scholarly journals Impact of commercial housing systems and nutrient and energy intake on laying hen performance and egg quality parameters

2015 ◽  
Vol 94 (3) ◽  
pp. 485-501 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.M. Karcher ◽  
D.R. Jones ◽  
Z. Abdo ◽  
Y. Zhao ◽  
T.A. Shepherd ◽  
...  
2017 ◽  
Vol 63 (No. 1) ◽  
pp. 11-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Ketta ◽  
E. Tumova

The objective of the present study was to compare the eggshell characteristics and cuticle deposition of Lohmann Brown, Hy-Line Silver Brown, and Isa Brown layers kept in two different housing systems. The three laying hen genotypes were housed in enriched cages (100 hens, 750 cm<sup>2</sup>/hen, 10 hens/cage) and in littered pens (100 hens, 9 hens/m<sup>2</sup>, 10 hens/pen). The experiment was carried out in weeks 40–56 of hens age. Non-significant interactions of genotype and housing system for eggshell quality parameters and cuticle deposition were detected in this study. Egg weight was significantly affected by genotype (P ≤ 0.001) and housing system (P ≤ 0.043). The heaviest eggs were laid by Lohmann Brown, while the lightest eggs were produced by Hy-Line Silver Brown. Eggshell strength was not affected by genotype and housing system, however, genotype had a significant effect on eggshell thickness (P ≤ 0.033). Isa Brown eggs had thicker eggshells compared to Lohmann Brown and Hy-Line Silver Brown. However, a non-significant effect of housing system on eggshell thickness was observed. Eggshell percentage was significantly affected by both genotype and housing system. Genotype of laying hens had a significant effect on cuticle deposition; significantly higher cuticle deposition was observed in Lohmann Brown eggs (P ≤ 0.001). It could be concluded that genotype had a significant effect on eggshell quality parameters and cuticle deposition. However, the housing system effect was less important in these characteristics.


2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 322-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vivian Feddern ◽  
Marina Celant De Prá ◽  
Rúbia Mores ◽  
Rodrigo da Silveira Nicoloso ◽  
Arlei Coldebella ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Eggs are one of nearly perfect protein foods, offering nutrients of great biological value. However, during storage, egg albumen and yolk components may alter and deteriorate egg quality. Therefore, the aim of this work was to assess egg quality during 9-week storage. Parameters such as Haugh unit, weight loss, egg width and length, specific gravity, yolk and albumen dimensions and their pH were evaluated weekly. A total of 270 eggs (n=5) collected from two different hen strains were evaluated under room (20 to 35 °C in summer; 11.2 to 29.7 °C in autumn) and refrigerated (0 to 5 °C in summer; -3.1 to 6.5 °C in autumn) temperatures. For storage time, an unfolding analysis was accomplished by regression analysis using orthogonal polynomials. As a second approach, principal component analysis (PCA) was performed in order to assess correlations among quality parameters on storage conditions and laying hen strains. By the end of the 9-week storage period, eggs kept under refrigeration presented similar quality parameters to eggs stored at room temperature for only 3 weeks. In contrast, eggs kept at room temperature presented faster degradation from week 1 to 5. No differences on egg quality parameters were noticed between white and brown shells eggs. PCA suggests that better egg quality (first week) was associated mainly with higher egg weight and its specific gravity, Haugh unit and albumen height. Eggs stored at room temperature should be consumed in 2 weeks or refrigerated until 8 weeks, preserving internal quality from farm to retail.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (9) ◽  
pp. e0257681
Author(s):  
Veerle Van Hoeck ◽  
Ingrid Somers ◽  
Anas Abdelqader ◽  
Alexandra L. Wealleans ◽  
Sandy Van de Craen ◽  
...  

Anti-nutritional compounds such as non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) are present in viscous cereals used in feed for poultry. Therefore, exogenous carbohydrases are commonly added to monogastric feed to degrade these NSP. Our hypothesis is that xylanase not only improves laying hen performance and digestibility, but also induces a significant shift in microbial composition within the intestinal tract and thereby might exert a prebiotic effect. In this context, a better understanding on whether and how the chicken gut microbial population can be modulated by xylanase is required. To do so, the effects of dietary supplementation of xylanase on performance, apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) and cecal microbiome in laying hens were evaluated in the present study. A total of 96 HiSex laying hens were used in this experiment (3 diets and 16 replicates of 2 hens). Xylanase was added to the diets at concentrations of 0, 45,000 (15 g/t XygestTM HT) and 90,000 U/kg (30 g/t Xygest HT). The diets were based on wheat (~55%), soybean and sunflower meal. The lowest dosage, 45,000 U/kg, significantly increased average egg weight and improved feed efficiency compared to the control treatment (P<0.05). Egg quality parameters were significantly improved in the experiment in response to the xylanase addition. For example, during the last 28 days of the trial, birds receiving the 45,000 U/kg and the 90,000 U/kg treatments exhibited an increase in Haugh units and albumin heights (P<0.05). Compared with the control, the ATTD of organic matter and crude protein were drastically improved in the 45,000 U/kg treatment group (P<0.05). Furthermore, gross energy and the ATTD of crude fat were improved significantly for birds fed 90,000 U/kg group compared to the control. Importantly, 16S rRNA gene analysis revealed that xylanase at 45,000 U/kg dosage can exert a change in the cecal microbiome. A significant increase in beneficial bacteria (Bacilli class; Enterococcaceae and Lactobacillales orders; Merdibacter, Enterococcus and Nocardiopsis genera; Enterococcus casseliflavus species) was documented when adding 45,000 U/kg xylanase to the diet of laying hens. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of xylanase 45,000 U/kg significantly improved laying hen performance and digestibility. Furthermore, microbiome data suggest that xylanase modulates the laying hen bacterial population beneficially, thus potentially exerting a prebiotic effect.


Author(s):  
Ergün Demir ◽  
Hüseyin Eseceli ◽  
Akif Özcan

This study was carried out to determine the effect of a high level of aflatoxin B1 in laying hen diets, supplemented with deactivated and activated clinoptilolite, on inner and outer quality and aflatoxin B1 residues in eggs. Two experimental groups were formed and fed high aflatoxin B1 diets (965 ppb) containing deactivated and activated (450 ?C for 60 minutes) clinoptilolite (2% of diet) for 49 days. In the experiment, a total of 960 55-week-old Lohmann LSL (white) laying hens were used. Each group had 8 replicates and 480 hens. Egg weight, inner and outer egg quality parameters and egg aflatoxin B1 levels were determined in a total of 90 eggs collected on the 15th, 30th and 49th days of the experiment. Diets containing deactivated or activated clinoptilolite decreased aflatoxin B1 production in laying hen diets after incubation period of 15 days. Activation of clinoptilolite by heat treat?ment significantly reduced aflatoxin B1 level in eggs (p<0.05). In addition, the use of clinop?tilolite as an antifungal agent in the presence of high aflatoxin B1level in layer hen diets significantly increased the weight of eggs and significantly reduced the ratio of broken-cracked and dirty eggs (p<0.05). Chicken blood albumin, creatinine and calcium levels were higher in hens fed diet containing activated clinoptilolite (p<0.05). However, triglyceride and VLDL levels decreased significantly in the blood of these animals (p <0.05). In conclusion, the supplementation of hen diets containing high aflatoxin B1 with activated clinoptilolite improves production performance, egg quality and decreases aflatoxin B1 residue in the egg.


2008 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Scholz ◽  
S. Rönchen ◽  
H. Hamann ◽  
C. Sürie ◽  
U. Neumann ◽  
...  

Abstract. The objective of the study was to assess bone breaking strength, keel bone status and egg quality parameters of Lohmann Silver (LS) and Lohmann Tradition (LT) layers housed in small group systems (SG) and furnished cages (FC) in comparison to an aviary system. At the end of the 3rd, 6th, 9th and 11th laying month, approximately 40 hens were randomly chosen from each housing system and slaughtered (478 hens in total). Humerus and tibia strengths were analysed using a three-point-bending machine. Keel bone status was evaluated on a scale from 1 (severe) to 4 (no deformity). Shell breaking strength was measured every four weeks, totalling 4,887 eggs. Statistical analyses were performed using the MIXED procedure of SAS. Humerus and tibia strengths of LS layers housed in SG were significantly higher compared to LS hens kept in FC. Bone breaking strengths of humerus and tibia in LS and LT layers were highest in the aviary system and the differences to the other housing systems were significant. No significant differences in tibia and humerus bone breaking strengths were found between SG and FC for LT hens. Keel bone status was not significantly influenced by housing system or laying strain. For both hybrids, shell breaking strength was significantly lower in SG compared to FC and aviary system. The results showed that SG systems can significantly enhance bone breaking strength for LS layers in comparison to hens kept in FC. The lower shell breaking strength of eggs in SG might slightly impair economic aspects.


2011 ◽  
Vol 56 (No. 11) ◽  
pp. 490-498 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Tůmová ◽  
M. Englmaierová ◽  
Z. Ledvinka ◽  
V. Charvátová

The effect of three housing systems (conventional cages, enriched cages and litter) on egg quality parameters was evaluated in two experiments with four brown laying strains ISA Brown, Hisex Brown, Bovans Brown and Moravia BSL. During 40 weeks of lay the total number of 7200 eggs was produced and analysed for egg weight, egg component weight and eggshell quality indicators. In 60 eggs, pore density in the small-end, large-end and equatorial areas was determined. Significant interactions between genotype and housing were found out in egg weight (P &le; 0.001), yolk and albumen weight (P &le; 0.001) and yolk colour (P &le; 0.001). Haugh units were the highest in eggs laid in cages and the lowest in the ISA Brown strain. Eggshell quality indicators were affected more by genotype than by housing. The interaction between genotype and housing was not significant for eggshell thickness but it was significant for eggshell weight and strength. Although eggshell thickness was lower in eggs produced in cages, eggshell strength was higher. A significant negative correlation was found out between pore density and housing system. Results of the study suggest that the ability of a strain to produce eggs of high quality in a particular housing system should be considered, even within brown strains.


2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 247-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Rutkowski ◽  
M. Hejdysz ◽  
S. Kaczmarek ◽  
M. Adamski ◽  
S. Nowaczewski ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 279-295
Author(s):  
O. A. Ogunwole,

Egg quality and durability have been directly linked to the nutrition of laying hen thus, the effects of five different supplemental vitamin-mineral premixes (VmP) in the diets of laying hens housed in battery cage (BC) and deep litter (DL) on the egg properties and shelf life stability in 0, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days of egg storage (DOS) were investigated in this study. In a 4-week feeding trial, Bovans Nera Black laying hens (n=480) aged 71-week were allocated to five treatments in each housing system (HS) (BC and DL). Each treatment was replicated six times and a replicate comprised eight hens. The basal isocaloric and isonitrogenous diet was appropriately supplemented with 0.25% of any of the five proprietary VmP and the diets were offered with water ad libitum to respective experimental hens in both HS. The experiment was a 2x5x5 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design (2 HS X 5VmP X 5DOS). Foaming capacity, foaming stability, viscosity, emulsion stability, least gelation concentration and shelf life stability of egg white and whole egg from both HS decreased significantly (P<0.05)in DOS while the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS mg/MA/100g) increased in DOS. The TBARS of respective whole and egg white from hens fed VmP1 (0.048 and 0.051), 2 (0.049 and 0.054), 3(0.056 and 0.155), 4(0.156 and 0.156) and 5 (0.153 and 0.151) differed significantly (P<0.05). Interactions of HS X VmP, HS X DOS on all attributes of both whole and egg white, except specific gravity and emulsion capacity, were significantly different (P<0.05). Eggs deteriorated in DOS irrespective of dietary VmP or HS but much more for eggs from DL compared with BC.  


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