbonate-bound Cd increased by 114.72 % and 118.81 %, respectively, significantly higher than when B. pasteurii was combined with HAP, wherein the fraction of carbonate-bound Cd increased by 86 %. The combination of B. pasteurii and biogenic calcium effectively reduced the leached contents of Cd and Pb in soil, and the TCLP-extractable Cd and Pb fractions decreased by 43.88 % and 30.66 %, respectively, in the BP + ES group and by 52.60 % and 41.77 %, respectively, in the BP + OS group. This proved that MICP reduced heavy metal bioavailability in the soil. Meanwhile, applying B. pasteurii and calcium materials significantly increased the soil urease enzyme activity. The microstructure and chemical composition of the soil samples were studied, and the results from scanning electron microscope, Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction demonstrated the MICP process and identified the formation of CaCO3, Ca0.67Cd0.33CO3, and PbCO3 in heavy metal-contaminated soil.

The effectiveness of Bio-plus2B®, Techno Mos® and their mixture on the rate of egg production, egg characteristics, retention of nutrients and blood metabolites through the early period of production

BackgroundThe trend of using probiotic, prebiotic and their mixture as alternative feed additives which works as growth promoters in poultry diets to increase the productive performance and the immunity of the flock still have an importance consideration. So that the aim of this study is to estimate the impact of Bio-plus2B® (probiotic), Techno Mos® (prebiotic) or their mixture (synbiotic) on egg production, egg and shell quality, some blood metabolites and retention of nutrients between 28 and 40 weeks of age. The hens (ISA brown laying) were allocated randomly in 40 cages; 10 cages/treatment with two hens each. The treatments were the control (T1), T2 (Probiotic: 1 g Bio-plus2B® (Bacillus licheniformis plus Bacillus subtilis)/kg feed), T3 (Prebiotic: 1 g Techno Mos® (Mannanoligosaccarides (MOS) and 1,3 B-glucan) /kg feed) and T4 (Synbiotic: 1 g Bio-plus2B® plus 1 g Techno Mos®/ kg feed).ResultsHen-day egg production% and mass were significantly increased (P < 0.05) with T2 and T4 treatments. The experimental treatments recorded an increase in albumen index, Haugh unit (P < 0.01), shell thickness (P < 0.05), the retention of crude protein (CP), crude fiber (CF) and ether extract (EE) (P < 0.05), plasma globulin, albumin and total protein (P < 0.001) versus to the untreated group, while egg weight was not affected. Synbiotic treatment showed a significant (P < 0.001) increase in shell calcium content. T3 and T4 treatments were significantly decreased plasma cholesterol (P < 0.001) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) (P < 0.05). Alanine transaminase (ALT) was significantly (P < 0.001) decreased and estradiol hormone was increased (P < 0.001) in the experimental groups versus to the control.ConclusionsIt concluded that adding probiotic and/or prebiotic in the early age laying hens diets had beneficial effects for productivity with improving the egg shell thickness.