Yellow Yolk Research Articles

Effects of Inclusion of Mango Peel Waste in Diets of Layer Chickens on Performance and Egg Quality in Kenya

Alternative ingredients for the manufacture of poultry feeds need to be identified to meet the growing demand. A 42-day feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effects of the inclusion of mango peel waste in layer chicken diets on performance and egg quality. This study involved one hundred and fifty Isa Brown layer chickens aged 60 weeks. These chickens were assigned to five treatments with graded levels of mango peels: 0% (Treatment 1), 3.5% (Treatment 2), 7% (Treatment 3), 14% (Treatment 4) and 28% (Treatment 5), using a completely randomized design (CRD). Daily egg production was recorded, and weekly measurements included feed intake, specific gravity, egg weight, shell weight and shell thickness. Notably, Treatment 5 exhibited the highest feed conversion ratio (3.09) and Roche yolk color (RYC) fan score (14.3), which was significantly (p < 0.05) different from Treatment 1, with values of 2.36 and 12.4, respectively. Layer chicken fed on T1 had the highest egg weight and egg thickness (6.6 g and 0.44 mm, respectively), differing significantly (p < 0.05) from Treatment T5 eggs (6.3 g and 0.41 mm). It was concluded that mango peels could substitute maize in layer chicken diets up to 7% without affecting production and egg quality. Mango peels are recommended for partial substitution of maize in layer chicken diets and as natural egg yolk pigment to impart the yellow yolk desired by consumers.

Exploring Egg Consumption Habits in Surat and Rajkot Cities of Gujarat: A Consumer Behavior Study

The study was conducted to figure out who are the consumers of egg in the concerned area, how much awareness do they have about the enriched egg, what they perceive of an enriched egg in comparison to a conventional egg, to understand the purchasing and consuming behavior of the consumers for an egg and to find out what are the major factors that motivate consumers to purchase enriched egg. The study was conducted in the Surat and Rajkot cities of Gujarat. The objectives of the study were achieved with the help of primary data, which was collected through face-to-face interview using a structured schedule, which was made with the help of pilot survey and review of literatures. Using convenience sampling, 200 households (100 from each city) were surveyed, among which 100 households were enriched egg consumers while the remaining 100 were conventional egg consumers. The majority of the consumers of egg are married male, with education up to graduation, working as a private employee with income in range of ₹35,001 - ₹60,000 but for enriched egg a unanimous consensus on the impact of the socioeconomic factors viz., gender, age, family type and family size, in acceptance of enriched egg, because of the variation in both the geographies can’t be established. The awareness about the enriched egg was less, even among the consumers of enriched egg. The major sources of awareness are friends/relatives, online sources, educational institutions. The date of production, price, size and color highly influence the buying decision whereas health benefit, season and avian disease outbreak highly influence the consumption of egg. The consumers are motivated to purchase enriched egg by the factors in order freshness, health claim, packaging, odorless, golden yellow yolk color and nutritional claim respectively.

Sensory Characteristics, Nutritional Composition, and Quality of Eggs from Different Chickens

The present study evaluated the sensory, composition, and quality of eggs from Cosmopolitan (C), Improved Horro (H), ♂ Improved Horro * Cosmopolitan ♀ (HC), ♂ Cosmopolitan * Improved Horro ♀ (CH), Indigenous(L), and Koekoek (KK) genotypes. A completely randomized design was used in the study. A total of 108 (18/genotype), 180 (30/genotype), and 90 (15/genotype) eggs were used for the sensory, composition, and egg quality tests, respectively. All data were analyzed following the GLM model using SAS software. The boiled and scrambled eggs from L, H, and C were (P ≤ 0.001) preferred followed by CH, HC, and KK. Results showed that KK, HC, CH, and C eggs were higher in moisture, crude fat, crude ash, and crude fiber, but these traits were found lower in H and L genotypes. A significantly highest crude protein was observed in L (21.19 ± 0.19) genotype, with higher in H (20.62 ± 0.26), intermediate in HC (19.96 ± 0.29), C (19.85 ± 0.10), and CH (19.40 ± 0.37), whereas the eggs from KK genotype had the lowest crude protein content (18.69 ± 0.20). The egg quality was (P = 0.001 - 0.01) affected across traits except for eggshell indices (P > 0.05). The genotypes with a negative significant correlation with crude protein had a positive significant correlation with almost all composition and egg external quality traits. The genotypes with positive significant correlations of egg weight had positive significant correlations with most internal egg quality traits except that of yolk weight ratio, yolk albumen ratio, and yolk color. Conclusively: the eggs of L, H, and C genotypes were best favored followed by CH and C, but the KK genotype was the least favored, and these differences were deemed due to genetic variations, and interventions. Furthermore, the eggs laid from genotypes with deep yellow yolk color might be the most nutritious. It could also necessitate future breeding and dietary studies.

Assessment of Consumers' Perception of Chicken Eggs Consumption and Associated Health Implications in the Volta Region of Ghana.

Background:Rather erroneously, eggs consumption is linked to increase in plasma cholesterol content and incidents of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, stroke, or diabetes. This misconception which is more pervasive particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, has led to very low patronage of eggs intake. In this study, egg consumption patterns, desired egg characteristics, and the extent to which the perception of eggs consumption as a health risk is entrenched among consumers in the Volta Region of Ghana, were examined.Methods:The study used primary data for the analysis and the 2-stage sampling technique was employed. First, 5 districts (Keta, Ho, Krachi East, Nkwanta South and North Tongu) were selected and afterward, a sample was randomly selected from each of the district. A well designed and pretested questionnaires were administered to the respondents.Results:It was found that cheaper price and deep yellow yolk were the most persuasive parameters that motivate consumer purchase. The relationship between educational level and awareness on cholesterol types was significant. More than half of the respondents held the view that egg intake results in an increase in serum cholesterol and leads to the incidence of serious health problems.Recommendation:This study proves the urgent need for a concerted national public education effort to raise awareness about the nutritional and health benefits of eggs intake. Success in such awareness creation will go a long way to greatly minimize acute malnutrition in the Ghana.

Histomorohological Studies on Ovary of Guppy (Poecilia Reticulata) And Development of Follicular Placenta

The larvivorous fish Poecilia reticulata was propagated prolifically in the garden for control of mosquito vectors and later redistributed in a number of water reservoirs, in different villages nearby Dapoli. The gravid live bearing females were quickly dissected for their ovaries and embryos. The developed embryo with yellow rounded yolk sac, the remnants of the follicular placental tissue and thick vascular network of connective tissue was also observed.

Incorporation of dried goat rumen contents in layer diets improves egg yolk colour and acceptability of eggs

The use of dried goat rumen content (DGRC) as a partial replacement for fish meal in layer diets was investigated. A total of 90 H&N Brown Nick layer chickens were offered diets in which DGRC were incorporated at 0, 5 and 10% levels. Iso-caloric and nitrogenous diets were formulated to meet the recommended nutritional requirements for laying hens. Experimental birds were assigned to 9 cages (10 birds/cage) and experimental diets offered in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. Data was collected on egg production and sensory characteristics of the eggs, and a partial budget analysis was undertaken. Diet significantly (P 0.05). Eggs from layers offered 10% DGRC were more acceptable than those of layers fed on 0 and 5% diets. A significant effect (P<0.05) of treatments on yolk colour was observed. Eggs from 10% DGRC diets had more deep yellow yolks than eggs from 0 and 5% diets. It was concluded that use of DGRC in layer diets improved yolk colour, acceptability of the eggs and marginal rate of return (MRR).

Yolk color measurement using image processing and deep learning

A high yellow yolk color of laying hens is required by customer. As yolk color measurement is determined by visual perception, color score may be expressed differently. The objective of this study was to develop the recognition of yolk color using red green blue (RGB) image and deep learning. The three hundred and fifty-three RGB images were obtained. The rectified linear unit (ReLU) and softmax were used as the activation function. An optimizer was configured with Adam, and categorical crossentropy was used as a loss function. The results showed that the loss had decreased to 0.45 and 0.63, whereas the accuracy had increased and reached 0.80 and 0.76 for training dataset and testing dataset, respectively. For evaluation, the loss value was 0.27 and 0.63, whereas the accuracy value was 0.90 and 0.76 for training dataset and testing dataset, respectively. The average f1-score was 0.76, whereas the highest precision (1.00) was observed in color score 5, 6 and 8. In conclusion, RGB image can be used as an alternative method to classify yolk color score with lower cost of analysis for egg producers in the near future.

The effect of deshelled and shell-reduced mussel meal on egg quality parameters of organic laying hens under commercial conditions

Summary Mussel meal is an alternative feed ingredient that can reduce the gap in available protein-rich feedstuff for organic layer hen diets. Mussel meal production requires high input of energy because of mussel deshelling. The production of mussel meal through filtration could create a more cost-efficient product. A field study was conducted on a commercial farm to compare feeding laying hens with fishmeal (control), deshelled mussel meal, or shell-reduced mussel meal. Eggs (N = 25) were collected at hen ages 22 (standard diet), 28, 35, and 42 wks. The egg weight was depressed with Ca 2 g overall when feeding shell-reduced mussel meal compared with fishmeal or deshelled mussel meal; however, this diet also had the lowest CP level. Moreover, feeding shell-reduced mussel meal gave more red and yellow yolks, whereas deshelled mussel meal only gave more yellow yolks than the control. Fatty acids in egg yolks from hens fed deshelled mussel meal had the lowest omega 6 to omega 3 ratios because of higher levels of eicosapentanoic and docosahexaenoic acid than the control or shell-reduced mussel meal treatments. No major differences in the tested sensory properties of the eggs in terms of aroma, flavor, and texture were found among the treatments. These results suggest that deshelled mussel meal can effectively replace fishmeal in organic laying hen diets. The production of shell-reduced mussel meal should be optimized to limit sodium chloride levels if not then the inclusion level is limited. Egg yolk color may, however, be positively affected resulting in a more red and yellow color.

제브라피쉬 초기배아발생단계의 기형현상을 이용한 만성 NOEC의 예측방법 개발

This study has developed a new simplicity toxicity assessment method that can predict the chronic NOEC (No Observed Effect Concentration) value rapidly by observing the morphological abnormality at the low concentration area in the early embryonic development stage of Danio rerio. As a result, the acute LOEC (Lowest Observed Effect Concentration) values of Camptothecin, Camphor and Curcumin were calculated as 9.3 nM, 1248.4 μM and 18.3 μM, respectively. The morphological anomalies were observed to yolk sac edema (YSE), pericardial edema (PE), black yolk (BY), bent spine (BS), albinism (A), dyed yellow yolk (DY), collapse symptoms of fertilized embryo tissue (CPFE), no heartbeat (NHB), reduced heart rate (RHR), hatching delay (HD), short body length (SBL). And acute NOEC values were classified into A-type and B-type depending on the presence or absence of morphological anomalies. A-type morphological anomalies were observed at 6.2 nM, 832.3 μM and 9.2 μM, similar to the area near acute LOEC except for albinism (A), dyed yellow yolk (DY), collapse symptoms of fertilized embryo tissue (CPFE), and no heartbeat (NHB). On the other hand, morphological anomalies of B-type did not occur at all in 0.4, 4.0, and 0.1 within 4 days, and the acute NOEC values of B-type were consistent with the chronic NOEC values at 32 days. This means that the concentration without any deformity in acute toxicity test during 4 days is consistent with the chronic NOEC value. That is, it is also a means to quickly calculate chronic NOEC using the acute NOEC value through the presence or absence of morphological abnormality in the Danio rerio embryo development stage of short term.

Relationship between cyclic follicle recruitment and ovulation in the hen ovary

Determining whether follicle recruitment in the domestic hen is functionally linked to ovulation would inform investigations on the exact time of cyclic recruitment and subsequently, the earliest cellular event mediating recruitment. The objective of the present studies was to determine if the absence of ovulation results in the failure of cyclic recruitment. 3 groups of Hy-Line W-36 hens were studied: no-ovulation, first-ovulation, or late-ovulation within the sequence. Time and occurrence of oviposition and ovulation were documented by video recording and cloacal palpation. To determine the presence of a recently recruited follicle, ovaries were collected during the last hour of photoperiod, and follicles weighing 280 to 900mg, with yellow yolk incorporated, and diameter of 9 to 12mm, were considered recently recruited. To compare the amount of yolk uptake in recruited follicles, hens were fed Sudan IV dye 6h before ovary collection. Percent dyed yolk was quantified from cross-sections of the recruited follicles. To confirm follicle viability, granulosa cell (GC) mitotic activity was assessed via flow cytometry. Initial results indicated the presence of a recently recruited follicle in 10 of 11, 7 of 10, and 9 of 10, no-ovulation, first-ovulation, and late-ovulation ovaries, respectively, with no significant differences in weight (543 ± 62mg, 456 ± 71mg, 620 ± 75mg, respectively). There were no significant differences in yolk incorporation among the most recently recruited follicles with 19.0 ± 2.0%, 18.0 ± 3.7%, and 19.8 ± 3.2% dyed yolk in no-ovulation, first-ovulation, and late-ovulation ovaries, respectively. Finally, there were no significant differences in % GC in the S/G2-M phase of mitosis among recruited follicles (19.0 ± 5.0%, 22.0 ± 4.2%, 15.67 ± 1.0%, in no-ovulation, first-ovulation, and late-ovulation ovaries, respectively), confirming viability of all recruited follicles. We conclude that cyclic recruitment occurs independently of ovulation and propose that the order and timing of cyclic recruitment is predetermined at an earlier stage of follicle development.

Response of hen pre-recruitment ovarian follicles to follicle stimulating hormone, in vivo

In laying hens, pre-recruitment ovarian follicles (1–8 mm diameter) are arranged as a continuum of size and predicted maturity. Cyclic recruitment of a pre-recruitment follicle to the preovulatory stage begins, in part, by the ability of the granulosa cell (GC) layer to initiate responsiveness to follicle stimulating hormone- (FSH-) induced cyclic adenosine monophosphate. The objective of this study was to determine if increased circulating concentrations of FSH during the ovulatory cycle increase the number of recruited follicles, in a dose-dependent manner. Equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) was initially tested due to its FSH-like properties and long half-life. Laying hens were injected, i.m., with 0 or 100 IU eCG, and ovaries were collected 29 h later. Recruited follicles were initially identified based on incorporation of yellow yolk and a weight of 250–900 mg. Recruitment was subsequently confirmed by both incubating the GC layer for 3 h with recombinant human (rh) FSH to establish FSH-responsiveness and quantifying P450 side-chain cleavage enzyme (CYP11A1) mRNA. Additional hens were injected with 0, 30, 75, and 300 IU eCG to establish a dose–response. Because eCG exhibits some luteinizing hormone activity, FSH-induced recruitment was evaluated by injecting 0.1, 0.33, 0.66, 1 or 3.3 µg rhFSH. Ovaries were collected 29 h post-injection, and expression of CYP11A1 mRNA was quantitated in GCs from recruited and pre-recruitment follicles. One hundred IU eCG induced recruitment of 2–8 follicles compared to a single follicle in control hens. In contrast to pre-recruitment follicles, incubated GC from eCG-recruited follicles had initiated differentiation, indicated by increased CYP11A1 and rhFSH-induced STAR mRNA and progesterone. Equine CG and rhFSH each increased the number of recruited follicles in a dose-dependent manner. Further, CYP11A1 mRNA was significantly increased in GC layers from recruited, compared to non-recruited, follicles. We conclude that FSH-responsiveness within the GC layer of each pre-recruitment follicle increases with follicle size, and propose that this establishes the order of daily follicle recruitment.

PEMANFAATAN TEPUNG MANURE HASIL DEGRADASI LARVA LALAT HITAM (Hermetia illucens L.) TERHADAP BERAT TELUR, BERAT KUNING TELUR DAN MASSA TELUR AYAM KAMPUNG

UTILIZATION OF MANURE DEGRADATED FLOUR BY BLACK FLIES (Hermetia illucens L) ON EGG WEIGHT, EGG YELLOW YOLK AND EGG MASS OF NATIVE CHICKEN. Native Chicken has been maintained by farmers as an effort to utilize the yard, to fulfill the family nutrition and to increase income. One of the functions of laying chicken is as an egg producer. Chicken eggs are often consumed and loved by the people of Indonesia. The quality of chicken eggs needs to be improved by providing balanced feed and nutrition. Manure Flour degradated by larva of H. illucens is one of alternative feed as a source of protein. MHD flour contains 51.15% protein. For this reasons, Because it can meet the needs of poultry. This will have a positive impact if the utilization of manure degradated by black flies larvae can be used as the substitution of some concentrates. Forty native chickens females aged 56 weeks had been used. Baterry system cages of 50x50x75 cm with an eat and drink. A randomized complete design (RAL) with 4 treatment and 5 replications was used as design methods. Treatmens was the following level of manure flour degradated by black flies larvae: R0 = 0% flour MHD: R1 = 5% flour MHD: R2 = 10% flour MHD: R3 = 15% flour MHD. Variables measured were egg weight, egg yolk weight and egg mass. The results showed that the there was no significant difference (P&gt; 0,05) between treatmentsand egg weight, yolk weight and egg mass. Based on the result of data analysis and discussion, it can be concluded that the utilization of manure flour degradated by black flies larvae up to 15% will not give different results in egg weight, egg yolk and egg mass.Keywords: Manure, Larva, Egg.

Vascular endothelial growth factor and angiopoietins during hen ovarian follicle development

Growth and maturation of ovarian follicles in the hen (Gallus gallus) requires a network of blood vessels that increases in complexity during development. The present studies investigate expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF), angiopoietin1 (ANGPT1) and ANGPT2 mRNAs together with their associated receptors (VEGFR and TIE2, respectively) during maturation. Elevated expression of VEGF and its receptors is associated with healthy, compared to atretic, follicles. Levels of VEGF significantly increase, while antagonistic ANGPT2 decrease, in granulosa cells (GC) at follicle selection. By comparison, levels of VEGF, VEGFR1, VEGFR2, ANGPT1, ANGPT2 and TIE2 within the theca layer do not change (P>0.05) relative to developmental stages surrounding follicle selection (6–8mm versus 9–12mm follicles). Prior to selection, treatment with transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1) significantly increases levels of VEGF in undifferentiated GC from prehierarchal (6–8mm) follicles and actively differentiating GC from selected (9–12 and F4) follicles. Moreover, subsequent to selection follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) increases VEGF expression in GC from 9 to 12mm follicles, and eventually luteinizing hormone (LH) promotes VEGF expression in GC from more mature preovulatory follicles. It is concluded that prior to follicle selection VEGF expression is regulated by autocrine and paracrine actions of TGFβ1 (but not FSH), and that a comparatively limited extent of vasculature is sufficient to maintain prehierarchal follicles in a viable and undifferentiated state. At follicle selection, FSH- and subsequently LH-induced VEGF production within the GC layer enhance angiogenesis within the theca layer, which facilitates the rapid growth of preovulatory follicles via enhanced incorporation of yellow yolk.

Minor Salmonella: potential pathogens in eggs in Algeria.

Salmonellosis is one of the major foodborne diseases known to be closely related to the consumption of contaminated eggs, infected poultry, and poultry products. Control and survey of the poultry chain are the key elements and the most critical steps in the prevention of human transmission of Salmonella. This study was carried out in East Algeria on 150 eggs meant for consumption collected from mini-markets and immediately tested for Salmonella using standard methods (ISO AFNOR 6579 modified in 2002). Briefly, the shell surfaces were carefully wiped using sterile appropriated tissues while the white and yellow yolks were separated. All 10 samples were pooled together and a total of 45 samples were carefully analyzed. A contamination rate of 4.4% was found, and two strains of Salmonella bradford were isolated from white and yellow yolks. The results showed that XLT4 was the best medium for Salmonella isolation from yolks. Screening for other Salmonella in parental chickens using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test revealed seropositive cases of Salmonella enteritidis at the top of the poultry production pyramid. Occurrence of Salmonella in yolks and seropositive results for S. in parental chickens is a serious and potential danger to public health. Radical and preventive measures must be taken at the critical points to control and to avoid human transmission. These measures must be installed at all levels of egg production through the application of appropriate and strict regulations, and use of good hygienic practices in transport, storage, and food preparation.

Early development and allometric growth patterns of the grumatã (Prochilodus vimboides Kner, 1859).

The objective of this study was to characterize the early development and allometric growth of the grumatã (Prochilodus vimboides). We describe a sample of 266 eggs and larvae obtained through induced spawning. The eggs were spherical (mean 3.7 mm diameter), exhibited a yellow yolk and were non-adhesive and pelagic after fertilization and hydration. The time elapsed between the early cleavage and post-flexion stages was considered short (328 hours, 8054 hour-degrees) in regard to the development times of other Neotropical rheophilic species, but time to hatching was considerably longer than in other Prochilodus species. The most notable anatomical changes were observed between the end of the yolk larval stage and the beginning of the pre-flexion stage, when the larvae displayed directed swimming and the digestive system became functional, enabling the transition from endogenous to exogenous feeding. After hatching, the larvae grew from 6.04 to 15.15 mm in total length average. Two growth phases were observed at this stage: a non-linear asymptotic curve in yolk-sac larvae, and a linear constant-rate growth phase after exogenous feeding started. Allometric growth related to standard length was positive for head length, negative for eye diameter, and switched between phases from negative to positive in body depth and head height. Morphological development and allometric growth in different larval phases impose drastic anatomical and physiological changes that are synchronic with habitat changes and the flood cycles during the reproductive period.

Effects of dietary inclusion of lentil byproduct on performance and oxidative stability of eggs in laying quail.

One hundred and sixty-eight 11-week-old laying quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) were fed one of the following three diets: (1) control: basal diet with no lentil (Lens culinaris L.) byproduct; (2) inclusion of 10% lentil byproduct; (3) inclusion of 20% lentil byproduct. In the recent years, colour sorting machines are used in order to separate red lentils according to their colours. The goal is to select the items which are discoloured, not as ripe as required, or still with hull even after dehulling of lentil seed. During the sorting, a new byproduct called “sorting byproduct” leftover is obtained. The byproduct is cleaner and is of a higher quality than other lentil byproducts. This experiment was conducted to study the effects of the inclusion of different levels of lentil byproduct on laying quail performance. The experimental treatment included 10% or 20% lentil byproduct in the diet, and this was fed to quails aged between 11 and 22 weeks. The inclusion of 10% and 20% levels of lentil byproduct in the diet significantly increased egg production, but feed intake and feed conversion ratio were not significantly affected. Egg weight decreased significantly following the inclusion of 20% lentil byproduct. The inclusion of lentil byproduct in the diet increased the deposition of yellow yolk pigments and decreased malonaldehyde formation in the yolk.

Egg production, egg quality and crop content of Rhode Island Red hens grazing on natural tropical vegetation

The aim of this experiment was to study the suitability of the outdoor system for Rhode Island Red hens under the tropical conditions of southern Mexico. Twelve floor pens, each containing four birds, were divided randomly into two groups. The first group was raised indoors only, while each of the second group replicates had access to an outdoor area with natural-grown vegetation from 0800 to 1700 hours daily. Both groups fed ad libitum on a commercial layers diet. The results revealed no differences in body weight between treatments. The outdoor group recorded significantly higher egg laying rate (86.90 vs. 78.05 %), higher egg mass (50.66 vs. 45.30 g egg/hen/day), and higher feed intake (103.70 vs. 97.67 g/day) versus the indoor group. The outdoor group had eggs with darker yellow yolks (9.46 vs. 5.46), lower yolk, and higher albumen proportions (P < 0.05) versus the indoor group. The crop content of the outdoor hens consisted of 86.55 % concentrated feed, 6.30 % plant material, 2.27 % grit stones, 1.69 % snails and oyster shells, 1.25 % seeds, 0.95 % farm wastes, and 0.99 % insects, worms, and larvae. Of the outdoor hens, 43.1 % was observed to be in the range at each scanning time. The outdoor system in the tropics had beneficial effects on Rhode Island Red hen performance, and the hens utilized the outdoor area effectively and obtained various feed items.

Effect of 17β-Trenbolone on Male and Female Reproduction in Japanese Quail (Coturnix Japonica)

The anabolic steroid 17β trenbolone (17β-TB), a known endocrine disrupting chemical, may influence reproductive functions in avian wildlife. We evaluated the effects of dietary exposure to 17β-TB at 5 and 20 ppm on reproductive functional endpoints in Japanese quail during and after sexual maturation. In the male, 5 and 20 ppm treatments revealed no differences in body and testes weight, testes histology, plasma testosterone concentrations, or size and weight of the foam glands. However, the onset of foam production was significantly earlier (days of age) in the 20 ppm males. In females, dietary 17β-TB at 20 ppm caused a reduction in the number of maturing yellow yolk follicles and overall egg production. Plasma testosterone concentrations were reduced compared to controls. Histology of the oviductal sperm storage tubules was normal in all treatments. The number of sperm holes, sites on the perivitelline layer (PVL) where sperm bound and hydrolyzed a path through the PVL, was significantly greater in the 10th egg laid compared to the 1st egg laid in the 20 ppm treatment. Potential effects, albeit transient, on endpoints associated with male maturation warrant further investigation into the sensitivity of these measures in the event of embryonic and/or trans-generational exposure to 17β-TB.

Determination of egg consumption and consumer habits in Turkey

The aim of this study was to determine egg consumption habits in Turkey. Questionnaires prepared to determine habits regarding egg consumption were supplied to 2241 families. Sampling sizes and sample addresses were provided by the Turkish Statistical Institute. Data obtained through the questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS. Of the families that participated in the study, 98% consume eggs and the number of eggs consumed per person was 158 per year. In addition, 67.82% of the eggs consumed were purchased from supermarkets and 62.40% of the consumers pay most of their attention to the production date. The eggs were most often consumed in the morning, at a percentage of 85.52%, and 70.28% of all of the eggs were boiled for consumption. Egg packaging has an impact on consumer choice at a rate of 67.46%, and eggs packaged in egg trays covered with plastic wrap are preferred at a rate of 58.26%. Eggs with deep yellow yolks were preferred by 81.20% of the families. It was also found that 72.42% of the families were not knowledgeable about organic eggs. It is generally believed that egg consumption will decrease at a rate of 36% in the event of an avian influenza epidemic, as was the case with a previous epidemic in Turkey and around the world. Moreover, 67.11% of consumers believe that government supervision of egg production is inadequate. Egg consumption is low in society. Effective promotion and advertising campaigns about the nutritional value of eggs for a healthy society should be organized to create well-informed consumers.

Embryonic development and morphology of eggs and newly hatched larvae of Pacific herring Clupea pallasii

The embryonic development and morphology of eggs and newly hatched larvae of the Pacific herring Clupea pallasii were described using laboratory-reared specimens originating from the Miyako Bay stock. The eggs were almost spherical in shape, 1.33–1.46 mm (mean: 1.38 mm) in diameter, and had a thick adherent chorion. They had a segmented pale yellow yolk, no oil globule, and a relatively wide perivitelline space. A subgerminal cavity was observed during the gastrula period, whereas the blastocoel did not appear. Mass hatching occurred by 271 h 45 min after fertilization, and the newly hatched larvae were 7.1–7.7 mm (mean: 7.5 mm) in total length with 53–56 myomeres at 9.6°C. The embryonic development of Pacific herring was substantially similar to that of zebrafish Danio rerio, American shad Alosa sapidissima, as well as Atlantic herring Clupea harengus, and generally followed the basic developmental pattern of teleosts. However, Pacific herring larvae hatched at a more developed stage than some other clupeoids, such as Japanese sardine Sardinops melanostictus, and the progressed developmental stage at hatching could be interpreted as an advanced adaptation.