Eggshell Thickness Research Articles

Comparative Effects of Including Inorganic, Organic, and Hydroxy Zinc Sources on Growth Development, Egg Quality, Mineral Excretion, and Bone Health of Laying Quails.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the dietary addition of zinc (Zn) in the form of sulphate (Zn-S), glycine (Zn-G), and hydroxychloride (Zn-H) on quail performance, eggshell quality, antioxidant status, mineral excretion, biomechanical properties and mineralization of bone. A total of 75 female quails (10-weeks-old) were randomly distributed into 3 groups with 5 replications, each with 5 female quails. Treatment groups were set up by adding Zn-S and Zn-H as the inorganic form and Zn-G as the organic form of zinc to the corn-soybean basal diet (34.14mg/kg Zn) to obtain 50mg/kg Zn and the feeding experiment lasted for 12 weeks. Performance parameters and egg production were not impaired by the Zn source (P > 0.05). The inclusion of Zn-S in the diet produced a reduction in eggshell thickness, while an improvement in yolk antioxidant capacity (measured as MDA concentration) was detected compared to the other Zn sources (P < 0.05). Shear strength and cortical bone area increased (P < 0.05) with Zn-G supplementation, however, the mineral concentration of the tibia was higher (P < 0.01) in those quails who had received Zn-H. Lower levels of mineral excretion were observed in both types of supplementations compared to Zn-S. Therefore, it can be stated that Zn-G or Zn-H supplementation in the diet of laying quails could be an interesting strategy to reduce mineral excretion and improve bone mineralization without affecting performance compared to Zn-S. However, further studies are needed to determine the differences between Zn-G and Zn-H.

Decreased eggshell strength caused by impairment of uterine calcium transport coincide with higher bone minerals and quality in aged laying hens

BackgroundDeteriorations in eggshell and bone quality are major challenges in aged laying hens. This study compared the differences of eggshell quality, bone parameters and their correlations as well as uterine physiological characteristics and the bone remodeling processes of hens laying eggs of different eggshell breaking strength to explore the mechanism of eggshell and bone quality reduction and their interaction. A total of 240 74-week-old Hy-line Brown laying hens were selected and allocated to a high (HBS, 44.83 ± 1.31 N) or low (LBS, 24.43 ± 0.57 N) eggshell breaking strength group.ResultsA decreased thickness, weight and weight ratio of eggshells were observed in the LBS, accompanied with ultrastructural deterioration and total Ca reduction. Bone quality was negatively correlated with eggshell quality, marked with enhanced structures and increased components in the LBS. In the LBS, the mammillary knobs and effective layer grew slowly. At the initiation stage of eggshell calcification, a total of 130 differentially expressed genes (DEGs, 122 upregulated and 8 downregulated) were identified in the uterus of hens in the LBS relative to those in the HBS. These DEGs were relevant to apoptosis due to the cellular Ca overload. Higher values of p62 protein level, caspase-8 activity, Bax protein expression and lower values of Bcl protein expression and Bcl/Bax ratio were seen in the LBS. TUNEL assay and hematoxylin-eosin staining showed a significant increase in TUNEL-positive cells and tissue damages in the uterus of the LBS. Although few DEGs were identified at the growth stage, similar uterine tissue damages were also observed in the LBS. The expressions of runt-related transcription factor 2 and osteocalcin were upregulated in humeri of the LBS. Enlarged diameter and more structural damages of endocortical bones and decreased ash were observed in femurs of the HBS.ConclusionThe lower eggshell breaking strength may be attributed to a declined Ca transport due to uterine tissue damages, which could affect eggshell calcification and lead to a weak ultrastructure. Impaired uterine Ca transport may result in reduced femoral bone resorption and increased humeral bone formation to maintain a higher mineral and bone quality in the LBS.Graphical

Effects of dietary local hemp seed meal as soybean meal alternative on productive performance, egg quality and yolk fatty acid composition of laying hens

ABSTRACT Supply problems and rising soybean meal prices have an impact on increasing feed costs. Hemp seed meal (HSM) with high protein content has the potential to be used as an alternative to soybean meal. This study evaluated the impact of dietary HSM of Narlı Sarayı variety as a substitute for soybean meal on productive performances, egg quality and yolk fatty acid composition. A total of 120 Lohmann Brown laying hens aged 50 weeks were allocated into 4 groups and 10 repetitions. Birds received treatment without HSM (control group), or soybean meal substituted with 4%, 8% and 12% HSM. Dietary 4% significantly increased (p < 0.05) egg production and decreased FCR compared with 8% and 12% HSM group but did not differ from the control group in an overall period of 6 weeks. The inclusion of the 12% HSM group significantly decreased (p < 0.05) egg production. Meanwhile, there was no influence of hemp seed meal (p > 0.05) on feed intake, egg weight, body weight change, egg shape index, albumen index, albumen weight, Haugh unit, yolk weight, yolk index and eggshell thickness. Dietary 8% and 12% HSM significantly increased (p < 0.05) eggshell weight and yolk colour compared with control and 4% HSM groups. There was a significant increase (p < 0.05) in omega-3 fatty acid concentration and a decrease in yolk omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids ratio with an increase in dietary HSM. It was concluded that dietary up to 12% HSM of the Narlı Sarayı variety decreased egg production and increased FCR. Increasing dietary levels of HSM increased eggshell weight, yolk colour and omega-3 fatty acids content and decreased the omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids ratio.

Dietary supplementation of Agaricus bisporus by-products on development, egg production, egg quality, and antioxidant capacity of yolk in laying quails

Abstract The effect of dietary supplementation with Agaricus bisporus mushrooms powder (ABP) from byproducts on the development, egg production, egg quality, and antioxidant yolk capacity of Japanese laying quail was assessed. A total of 100 female quails 20-week-old were allotted to 5 treatments (5 replications, 4 females each) and received a basal diet supplemented with six graded levels of ABP (0 g/kg, 2.5 g/kg, 5.0 g/kg, 7.5 g/kg and 10.0 g/kg) according to ABP0, ABP25, ABP50, ABP75, and ABP100 groups for 70 days. The results indicated no adverse impact (P&gt;0.05) of dietary ABP on production performance and egg internal quality. A quadratic effect was described for egg-breaking strength (P&lt;0.05) and eggshell thickness (P&lt;0.01), showing the highest values at a dose of 7.5 g/kg ABP. Compared to the control, the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) yolk reduction was higher (quadratic) in the 5.0 g/kg ABP diet (P&lt;0.001), while malondialdehyde (MDA) levels decreased linearly in all groups fed with ABP (P&lt;0.001) as compared to the control group. The results suggest that the eggs from ABP quails could have an added value that would improve their marketability. The favourable findings of the current research demonstrate that including mushroom by-products in animal feed could reduce animal feed costs and reduce environmental damage.

Online detection of eggshell cracks using adaptive light‐source intensity

AbstractUnder the fixed light source intensity (LSI), eggshell thickness difference results in excessive exposure or darkening in imaging, which affects the accuracy of crack identification. To optimize it, a solution involves the utilization of an innovative adaptive light source for optical imaging is proposed. A multi function station is adopted. Among them, one station serves as a reference workstation is utilized to obtain the average grayscale value of the eggs image. The other sub stations serve as detection workstations to acquire and detect the panoramic images of the eggshell. By using the red component average grayscale as a reference to adjust the LSI in the remaining sub stations, imaging consistency is effectively. Moreover, a dual threshold segmentation algorithm was developed to attenuate the dark spot, thereby improving crack detection. Experiments results demonstrating the proposed method significantly improving the detection accuracy of non microcracked eggs while achieving approximately 90% and 92% detection accuracy for intact and cracked eggs, respectively.Practical ApplicationsThere are a few studies on the consistency of light for eggs, and in actual online detection, the light source is often set to a fixed light intensity value, which can lead to overexposure or over‐darkening of the egg image due to variations in the eggshell thickness, and both overexposed and over‐darkened images will result in decreased accuracy of crack recognition. This study designed and built an online detection system for eggshell cracks based on variable light intensity. Therefore, the system not only can help to improve the crack recognition rate of poultry eggs and improve their quality but also would help to promote the development of the commercialization of poultry eggs, which has a broad application prospect.

Effects of dietary mulberry leaves on growth, production performance, gut microbiota, and immunological parameters in poultry and livestock: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

This study aimed to assess the effects of dietary mulberry leaves on the growth, production performance, gut microbiota, and immunological parameters of poultry and livestock. The PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases were systematically analyzed to identify pertinent studies up to December 2022. The effects of mulberry leaf diet was assessed using the weighted mean difference, and the 95% confidence interval was calculated using a random-effects model. In total, 18 studies that sampled 2,335 poultry and livestock were selected for analysis. Mulberry leaves improved the average daily gain and reduced the feed/meat ratio in finishing pigs, and the average daily gain and average daily feed intake in chicken. In production performance, mulberry leaves lowered the half carcass weight, slaughter rate, and loin eye area in pigs, and the slaughter rate in chickens. Regarding meat quality in pigs, mulberry leaves reduced the cooked meat percentage, shear force, crude protein, and crude ash, and increased the 24 h pH and water content. In chickens, it increased the drip loss, shear force, 45 min and 24 h pH, crude protein, and crude ash. Mulberry leaves also affect the abundances of gut microbiota, including Bacteroides, Prevotella, Megamonas, Escherichia-Shigella, Butyricicoccus, unclassified Ruminococcaceae, Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Escherichia coli in poultry and livestock. Mulberry leaves at different doses were associated with changes in antioxidant capacity in chickens, and immune organ indexes in pigs. With respect to egg quality, mulberry leaves at different doses improved the shell strength, yolk color, eggshell thickness, and eggshell weight. However, moderate doses diminished the egg yolk ratio and the egg yolk moisture content. In general, dietary mulberry leaves improved the growth, production performance, and immunological parameters in poultry and livestock, although the effects varied at different doses.

Mechanical design principles of avian eggshells for survivability

Biological materials exhibit complex structure-property relationships which are designed by nature's evolution over millions of years. Unlocking the fundamental physical principles behind these relationships is crucial for creating bioinspired materials and structures with advanced functionalities. The eggshell is a remarkable example with a well-designed structure to balance the trade-off as it provides mechanical protection while still being easy for hatching. In this study, we investigate the underlying mechanical design principles of chicken eggshells under various loading conditions through a combination of experiments and simulations. The unique geometry and structure of the eggshell play a critical role in achieving an excellent balance between mechanical toughness and ease of hatching. The effects of eggshell membranes are elucidated to tune the mechanical properties of the eggshell to further enhance this balance. Moreover, a mechanics-based three-index model is proposed based on these design principles, suggesting the optimal eggshell thickness design to improve survivability across a broad range of avian species with varying egg sizes. The survivability-design relationships hold great potential for the development of improved structural materials for applications in sports safety equipment and the packaging industry. Statement of significanceThe fundamental physical principles underlying the complex structure-property relationships in biological materials are uncovered in this study, with a particular focus on chicken eggshells as a prime example. Through the investigation of their mechanical design, we reveal the critical role of eggshell geometry and structure in achieving a balance between toughness and ease of hatching. Specifically, the crack resting effect is observed, making the eggshell easier to break from the inside than from the outside. Additionally, we explore the influence of eggshell membranes on this balance, contributing to the enhancement of the eggshell's mechanical properties. For the first time, we propose a three-index model that uncovers the underlying principles governing the evolution of eggshell thickness. This model suggests optimal thickness designs for diverse avian species, with the goal of enhancing egg survivability. These findings can guide the development of improved structural materials with advanced functionalities, enabling greater safety and efficiency in a wide range of applications.

Performance, egg quality characteristics, serum parameters, blood minerals and bone mineralisation of laying chickens fed bone dust as calcium source

The study investigated the effect of dietary inclusion of bone dust as a calcium source on performance, egg quality characteristics, serum parameters, blood minerals and bone mineralisation of laying chickens. A total of 128 point of lay birds (1470-1550g) were allotted on a weight equalisation basis to four dietary treatments. Each treatment consists of four replicates having 8 birds per replicate. The diets were designated T1, T2, T3 and T4 in which T1 is the diet with dicalcium phosphate (DCP), T2 is the diet with bone meal, T3 is the diet with 50% bone dust and 50% DCP and T4 is the diet with 100% bone dust. The experiment lasted for eight weeks; laying performance and egg qualities (internal and external) were evaluated on a weekly basis. Serum parameters, blood minerals and bone mineralisation were carried out at the end of the study. Data collected were subjected to a one-way analysis of variance using Minitab statistical software (17.0) and significant means were separated using Tukey’s test. The inclusion of 50% and 100% dust resulted in increased (P&lt;0.05) daily feed intake (DFI). The use of 100% bone dust in the diet of layers resulted in the highest (P&lt;0.05) number of eggs laid (NEL) (293.00) and Hen-day egg production (HDEP) (118.33 %). Eggshell thickness (EST) was highest for layers fed T3 and T4 diets. The highest (P&lt;0.05) albumin height (AH) (10.04 mm) and Haugh unit (Hu) (94.62 %) was observed for layers fed T4 diet. Layers fed T1 and T4 diets had higher (P&lt;0.05) total protein and globulin than other treatments. Calcium and phosphorus content in blood was highest (P&lt;0.05) for layers fed T1 diet. Bone calcium and phosphorus were highest (P&lt;0.05) for layers fed the T3 diet but lowest for those fed the T1 diet. It was concluded that bone dust can be included in the diet of layers at 50 and 100% for better performance and egg quality without negative effects on blood and mineral composition.

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.

Effects of Dietary Calcium Lactate Supplementation on Laying Performance, Blood Index, Shinbone Quality, Jejunal Immunity, and Egg Quality of Aged Laying Hens

This study aimed to verify the potential of calcium lactate for the performance, blood index, shinbone quality, jejunal immunity, and egg quality of aged laying hens. A total of 360 62-week-old Hy-Line Brown laying hens were randomly divided into four treatments, with six replicates and 15 chickens per replicate. Experimental groups were fed with 0.25%, 0.5%, and 1.0% calcium lactate to substitute limestone in the control group (maintaining the same amount of calcium). The feeding trial lasted for 12 weeks. The laying rate and daily egg mass of laying hens fed the diets supplemented with calcium lactate was increased relative to those of the control group. The dietary addition of calcium lactate for laying hens enhanced the eggshell ratio, eggshell thickness, eggshell strength, and albumen height of eggs, and the addition level of 0.5% had the best effect. Dietary calcium lactate increased the number of red blood cells, corpuscular hemoglobin, mononuclear leucocytes and basophilic granulocytes, and decreased heterophils in the blood of laying hens. The activities of serum alanine transaminase and creatine kinase in laying hens was reduced by the dietary addition of calcium lactate. Calcium lactate supplementation in diets increased the serum calcium and phosphorus contents of laying hens. The dietary inclusion of calcium lactate increased the contents of IgA, IgG, lysozyme, and sIgA in the jejunal mucosa, and the 0.5% addition level worked best, but the IL-2 content decreased. The addition of 0.5% calcium lactate to the diet reduced the maximal force of the shinbone and increased the work required for shinbone rupture in laying hens. In conclusion, the dietary addition of calcium lactate improved the performance and egg quality of laying hens, probably by its positive effects on body health, intestinal digestible ability, calcium bioavailability, and jejunal mucosal immunity. The optimum amount of calcium lactate in the diet of laying hens is recommended to be 0.5%.

Comparative efficacy of hydroxychloride and organic sources of zinc, copper, and manganese on egg production and concentration of trace minerals in eggs, plasma, and excreta in female broiler breeders from 42 to 63 weeks of age

Comparative efficacy of hydroxychloride (HC) and organic (OR) sources of Zn, Cu and Mn on performance of broiler breeders (BB) between 42 and 63 weeks of age (WOA) was investigated. A total of 408 ♀ Ross 708 and 48 ♂ Yield Plus cockerels were placed in pens (17 ♀ and 2 ♂) housed in 2 rooms (12 pens/room) and allocated to one of 2 diets in a completely randomized block design (n=12). The diets had similar nutrient specifications but differed in Zn, Cu, and Mn sources: 1) HO, a blend of 80% HC and 20% OR sources, and 2) OR, 100% OR sources. Birds were fed and managed according to breeder guidelines. The egg count was recorded daily and categorized as normal or abnormal. Egg yolk color, albumen height, Haugh unit, eggshell thickness, and eggshell breaking strength were assessed every 4 wk. Individual hen body weight (BW) was recorded at 5-wk intervals to determine BW uniformity. At 52 and 63 WOA, the eggs and excreta samples were collected. At the end of the trial, 4 hens per pen were bled for plasma concentration of trace minerals and organs (liver, gizzard, spleen, kidney, and thymus) weight. There were no interactions between source and age on any parameters (P > 0.05). There were no main effects of source on egg production, eggshell quality, BW, and organs weight (P > 0.05). Hens fed HO diets had darker yolk compared to those fed OR diets (P = 0.014). The concentration of Zn in the eggs of OR BB was higher (P = 0.022) than for HO birds. However, there were no dietary effects on the concentration of trace minerals in the egg, plasma, and excreta (P > 0.05). The results indicated that a mixture of HC and O as sources for Zn, Cu, and Mn was as effective as OR sources in supporting egg production, egg quality, and trace mineral utilization in broiler breeders.

Comparative effects of zinc hydroxy chloride, zinc sulfate, and zinc-methionine on egg quality and quantity traits in laying hens.

The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of different levels of zinc supplements on egg quality and quantity traits as well as egg enrichment with zinc in laying hens from 40 to 50 weeks of age. A total of 240 Hy-line laying hens were distributed among eight treatments and five replications (six birds per replication). The control group received no zinc diet, while the other treatments were supplemented with varying levels of zinc sulfate (80, 120, and 160 mg/kg) or zinc hydroxy chloride (50, 75, and 100 mg/kg). An additional group of zinc-methionine supplement at 124 mg/kg was also included. Results showed that different levels of zinc supplementation caused a significant improvement in eggshell resistance, eggshell percentage, feed conversion ratio, and Haugh unit compared to the control group. Adding organic and hydroxy sources of zinc significantly increased zinc contents in egg yolk, tibia bone, and blood. In addition, the treatments containing zinc supplements caused an increase in the antibody level against the Newcastle disease compared to the control (P < 0.05). Different levels and sources of zinc had no significant effect on eggshell thickness, specific gravity, and egg mass. Results showed that adding zinc in hydroxy chloride form at 100 mg/kg could improve performance indices, safety, and egg enrichment with zinc.

The effects of environmental conditions on eggshell thickness of two North American secondary cavity-nesting birds

The effects of environmental conditions on eggshell thickness of two North American secondary cavity-nesting birds

Effects of different levels of iron, iodine and vitamin B12supplementation on egg quality and antioxidant capacity of eggs at different times of storage in laying hens

The experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of adding different levels of iron salts, iodine and vitamin B12 on yield, quality traits and antioxidant capacity of eggs in laying hens. A total of 320 laying hens (HyLine Variety White, 28 wk old) in a 2x2x2 factorial experiment were randomly assigned to 8 groups, and each group consisting of 40 hens (5 replicates of 8 hens each) for a period of approximately 13 weeks in a completely randomized design. Hens in the control group received a basal diet with no supplementation whereas hens in treat 2 received basal diet supplemented with 400 mg Fe/kg as FeSO4, treat 3 (basal diet + 450 mg I/kg as KI), treat 4 (basal diet + 0.1 mg B12vit/kg), treat 5 (basal diet + 400 mg Fe/kg as FeSO4 + 450 mg I/kg as KI), treat 6 (basal diet + 400 mg Fe/kg as FeSO4 + 0.1 mg B12Vit/kg), treat 7 (basal diet + 450 mg I/kg as KI + 0.1 mg B12Vit/kg), treat 8 (basal diet + 400 mg Fe/kg as FeSO4 + 450 mg I/kg as KI + 0.1 mg B12Vit/kg), respectively. The results showed that the use of iodine and vitamin B12 increased the shell thickness of eggs (P&lt;0.05). The use of iron, iodine and vitamin B12 supplements increased the antioxidant capacity of eggs compared to the control group (P&lt;0.05). The highest antioxidant capacity of eggs (0.77) was observed when these three supplements were used together in the diet of laying hens. The length of storage had significant effects on the weight of albumin and yolk and antioxidant content of eggs (P&lt;0.05). The highest weight of albumin and antioxidant content was at the beginning of storage, while the highest weight of yolk was obtained in 4 weeks after storage, with increasing of storage time to 8 weeks, all three attributes of albumin weight, yolk weight and antioxidant content of eggs decreased (P&lt;0.05). The related effects of interval of the storage and the experimental supplementation, the use of iron, iodine and vitamin B12 supplements increased the antioxidant capacity of eggs, so that the highest amount of antioxidants in eggs in 8 weeks after storage and by supplementing the diets with all three additives (P&lt;0.05). According to the present experiment, the use of iron, iodine and vitamin B12 additives in the diet of laying hens, improves the performance, the content of iron and iodine elements in eggs and maintains the suitable condition of eggs during storage.

Egg Quality and Heavy Metal Concentrations in Meat, Eggs and Inner Organs of Laying Ducks Fed under a Conventional Feeding in Lombok, Indonesia

The search for alternative protein sources for duck feed is important considering its high cost. An experiment involving 100 forty-wk-old laying ducks was conducted for eight weeks to study the effects of fresh water fish (sapu-sapu fish -SSF) as single protein sources on egg quality and heavy metal concentration. The SSF levels were 28 and 35% of the feed and the remaining constituent was rice bran with metabolizable energy approximately 2,943 and 2,934 kcal/kg, respectively. Fresh water fish did not effect on egg quality measured except egg weight and shell thickness (63.2±0.30 to 67.9±0.22g) and shell thickness (0.50±0.04 to 0.52±0.04g) with increasing dietary SFF(P&lt;0.05). Mean concentrations of heavy metals in local duck samples decreased in the order kidney&gt;liver&gt;egg&gt;meat for Pb and liver&gt;kidney&gt;meat&gt;egg for Cu. Lead concentrations in meat, eggs, liver and kidney were 1.267± 0.825, 1.311±0.737, 1.762±0.729 and 2.172±0.770 mg/kg respectively. These values were higher than the admissible amounts under the Indonesian National Standards (1.0 mg Pb/kg) and FAO (0.1 mg Pb/kg). Accumulation of Cu in the meat, eggs, liver and kidney was 12.798±4.181, 7.011±1.949, 30.165±16.561 and 14.392± 4.208 mg/kg respectively. These levels were also higher than that recommended by the European Commission. The conclusion of this study proved that feeding SSF to laying ducks raised by small farmers contained a significantly high concentration of heavy metals not appropriate for human consumption when high levels of SSF was fed

Egg Quality, Yolk Fatty Acid Profiles from Laying Hens Housed in Conventional Cage and Cage-Free Production Systems in the Andean Tropics.

Egg consumers worldwide have increased their concerns about laying hens' welfare and its impact on final egg product quality. This study compared the egg quality parameters under the conventional cage (CC) and cage-free (CF) egg production systems in the tropics. The study was conducted on a commercial farm in Colombia using Hy-Line Brown pullets, reared under the same conditions for the first 15 wks. At 16 wks, the hens were distributed into two housing systems, CC and CF, on the same farm. The hens were fed the same diet for each phase in both systems and feed intake varied slightly. Egg samples were collected every six wks, from 22 to 82 wks of age. A total of 3960 eggs were analyzed at 11 sampling times. Parameters such as albumen height, egg weight, yolk color, eggshell thickness, eggshell strength, and Haugh units were determined using a DET-6000 machine. At 22 and 82 wks, screening for Salmonella spp. status was conducted using environmental and egg samples. Additionally, at 34, 64, and 82 wks, yolk samples were obtained for fatty acid profiles and crude protein (CP) analysis. The data were analyzed in a completely randomized block design with repeated measures (11 times): mean separation by Student's t-test yolk pigmentation, Haugh Units, and albumen height (p < 0.001) were higher in the CF compared with the CC between 38 and 69 wks of age, and eggs at 63 and 82 wks (p < 0.05) were heavier in the CF compared to the CC. Likewise, eggs from the CC had better eggshell strength from 57 to 82 wks. In the egg yolk fatty acid profile at the 34th wk, the pentadecanoic, palmitic, and heptadecanoic acids had higher concentrations in the CF systems than the CC. At the 64th wk, the egg yolk fatty acids-lauric, myristic, and heptadecanoic-had higher concentrations in the CF; likewise, at the 82nd wk, egg yolks from the CC had higher concentrations of lauric, heptadecanoic, and nervonic fatty acids than the CF. The eggs and environmental samples were negative for Salmonella spp. throughout the whole production phase. These results indicated that the production system might impact internal and external egg quality measures, potentially due to various stressors, including environmental factors or behavior restrictions.

The Effect of Eggshell Dipping with Various Types of Oils and Storage Duration on The Weight Loss and Shell Thickness of Table Eggs

Preserving eggs is very important to retain egg quality and increase shelf life, egg preservation is crucial. Eggs may be preserved by immersing them in several kinds of vegetable oil. The purpose of this research is to investigate the effects of dipping eggs in various types of oil and the duration of preservation on the shell thickness and weight loss of table eggs. The research material includes 45 chicken eggs, pure coconut oil, palm oil, maize (corn) oil, a screw micrometer, and a scale. The method utilized was experimental, employing factorials with a completely randomized design in a 3x5 factorial pattern and three (3) replications. Treatment A consists of oil types (A1 is pure coconut oil, A2 is palm oil, and A3 is maize (corn) oil), and treatment B: the storage duration of eggs at room temperature (including: 25 days for B1, 30 days for B2, 35 days for B3, 40 days for B4, and 45 days for B5). The variables that were noticed were the egg weight loss and shell thickness. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance and further analyzed using the Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT), utilizing SPSS version 16.0. The results suggest that the interaction between the kind of oil and storage length didn’t have significant consequences (P&gt;0.05) egg weight loss and shell thickness. The type of oil significantly affects (P&lt;0.05) shell thickness. The storage duration at room temperature significantly affects (P&lt;0.05) on the egg weight loss and shell thickness. In conclusion, the best treatment for dipping eggs is using pure coconut oil and storing them at room temperature for up to 40 days.

Eggshell thickness and egg morphometrics in five songbird species from the Central Valley, California

Eggshell thickness and egg morphometrics in five songbird species from the Central Valley, California

Parede celular de levedura em dieta para codornas japonesas na fase de postura em diferentes densidades de criação

Abstract The objective of this study was to measure the zootechnical performance and egg quality of Japanese quails housed at different densities and fed diets containing yeast cell walls (YCWs). Five hundred and seventy-six quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) were distributed at 43 weeks of age, and 76% were laid, with an initial weight of 158.50 ± 5.41 g, in a completely randomized design in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement (three YCW levels: 0, 500, and 750 g.ton−1 and two housing densities: 81.5 and 92.4 cm2/quail), with six replicates of 17 and 15 quail per experimental unit, respectively. The following parameters were evaluated: feed intake, egg production/bird/day, egg production/housed quail, marketable egg production, egg mass, feed conversion per dozen eggs, egg mass and viability, egg weight, specific egg weight, percentage of yolk, albumen and shell, and shell thickness. The means of the three cycles of 21 days were subjected to analysis of variance using the statistical software Sisvar. There was no significant interaction effect between YCW inclusion level and cage density on zootechnical performance parameters or egg quality, except for egg weight, which suggested that YCW addition, regardless of cage density, did not affect the results. It was observed that the eggs of quails housed in cages with 92.4 cm2/bird feed and 500 g.ton1 YCW had greater egg weights. Shell thickness was independently influenced by cage density, and the lowest density (92.4 cm2/bird) promoted greater shell thickness. The inclusion of 500 g.ton1 of yeast cell wall material in the diet of Japanese quails housed at a density of 92.4 cm2/bird improved egg weight and shell thickness without negatively affecting the other parameters of egg quality or zootechnical performance.

Effects of Curcumin on the Egg Quality and Hepatic Lipid Metabolism of Laying Hens.

Curcumin, the major active compound of turmeric, has shown potential benefits for poultry health and production in various studies. However, its specific role in enhancing the egg quality and liver health of laying hens, as well as its underlying mechanisms, have yet to be determined. Here, a total of 600 Su Qin No.1 Laying hens, aged 55 weeks and with similar laying rates, were randomly placed into five groups, with 10 replicates of 12 hens each. Curcumin doses of 0, 100, 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg were added to the basal diet to form the experimental groups. After an 8-week feeding period, no significant changes were observed in the production performance of laying hens due to curcumin supplementation. However, additional tests revealed that a 200 mg/kg curcumin supplementation improved albumen height, yolk color, Haugh unit, and eggshell thickness, while reducing the thin albumen's weight and proportion. This was accompanied by a significant down-regulation of the mRNA expression level of the Prolactin Receptor (Prlr) in the oviduct magnum. Furthermore, the number of hepatic lipid droplets and the hepatic triglyceride (TG) content, as well as malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were significantly reduced, indicating improved hepatic lipid metabolism and oxidative status. This was accompanied by a significant reduction in the expressions of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1 gene (Srebp-1), fatty acid synthase gene (Fasn), as well as fatty acid synthase (FASN), which are closely related to fatty acid synthesis in the liver. Overall, these findings suggest that curcumin supplementation at a dosage of 200 mg/kg could lead to significant improvements in egg quality and hepatic lipid metabolism.