scholarly journals Optimal dietary concentrations of vitamin C and chromium picolinate for alleviating the effect of low ambient temperature (6.2 degrees C) on egg production, some egg characteristics, and nutrient digestibility in laying hens

2001 ◽  
Vol 46 (No. 9–10) ◽  
pp. 229-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Sahin ◽  
K. Sahin

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) and chromium (chromium picolinate, Cr Pic) on egg production, some egg characteristics, and digestibility of nutrients in laying hens (Hy-Line) reared under a low ambient temperature (6.2°C). Two hundred and ten laying hens (32 week-old) were divided into seven groups, 30 hens per group. The treatment groups were designed in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement using two levels of vitamin C (125 and 250 mg/kg of diet) and three levels of chromium picolinate (200, 400, or 800 µg/kg of diet), and control group was fed basal diet. The highest values of performance were obtained if 250 mg/kg vitamin C was supplemented with either 400 or 800 µg Cr per kg of diet. An interaction between vitamin C and chromium for egg production (P = 0.05) and feed efficiency (P = 0.02) was detected. Similarly, egg weight, specific gravity, egg shell thickness, egg shell weight and Haugh unit improved with diet containing 250 mg vitamin C and either 400 or 800 µg Cr per kg of diet (P £ 0.05). Digestibility of dry matter (DM), ash, organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), and ether extract (EE) were higher with higher dietary vitamin C (P £ 0.05) and also with higher Cr (P £ 0.05). There were no interactions between vitamin C and chromium detected for any parameters measured for egg quality in terms of egg weight, specific gravidity, egg shell thickness, egg shell weight and Haugh unit and digestibility of nutrients (P ³ 0.28). Data obtained in the present study shows that a combination of 250 mg vitamin C and 400 µg chromium per kg of diet gave the best results in laying hens reared under a low ambient temperature and a conclusion is suggested that such a diet can be considered as a protective management practice in poultry to alleviate, at least in part, the depressive effect of cold stress on poultry performance.

Author(s):  
Heryandi YAN ◽  
Yanti Putri NOVA ◽  
Adrizal ADRIZAL ◽  
Endo Mahata MARIA

ABSTRACT The bromelain enzyme content in pineapple peel waste predicted to promote digestive tract health and a positive effect on egg quality. This research aimed to evaluate the use of fermented pineapple peel waste in laying hens diet on egg quality. A total of laying hens 200 birds with Isa Brown strain, egg production of 70%, The average egg weight and body weight were 58.58 g/egg, and 1.62 g/bird, respectively. A completely randomized design was used, 5 different levels of fermented pineapple peel waste as treatment (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20%), and all treatments were repeated 4 times. Egg shell thickness, egg shell strength, haugh unit, egg yolk fat, and egg yolk color were measured. The use of fermented pineapple peel waste in the diet of laying hens up to 20% highly significant (P<0.01) on egg yolk color, and did not negative effect (P>0.05) on egg shell thickness, egg shell strength, haugh unit, and egg yolk fat. Fermented pineapple peel waste can be used as much as 20% in laying hens diet without disturbing egg quality and improve egg yolk color.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 127-133
Author(s):  
J. Y. ODIBA ◽  
P. E. SANFORD

Two 280-day trials, each involving 468, 22-week-old caged commercial egg-strain pullets were conducted to Compare millet and sorghum grain as the main source of energy in laying diets. Diets containing 59.2 and 0, 41.0 and 24.0, 31.2 and 36.3 and 0 and 72.5% of sorghum grain and pearl millet, respectively, were studied in both trials The diets containing millet supported egg production, egg weight, feed conversion and egg shell thickness equivalent to those of the all-sorghum diet. Except in Trial 1, feed consumption of the pullets fed the millet-containing   diets was not significantly lower than that of the pullets fed the all-sorghum diet. Haugh unit values tended to decrease as the level of millet was decreased. Feeding millet at a level as high as 72.5% Of the diet may have adverse effects on egg specific gravity and haugh units


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 2991
Author(s):  
Isabelle Ruhnke ◽  
Yeasmin Akter ◽  
Terence Zimazile Sibanda ◽  
Aaron J. Cowieson ◽  
Stuart Wilkinson ◽  
...  

Laying hens require substantial quantities of calcium (Ca) to maintain egg production. However, maintaining recommended dietary Ca through inclusion of limestone may impede nutrient digestibility, including that of other minerals. It was hypothesized that providing a separate source of dietary Ca in the form of limestone grit would preserve Ca intake of hens offered diets containing suboptimal Ca concentrations. Furthermore, the impact of dietary phytase at a “superdosing” inclusion rate on the voluntary consumption of limestone grit was evaluated. One hundred and forty-four laying hens (19 weeks of age) were assigned to one of six dietary treatments in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement comprising three dietary Ca concentrations (40, 30, and 20 g/kg) and ±dietary phytase (3500 FYT/kg diet) on an ad libitum basis for six weeks. Limestone grit (3.4 ± 1.0 mm) was provided to all hens ad libitum. Hens offered diets containing phytase consumed significantly less limestone grit p = 0.024). Egg weight, rate of lay, and egg mass were unaffected by dietary treatment (p > 0.05). Egg shell weight % (p < 0.001), shell thickness (p < 0.001), and shell breaking strength (p < 0.01) decreased in line with dietary Ca levels. In summary, dietary superdosing with phytase reduced the consumption of a separate limestone source in individually housed, early lay ISA Brown hens. Egg shell quality variables but not egg production worsened in line with lower dietary Ca levels.


2019 ◽  
Vol 64 (No. 5) ◽  
pp. 216-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moataz Fathi ◽  
Ibrahim Al-Homidan ◽  
Gamal Rayan ◽  
Salah El-Safty ◽  
Tarek Ebeid ◽  
...  

Major genes could be introgressed into laying hens to attenuate heat stress. However, under cold and/or moderate ambient temperature, these genes might possess different behaviour. The main objective of this study was to evaluate laying performance, immune response, and antioxidant status of native laying hens segregating for naked neck (Na) and frizzle (F) genes under low ambient temperature. Five genotypes were studied: homozygous naked neck (NaNaff), heterozygous naked neck (Nanaff), homozygous frizzle (nanaFF), heterozygous frizzle (nanaFf), and normally feathered (nanaff). The hens were raised under temperature range 22.2–16.7°C. No adverse effect due to ambient temperature was detected in laying performance for naked neck genotypes. Significant decrease in egg weight was recorded in nanaFF genotype compared to the other genotypes leading to significant decrease in egg mass. Significant improvement in shell thickness was associated with Na and F genes. NaNaff genotype had a significantly higher eggshell strength compared to nanaff. Furthermore, Na and F genes improved cellular mediated immune responsiveness, whereas this improvement did not extend to humoral immunity. Birds carrying F gene in homozygous state had a higher total antioxidant activity compared to the remaining genotypes. It could be concluded that the presence of Na and F genes in laying hens raised under low ambient temperature significantly increased shell thickness and, in turn, improved shell strength. Moreover, they greatly enhanced cellular immunity, particularly in heterozygous naked neck status.


2012 ◽  
Vol 48 (No. 1 - 2) ◽  
pp. 33-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Kucuk ◽  
N. Sahin ◽  
K. Sahin ◽  
Gursu MF ◽  
F. Gulcu ◽  
...  

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) and vitamin E (&alpha;-tocopherol acetate) on egg production, egg quality, lipid peroxidation status (measured as MDA), and some serum metabolites in laying hens (Hy-Line) maintained at a low ambient temperature (6&deg;C). One hundred and twenty laying hens (18-wk-old) were divided into four groups, 30 hens per group. The laying hens were fed either a basal diet or the basal diet supplemented with either 250 mg of L-ascorbic acid/kg of diet, 250 mg of &alpha;-tocopherol acetate/kg of diet or 250 mg of L-ascorbic acid plus 250 mg of &alpha;-tocopherol acetate/kg of diet. Although feed consumption of the hens was similar (P &gt; 0.05) among treatments, supplemental vitamin C and E significantly increased final body weight, egg production, and improved feed efficiency (P &lt; 0.05). Egg weights were also greater (P &lt; 0.05) in hens supplemented with the combination of vitamin C and E than that of hens supplemented either vitamin or no vitamin (control). Haugh unit did not change upon each vitamin supplementation, but the combination of the vitamin supplement yielded a higher Haugh unit (P &lt; 0.05). Each dietary supplement of vitamin C and vitamin E improved the egg quality (P &lt; 0.05) resulting in a greater specific gravity, thicker egg shell, and heavier egg shell weight. Separately or as a combination, supplemental vitamin C and E decreased MDA, glucose, cholesterol, and triglyceride concentrations (P &lt; 0.05). Results of the present study showed that supplementing vitamin C and vitamin E, particularly as a combination, improved the performance of cold-stressed laying hens, offering a potential protective management practice in preventing cold stress-related losses in performance of laying hens. Results of the present study also indicated that the effects of vitamin C and vitamin E are additive.


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