Table Eggs Research Articles

The Impact of Eggshell Thickness on the Qualitative Characteristics of Stored Eggs Produced by Three Breeds of Laying Hens of the Cage and Cage-Free Housed Systems

The study aimed to compare the physical-chemical attributes of table eggs from three laying hen breeds housed in the cage and cage-free conditions and to characterize the morphological characteristics of the eggshell interior. A morphological and elemental analysis performed by scanning electron microscope coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy revealed no abnormalities in the structural integrity of eggshells. The thickness of the eggshell varied in the range from 356.2 to 366.4 µm, with no statistically significant differences between the values. Eggshell membrane thickness was between 20.0 and 59.9 µm, with eggs derived from cage-housed hens, i.e., H/LS/CCE and H/HN/CCE having thinner membrane layers. The results revealed no direct relationships between eggshell and membrane thickness and physical-chemical parameters’ change. However, the presence of thick and long spider-like microcracks on the eggshell surface of eggs from cage-free housed hens H/D/BWE was the main factor that presumably contributed to substantial weight loss during 36 days of egg storage. A noticeable decline in eggshell-breaking strength along with the enlargement of air cells was observed in eggs produced under an enriched cage system H/LS/CCE after 28 days. In contrast, the minor changes in air cell size occurred in eggs from cage-free housed laying hens H/D/BWE. Protein quality indicators such as albumen height and Haugh units were well correlated with each other, and the intensity of their changes during egg storage, to a greater extent, was found to be storage time-dependent. No significant depletion of egg albumen was revealed during the first 15 days of egg storage. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the quality corresponded to grade A (reasonably firm). However, after 18 days of storage, Haugh unit values were lower than 60, corresponding to grade B (weak and watery). The most apparent reduction in the Haugh unit was observed in eggs produced by enriched cage H/HN/CCE and cage-free H/D/BWE hens. The egg quality was storage time-dependent, and their deterioration rate was primarily associated with the genetic background of laying hens and housing conditions.

Advanced Practical Strategies to Enhance Table Egg Production.

The global demand for table eggs has increased exponentially due to the growing human population. To meet this demand, major advances in hen genetics, nutrition, and husbandry procedures are required. Developing cost-effective and practically applicable strategies to improve egg production and quality is necessary for the development of egg industry worldwide. Consumers have shown a strong desire regarding the improvement of hens' welfare and egg quality. They also become interested in functional and designer foods. Modifications in the nutritional composition of laying hen diets significantly impact egg nutritional composition and quality preservation. According to previous scientific research, enriched egg products can benefit human health. However, producers are facing a serious challenge in optimizing breeding, housing, and dietary strategies to ensure hen health and high product quality. This review discussed several practical strategies to increase egg production, quality, and hens' welfare. These practical strategies can potentially be used in layer farms for sustainable egg production. One of these strategies is the transition from conventional to enriched or cage-free production systems, thereby improving bird behavior and welfare. In addition, widely use of plant/herbal substances as dietary supplements in layers' diets positively impacts hens' physiological, productive, reproductive, and immunological performances.

Assessment of mycotoxins (deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, aflatoxin B1 and fumonisin B1) in hen’s eggs in Jordan

The present study was carried out to evaluate the prevalence of mycotoxins (Deoxynivalenol (DON), Zearalenone (ZEA), Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and Fumonisin B1 (FB1)) in local hen's table eggs (white and yolk) as well as their stability upon refrigeration. Two hundred and fifty of fresh table eggs samples collected from Jordan governorates were analyzed using Liquid Chromatography- Mass Spectrophotometry (LC– MS/MS) More than half (67%) of the tested samples were positive for mycotoxins. The mean concentration of AFB1, FB1 and ZEA was 0.5 ± 0.4, 0.5 ± 0.2 and 3.2 ± 1.5 μg/kg, respectively. The overall prevalence of AFB1, ZEA, FB1 was 56.8, 16.0 and 7.6%, respectively. DON was not found in any of the samples. The highest prevalence was observed in Amman (85.7%) followed by Mafraq (78.6%), Karak (75.0%) and Zarqa'a (66.6%). None of the investigated mycotoxins were detected in egg whites. However, the prevalence of AFB1, ZEA, FB1 in egg yolk was 21.3, 16 and 7.6%, respectively. Refrigeration up to 4 weeks did not decrease the mycotoxin concentration significantly. Mycotoxin concentration in all investigated samples in this study were well below both the International and Jordanian acceptable limits. However, continuous exposure may lead to bioaccumulation over a long term and pose a threat to health.

Nontyphoidal Salmonella infections acquired from poultry.

Nontyphoidal Salmonella is a major food safety concern in developed and developing countries. Table eggs are often linked to cases of foodborne gastrointestinal disease. This review is focused on the latest findings on foodborne Salmonella infections acquired from poultry products and their implications on food safety. Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) and Salmonella Typhimurium (ST) are the predominant Salmonella serovars associated with human Salmonellosis. In Australia, ST is the predominant serovar but SE has been recently detected in some commercial free-range egg flocks. The Salmonella shedding in poultry flocks can be highly variable across different flocks and farms; as a result, the level of product contamination is largely attributed to the flock management. The microevolution in the ST genome after in-vivo passaging may have clinical significance. On farm use of Salmonella vaccines and/or interventions during the processing of the product can influence the bacterial load. The refrigeration of the product also influences the safety of the poultry product. Many interventions are in place for the control of Salmonella from farm to fork. However, given the biosecurity challenges because of the increase in public demand for free-range products, the emergence of Salmonella virulent types and expensive diagnostics, ongoing collaborative efforts from farmers, regulators and public health officials are required.

Table egg marketing amid COVID -19 pandemic in Ibadan southwest local government area of Oyo State

The study was conducted to evaluate table egg marketing amid COVID -19 pandemic in Ibadan South-West local government area of Oyo state. Multi-stage random sampling method was used in selecting egg marketers. Using a well-structured questionnaire, data were obtained and subjected to descriptive statistics, gross margin and regression analysis. The result obtained shows that the mean age of the egg marketers was 33 years. Majorities were female and Christians. Most were Yoruba people, married, with tertiary education. Large number of the respondents adopted COVID -19 measures such as hand cleaning regularly, cough or sneeze in the bent elbow, use of nose mask, avoid contact with eyes, nose and mouth. The estimated gross margin value was N16, 300.00 while the regression result showed that price of egg purchase (p<0.01) and transport cost (p<0.05) during COVID -19 pandemic had significant effect on egg marketing. It was also observed that COVID -19 measure index (CMI) and transportation negatively affected egg marketing. It is therefore recommended that the government should provide appropriate palliative to reduce the effect of COVID -19 pandemic on egg marketers.

Uniform irradiation of table eggs in the shell with low-energy electron beams

Low-energy electron beams were used to uniformly irradiate eggs to sterilize Salmonella. Large quantities of eggs could be processed quickly by rotating them as they passed through an irradiator. The optimum conveyor speed was 2 m/min with rotations at 1.7 rps. This sterilization system allowed up to 3500 eggs/h to pass through an irradiator with a 1 × 10 cm electron beam window. Voltages between 80 and 250 kV resulted in a uniform surface dose as very low-energy electron beams scatter in the air. Inside dose did not exceed 100 mGy between 80 and 200 kV. The optimal voltage for sterilizing table egg was found to be 200 kV because salmonella is present deep in the shell of table egg and must be irradiated.

Bacteriological Quality of Table Eggs in Moroccan Formal and Informal Sector.

Eggs constitute an important part of the Moroccan diet. However, contaminated eggs can cause a serious public health problem if consumed undercooked, uncooked, or used in unpasteurized egg foodstuffs. This study was carried out to evaluate the microbial contents of eggs according to their sales sector in Morocco. For that, a total of 1770 eggs were collected from January to September 2021 from formal markets (refrigerated eggs from large shopping centers) and informal markets (eggs at ambient temperature from ambulatory sellers, street vendors, kiosks, and neighborhood stores) and transferred to the Avian Pathology Unit at Hassan II Agronomic and Veterinary Institute. The eggshells and their contents were tested separately; swabs of eggshells were used to inoculate Mac-Conkey agar, while the egg contents were cultured on Mac-Conkey and Mannitol salt agar, then standard microbiological tests were performed to identify the isolated organisms. The results showed that informal eggs were more contaminated (87%) than formal eggs (48) (p < 0.05). The bacteria isolated from the eggshells (informal and formal) were Enterobacter agglomerans (59% and 21%), Klebsiella spp. (24% and 4%), Enterobacter cloacae (17% and 8%), E. coli (9% and 1%), Serratia spp. (9% and1%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (9% and 1%), Shigella spp. (5% and 0%), Salmonella enteritidis (0% and 2%), Proteus spp. (4% and 0%), Enterobacter sakazakii (2% and 0%), Rahnella aquatilis (1% and 0%), and Staphylococcus aureus (0% and 1%). For the egg-contents, the detected bacteria (informal and formal) were Enterobacter agglomerans (14% and 28%), Klebsiella spp. (7% and 6%), Staphylococcus aureus (6% and 1%), Enterobacter cloacae (4% and 4%), E. coli (4%, 1%), Shigella spp. (4%, 0%), Acinetobacter baumannii (3% and 1%), Salmonella enteritidis (2% and 0%), Serratia spp. (1% and 6%), Proteus spp. (1% and 3%), and Enterobacter sakazakii (1% and 0%). We conclude that eggs might be contaminated with several bacteria and can constitute a public health threat in Morocco.

Estimating production costs and retail prices in different poultry housing systems: conventional, enriched cage, aviary, and barn in Japan

For many producers, introduction of improved animal welfare systems is a turning point in their future production strategies as it increases production costs. The increase in egg retail prices is of growing concern not only for producers, but also for retailers and consumers. However, no report has calculated the estimated production costs or retail prices associated with introducing practices that support improved animal welfare in poultry farms in Japan. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the production costs and table egg prices of 6 types of laying hen systems: conventional cage (CC): 8- and 12-tiers (CC8, CC12), enriched cage (EC): 8- and 12-tiers (EC8, EC12), aviary (AV), and barn systems (BR). Production costs include land purchases, construction costs of facilities, equipment and machinery, quantity of feed provided, farming materials invested, and wages.As a result, farm gate prices were estimated as CC8 = 12.19, CC12 = 12.19, EC8 = 14.52, EC12 = 14.52, AV = 21.14, and BR = 28.74 [yen/egg], and the production cost, including building the new farm, increased by EC8 = 19.1%, EC12 = 19.1%, AV = 73.4%, and BR = 135.7%, respectively, referring to the value of CC. The results show that the prices increase in systems between CC and BN. The retail price or table egg price was estimated to be CC8 = 24.68, CC12 = 24.68, EC8 = 28.07, EC12 = 28.07, AV = 37.27, and BR = 48.53 [yen/egg]. The retail price of BR is approximately twice that of CC. In addition, assuming that all of Japan's eggs were produced in the BR system, the soaring cost of eggs would likely affect the prices of factory eggs, such as liquid eggs and other products, thus affecting the prices of various food products.Understanding the significant management costs that affect the retail price of eggs would facilitate improved policies and practical approaches to support poultry farms and sustainable farming activities while addressing public concerns.

Two specific genes in Salmonella biofilm trigger colonial metamorphosis in the table eggs contents

From hen-laying farms in Iraq, 100 collected white and brown egg contents were extracted. Salmonella spp. is present in 11 of the numbers isolates in white table egg content and six numbers brown table eggs. That represents a 17% proportion. The total count range of bacteria in egg contents was between 9.2 to 27 x106 log CFU/ ml. The 17 different isolates of Salmonella species. each isolate's biofilm formation is measured. At least one strain had a high capacity to generate biofilm (&gt;0.400), two isolates had a moderate capacity (0.2–0.4), nine isolates had a low capacity (0.2–0.12), while 5 isolates did not produce biofilm (&lt;0.11).The study is the first of its kind in Iraq and examines the gene expression targets csgD and bcsA that Salmonella spp. uses to produce biofilms.

Quality of table eggs in relation to shell colour

The present study evaluated the quality of table eggs in relation to shell colour. The study was conducted on 60 table eggs with shells coloured white, green, blue and brown (15 eggs per colour) obtained from laying hens from the same backyard farm. The following external quality traits of table eggs were measured: egg weight, percentage of dirty and cracked eggs, egg width and length, egg shape index, eggshell colour, eggshell weight and percentage, and eggshell thickness. The following internal quality indicators of table eggs were determined: albumen weight and percentage, albumen pH value, albumen width, length and height, Haugh index, albumen index, yolk weight and percentage, yolk pH value, yolk width and height, yolk index and yolk colour. Green eggs had the lowest weight, as well as the lowest width and length. White eggs had the highest eggshell dirtiness scores and egg shape index, while brown eggs had the highest eggshell thickness and weight. Green and brown eggs had the highest albumen index and Haugh index. In addition, green eggs had the lowest yolk width and the highest yolk index. White eggs had the highest albumen and yolk width, the greatest albumen length and the lowest albumen height. Yolks of white and blue eggs had a higher sensory colour score, as well as lower L* and b* values compared to the yolks of green and brown eggs. Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that green and brown table eggs are of better overall quality compared to white and blue table eggs.

Analysis of energy consumption in poultry management for table egg production in Nigeria

Energy audit and mass flow studies of commercial agricultural systems are increasingly becoming of utmost importance, due to high operation costs and dependence on energy. This research was designed to study energy input, output and efficiency for daily table egg production from commercially managed poultry birds. Three commercially operated poultry farms in Ibadan, Nigeria were visited for assessment of management procedures, data collection, equipment observation and personnel interview. The energy required for each management procedure was calculated from standard methods. Each farm housed average of 25,000 actively laying birds and had average daily egg production of 21,250 egg pieces. This amounted to 1169 kg egg and 3000 kg faecal materials production per day from the average energy input of 122,461.12 MJ/day. The highest energy consumption was biological energy which resulted from daily feed consumption of 3000 kg at the rate of 120 g per bird per day. This made up 83.81% of the total energy consumed. These resulted in an energy consumption ratio of 1.05, energy productivity of 0.034 kg/MJ, specific energy of 29.29 MJ/kg and net energy of 6,569.09 MJ/day, respectively. Faecal materials constituted the bulk of the output from the system. Making use of the faecal material in its treated form for the production of feed components would reduce energy costs, increase farmers’ net income and also encourage environmentally efficient processes.

Combination of cassava starch biopolymer and essential oils for coating table eggs

This work aimed to evaluate the eggshell microbiota and the internal egg quality after coatings with cassava starch biopolymer enriched with different essential oils during 35 days of storage at 20°C. A total of 369 brown table eggs were used and distributed in the following treatments: uncoated eggs, coated with cassava starch + Ginger essential oil (CS+GIN), cassava starch + Lemongrass essential oil (CS+LEM), and cassava starch + Tahiti lemon essential oil (CS+TAH). The count of total aerobic mesophilic bacteria on coated eggshells at 0 and 35 days of storage were similar to each other (mean 0.70 ± 0.37 and 0.91 ± 0.22 log10 CFU/mL) and significantly lower compared to uncoated eggs (2.21 ± 0.17 and 3.17 ± 0.22 log10 CFU/mL), in that order. On the 35th day, coated eggs showed similar Haugh unit (HU) values between them (mean 70.61 ± 5.35; classified as A - high quality) and significantly higher than uncoated eggs (51.60 ± 4.28; classified as B - average quality). Cassava starch coatings added with essential oils preserved the internal quality of the eggs during storage for 5 weeks at 20°C, reducing the eggshell microbiota and effectively keeping it at low levels during storage.

Feasibility study for a pilot field project for the production of table eggs in Najaf

دراسة جدوى اقتصادية لإنشاء مشروع حقل نموذجي لإنتاج بيض المائدة في محافظة النجف الاشرف.&#x0D; أظهرت النتائج التطبيقية لدراسة الجدوى التفصيلية لمشروع انشاء حقل انتاج بيض المائدة المحلي عدة جوانب إيجابية:&#x0D; فقد أظهرت معايير الربحية التجارية أن نتائج جميع المعايير تشير إلى جدوى المشروع من وجهة نظر الربحية التجارية وانها إيجابية، اذ ان فترة الاسترداد للكلفة الاستثمارية تعد مناسبة، اذ بلغت تقريبا (1.145) سنة ما يعادل (9شهر و11يوم) وهي مدة زمنية تعد مقبولة من قبل أصحاب القرار الاستثماري لأن المستثمر يكون قادر على استرداد استثماراته خلال المدة المحددة.&#x0D; أما معيار صافي القيمة الحالية للمشروع عند معامل خصم (8%) فقد أظهرت النتائج ان قيمته (15,347,962,728, 3) وكانت موجبة،&#x0D; وهي قيمة تُعّد مشجعة جدا وكذلك الحال بالنسبة إلى معيار معامل الربحية فقد أظهرت النتائج بانه أكبر من واحد(1.29&gt;1)وهي نسبة جيدة ومشجعة ،اما العائد المحاسبي قد وجدنا ان قيمته (37.64%) بمعنى ان المستثمر يستطيع ان يحقق هذه النسبة خلال السنة وهي نسبة مشجعة للمستثمر في هذا المجال وفيما يتعلق بمعيار معدل العائد الداخلي للمشروع والتي بلغت (23.46%) فقد ظهرت النتائج بانها اكبر من سعر الفائدة السائد ، اما معيار عائد راس المال الثابت فكانت نسبته جيدة (37.64)% سنويا وان المشروع قد حقق نسبة سيوله نقدية سنوية بمقدار (2.26%).

CURRENT TRENDS AND PROBLEMS OF THE UKRAINIAN MARKET OF EGGS &amp; EGG PRODUCTS IN THE CONDITIONS OF UNCERTAINTY

Topicality. Problems related to Russia's military aggression against Ukraine, as well as the imposition of martial law and hostilities in most parts of Ukraine, have led to a decline in production on poultry farms, egg and egg farms. Current trends and problems in the development of the market of eggs and egg products, led to the urgent need to consider them on the example of the food market in conditions of uncertainty. Integration of domestic enterprises for the production of eggs and egg products, the livestock sector, the agri-food market of Ukraine. The participation of niche markets in such logistics chains provides a synergistic effect that allows stakeholders to join forces to achieve their goals and objectives and generally improves competitiveness in food markets, including foreign ones. Strategic priorities of economic development of the national market of eggs and egg products in the conditions after the military economic recovery in the food market. Modern economic policy and the interest of stakeholders in the logistics chains of the market of eggs and egg products, which is why it is formed and implemented through the prism of risk conditions and instability. Aim and tasks. The aim of the article is to analyze the trends and problems of development of the Ukrainian market of eggs and egg products in conditions of uncertainty. Research results. Analysis of the problems of efficiency of global selective chains of egg and egg products and specific egg market participants, allows the study of poultry enterprises in the selective chain of the egg market to see how and when they can be strengthened to achieve greater production and marketing efficiency; or to promote more efficient egg market production. Such an analysis of the egg market may reveal performance constraints related to a specific feature of niche markets. Recent data suggest that as countries participate in global value chains, commodity growth rates increase. Value-added chains play an important role as a source of job creation. Thus, trade and supply in food hubs within the logistics chains of food markets stimulates the development of logistics as a critical component of global chains, as the most important problem is to supply products in the right quantity, quality, on time. The study also focuses on general market factors that affect the efficiency and dynamics of specific projects in the development of the egg market in the postwar period. The model of selective management of innovative organizations on the example of the market of eggs and egg products has been improved. The author proposes to use the entropy method to calculate the period and conditions of uncertainty in the niche market of eggs and egg products. Conclusion. Thus, the modern market of egg products in the field of poultry has a number of organizational and economic features, characterized by a high level of saturation of the domestic market of eggs. Therefore, the unstable price situation of the egg market and the passive process of conquering the foreign niche egg market. Based on the calculations, there is a clear tendency to reduce the level of rent stability of table eggs in the sub-field due to low prices and instability of the domestic market in the production and sale of products, which is offset by sales revenue. A survey of sales by region shows that the largest production is concentrated in Kyiv (31%), Odessa (11.2%), Khmelnytsky (10.9%) regions, where the largest poultry farms are located. The dynamics of prices in the domestic market of eggs and egg products indicates their higher level in the population of farms, compared with enterprises, the decline in egg production due to war and economic crisis and uncertainty about increasing spending on poultry resources, feed, medicine, and other types of egg products. In the future, we consider it expedient to use the methodology of fuzzy sets, simulation modeling for the market of eggs and egg products for calculations of uncertainty and risks, dynamics of crises of niche markets.

Antimicrobial defenses of table eggs: Importance of antibacterial proteins in egg white as a function of hen age in an extended production cycle

The importance of egg natural defences to prevent bacterial contamination and their relation with hen age in extended production cycles were evaluated. Egg-white from eggs of different hen age groups (up 100-weeks-old) and lines (Hy-Line white and brown) were inoculated with Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus or Gram-negative Salmonella Typhimurium, ranging from 103-106 CFU/mL. Our results show that concentrations of egg-white lysozyme and, particularly, ovotransferrin are important to modulate bacterial survival in a dose-dependent matter. Depending on protein concentration, their effect ranges from bactericidal to bacteriostatic, with a threshold for bacterial contamination that depends also on hen age and line. The concentrations of lysozyme and ovotransferrin increased with hen age (up to 2 and 22 w/w% of total protein, respectively), and eggs laid by older hens exhibited the greatest potential to prevent the growth of the highest Salmonella inoculum (106 CFU/mL). Salmonella-penetration experiments demonstrated that non-contaminated eggs display significantly higher concentrations of antimicrobial proteins. However, eggs from older hens needed a higher concentration of these proteins (>20% ovotransferrin) to prevent bacterial contamination, showing that antimicrobial protein concentrations in egg-whites was not the only factor influencing bacterial contamination. Finally, this study demonstrated that egg-white of eggs produced by old hens are less prone to contamination by Salmonella.

Assessment of Environmental Impacts from Different Perspectives-Case Study of Egg Value Chain System in Serbia.

The environmental performance of various aspects of animal origin food supply chains has been the focus of research in recent years, and has provided useful information. However, there were no studies that covered the entire egg supply chain from different perspectives. The aim of this study was to analyze the majority of environmental impacts in the table egg supply chain comprising of three subsystems: farms, retail outlets and households, with quantification of each individual subsystem and the entire supply chain. All data were gathered from 30 farms, 50 retail stores and 300 households in Serbia. In parallel, the perception and ranking of environmental impacts along the supply chain were also evaluated. Finally, the quality function deployment for the environment was used to determine the degree of correlation between the set of environmental requirements and the identified environmental impacts. Results revealed that the greatest environmental impacts come from the production of feed for laying hens and the use of natural resources, and they contribute the most to the pollution of each individual environmental indicator. Additionally, the results show the differences in the environmental impacts of each individual subsystem and identify opportunities to mitigate them through the optimization of animal feed, energy consumption and household food waste management. The overall perspective of the egg supply chain points to climate change effects as the most important. The differences in the perceptions of environmental impacts along the entire egg supply chain suggest the need for promotion of mitigation strategies to all stakeholders that would encourage them to achieve sustainable development goals.

Quality of Table Eggs from Different Production Systems

Summary The production system is one of the most significant factors influencing internal and external egg quality. Due to concerns for the welfare of laying hens, and on the basis of Council Directive 1999/74/EC, EU countries banned conventional cages, so it is necessary to determine the influence of alternative systems on the external and internal quality traits of table eggs. Consumers believe that organic eggs are healthier than eggs from the conventional production systems. In addition, consumer awareness of the welfare of laying hens has been raised in the last few decades. This research aimed to determine the quality of table eggs from the cage, free-range and organic systems that are present on the Serbian market. External and internal quality traits were examined for 30 eggs taken from the market from the cage, organic and free-range systems. The value of Haugh units was 77.16 for organic eggs, 66.01 for conventional cages, and 62.01 for free-range system. The results showed that eggs from the organic system had significantly higher egg weight, shape index, albumen height, and Haugh units (p≤0.05) compared to cage and free-range eggs. Eggs from the free-range system had the highest number of meat and blood spots (2.25), while it was the lowest in eggs from the cage system (0.40). Eggs from organic production and conventional cages showed better results in internal and external egg quality. Shell quality traits, yolk color, and yolk pH were not affected by the production system.

High Concentrations of Quinolones Residues found in Eggs from Poultry Farms in Kaduna, Nigeria.

Eggs are the major product generated from layer poultry production systems and are readily processed for consumption and sold to meet public demand. However, antimicrobial usage during production results in residues accumulating in poultry eggs. Thus, it is necessary to monitor and ensure that poultry eggs are safe for human consumption, with no antibiotic residues that can lead to allergic reactions/intoxication or development of antimicrobial resistance. Forty-five (45) farms around Kaduna metropolis, Nigeria were sampled for table eggs alongside a structured questionnaire to consider operation systems (cage or floor), stocking system (all-in-all-out or multiple batches), and location, along with egg producer sizes as either small-, medium-, or large-scale producers. A total of 450 fresh eggs were collated and analyzed using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay. The result overall, showed a high prevalence (95.6%) of samples positive for quinolone residues with highest levels of 10,185.5 ng/ml and 5,519ng/ml from two farms (4.4%). These levels are higher than the Maximum Residue Limits (MRL) for edible tissue set by regulatory agencies, including the European Union and U.S. Department of Agriculture (100 ng/ml=100 mg/l). Thirty-three (33) samples from 33 farms (73.3%) overall had residue levels higher than the MRL, 10 farms (22.2%) had residue levels ranging between 2.5 ng/ml – 94.5 ng/ml, while only two farms had undetectable limits of less than 2.5ng/ml. No specific association was found for any of the assessed production factors. Quinolones are antibiotics used both in veterinary and human medicine, thus, their usage must comply with set safety criteria. Consequently, the presence of quinolones in poultry eggs may result in the transmission, to humans, of resistant bacteria and residues of fluoroquinolone active metabolites harmful to human health.

Isolation and Identification of Pathogenic Bacteria from Table Egg (Eggshells) Sold in Benghazi Market, Libya

Isolation and Identification of Pathogenic Bacteria from Table Egg (Eggshells) Sold in Benghazi Market, Libya

Effects of the genotype, cage type and time period on the behaviour of laying hybrids at the same egg production level.

Hybrids with different morphological and yield characteristics are used in the table egg production. There is no change in the cage systems according to the different hybrids in the regulation. This study aimed to investigate the effects of genotype (brown laying hybrids (BLH) and white laying hybrids (WLH)) and cage type (conventional and enriched cages) on behaviours of hens at the 90% egg production level. Behavioural data were recorded with video cameras during the 4days. Data were analysed in 6 time periods as 05.00-08.00 am, 09.00-12.00 am, 01.00-04.00pm, 05.00-08.00pm, 09.00-12.00pm and 01.00-04.00 am. Behaviour inspection each hour was divided into 4 quarters and the first 3min of each quarter were evaluated. Behaviours were represented as the proportion of the total behaviour performed in the time period by a given hen. There was no interaction between hens' behaviour and the genotype at the same egg production level. The frequency of feeding behaviour was found to be significantly lower (P < 0.01), but comfort behaviour was higher (P < 0.05) in hens that were reared in the enriched cages. Only preening was seen as a comfort behaviour due to the cage size. The feeding, drinking, pecking hen, comforting, walking, sitting, resting and perching behaviours changed during the day (P < 0.01). Especially, the transition from light to dark influenced the perching behaviour negatively. No interactions were detected amongst genotype, cage type and time period. Feeding behaviour decreased and the comfort behaviour increased in the hens that were reared in the enriched cages because there were materials that would exhibit different behaviours. Hens in the enriched cage could not suddenly adapt to the dark and light period. For this reason, transitions to light and dark periods in poultry houses should be provided gradually, as in natural life.