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PubMed1984

Effects of vitamin D3 deficiency on adenosine triphosphatase activity of jejunums from white Leghorn hens.

Supplemental vitamin D3 (D3) was removed from the diet given to an experimental group of White Leghorn hens, at 227 days of age, while a control group continued to receive a supplemental diet. By 14 days after D3 withdrawal, egg weight, egg specific gravity, shell weight, percent shell, shell thickness, and plasma calcium were lower (P less than .05) in the experimental compared to the control group. At 30 to 37 days after D3 withdrawal, experimental hens had less (P less than .05) jejunal adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity than the control hens. The study indicated that lack of D3 supplementation in laying diets reduced jejunal ATPase activity as well as egg shell quality.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed1999

Effects of broiler breeder age and length of egg storage on albumen characteristics and hatchability.

Two experiments were conducted with the purpose of determining the influence of broiler breeder age and storage time on egg albumen characteristics, embryonic mortality, and hatchability. Eggs from four commercial flocks of the same strain (Peterson x Minibro Shaver), under the same management and nutritional regimen, were incubated after storage at 16 C and 78% relative humidity, for periods of 0 (fresh), 1, 4, or 8 d. Albumen height and albumen pH were recorded immediately prior to each setting in Experiment 1 (eggs collected from 32- and 54-wk-old flocks) and at 0, 12, 24, 38, and 60 h of incubation in Experiment 2 (eggs from 42- and 59-wk-old flocks). Overall, albumen pH was 0.95 higher in eggs stored for 8 d than in fresh eggs, but most of this increase occurred during the first 4 d of storage. At 0 d of storage, pH increased (P < 0.05) with flock age, but age differences were negligible at 8 d of storage. Albumen height decreased with hen age and storage time (P < 0.05). Embryo viability was affected by the storage length by flock age interaction, such that longer periods of storage decreased viability in all flock ages. Decreased viability was pronounced in older flocks, with regression coefficients of viability on days of storage being -0.82 and -1.92% at 32 and 59 wk of age, respectively. The detrimental effects of storage time on viability in older flocks were mostly due to an increased incidence of culls and embryonic losses at all stages. Present results suggest that declines in hatchability with presetting storage start 1 d after lay, possibly due to deterioration in egg albumen quality.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2006

Reproductive output of female Anopheles gambiae (Diptera: Culicidae): comparison of molecular forms.

Knowledge of ecological differences between the molecular forms of Anopheles gambiae Giles (Diptera: Culicidae) might lead to understanding of their unique contribution to disease transmission, to better vector control, and to identification of the forces that have separated them. We compared female fecundity measured as egg batch size in relation to body size between the molecular forms in Mali and contrasted them with their sibling species, Anopheles arabiensis Patton. To determine whether eggs of different egg batches are of similar "quality," we compared the total protein content of first-stage larvae (L1s), collected < 2 h after hatching in deionized water. Egg batch size significantly varied between An. gambiae and An. arabiensis and between the molecular forms of An. gambiae (mean batch size was 186.3, 182.5, and 162.0 eggs in An. arabiensis and the M and the S molecular form of An. gambiae, respectively). After accommodating female body size, however, the difference in batch size was not significant. In the S molecular form, egg protein content was not correlated with egg batch size (r = -0.08, P > 0.7) nor with female body size (r = -0.18, P > 0.4), suggesting that females with more resources invest in more eggs rather than in higher quality eggs. The mean total protein in eggs of the M form (0.407 microg per L1) was 6% higher than that of the S form (0.384 microg per L1), indicating that the M form invests a greater portion of her resources into current (rather than future) reproduction. A greater investment per offspring coupled with larger egg batch size may reflect an adaptation of the M form to low productivity larval sites as independent evidence suggests.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Chemical method for determination of carbon dioxide content in egg yolk and egg albumen.

The safety, quality, and shelf life of shell eggs is a function of carbon dioxide content. A commercial process was recently developed for rapidly cooling shell eggs by using cryogenic CO2. The benefit of this new process over existing cooling processes is that the CO2 addition during cryogenic cooling provides additional safety and quality enhancements. In order for these benefits to be fully developed into a process that can be adopted by the egg industry, and thus realized by the consumer, the amount of CO2 absorbed by the egg during this process needs to be quantified. Because the albumen pH of rapidly cooled eggs was reduced to pH <6.5, existing titrametric methods were not adequate for determining CO2 content. They did not prevent CO2 loss during neutralization. A simple and accurate method for determining CO2 content in acidified egg albumen and yolk samples was developed. This method involves the liberation of CO2 from an acidified egg sample into a standardized, dilute sodium hydroxide solution inside a sealed jar. The egg sample and a small beaker containing the standardized sodium hydroxide solution are placed in a glass jar and sealed. Next, a concentrated acid phosphate solution is injected through a rubber septum in the cap of the jar onto the egg sample, while avoiding contact with the sodium hydroxide solution. The sample is then stored at 37 C for 24 h. During this storage period, the carbon dioxide is released from the egg sample and is absorbed into the sodium hydroxide solution. Afterwards, the dilute sodium hydroxide solution is removed and titrated to the phenolphthalein endpoint using a dilute, standardized hydrochloric acid solution. The amount of hydrochloric acid solution required for neutralization can be directly related to CO2 content in the sample.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

The effect on egg-shell thickness of the inclusion of the calcinogenic plant Solanum malacoxylon in the diet of laying hens.

The leaves of the plant Solanum malacoxylon contain 1,25 dihydroxycholecalciferol, the active form of vitamin D. The effect on egg-shell thickness of supplementing the diet of laying hens with a dry powdered preparation of the leaves (DLSM) has been studied. A significnat increase in shell thickness was evident for eggs laid on the second and subsequent days of the DLSM-regimen but nor for those laid during the first 24 hours. It is suggested that the provision of high doses of the vitamin D metabolite in the form of a DLSM supplement may restore calcium binding protein levels in birds approaching the end of the first laying year and hence improve dietary calcium absorption and consequently egg-shell quality.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Fertility and maternal age strategies to improve pregnancy outcome.

In humans, the live birth rate drops precipitously with increasing maternal age, and this decline is associated with increases in the incidence of oocyte and embryo aneuploidy. Preimplantation aneuploidy screening has improved pregnancy outcome by significantly lowering the miscarriage rate. Nevertheless, aneuploidy screening only identifies the affected embryos; it does not attempt to correct the underlying biologic problem. Anomalies in chromosome segregation can result from a dysfunctional first or second meiotic division in the egg or develop after fertilization during the first few mitoses of early embryonic development. In both instances, ooplasmic anomalies may account for the nuclear problem. Low cell levels of cytoplasmic proteins (e.g., cytoskeletal elements, enzymes, energy stores, cell cycle regulatory proteins) may lead to a dysfunctional division of chromosomes during egg maturation or following fertilization. Ooplasmic injection is a micromanipulation technique that has produced pregnancies in patients with a history of poor-quality, fragmented embryos. Germinal vesicle transfer is a research procedure used to investigate the ooplasmic-nuclear interplay regulating cell cycle, maturation, and fertilization. Both these techniques may prove to be effective in improving the quality of eggs from patients of advanced maternal age.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Microbial health risk posed by table eggs in Trinidad.

A survey of the microbial quality of table eggs sold in Trinidad was conducted. For 23 poultry layer farms each visited twice approximately 1 month apart, 25 pooled eggs constituted a composite sample, for 14 shopping malls each visited twice approximately 1 month apart, six pooled eggs made a composite sample and for a total of 102 other retailers across the country each visited once over a 4-month period, six pooled eggs constituted a composite sample. Swabs of egg shells and egg content were tested for selected bacteria. Twenty-four (13.0%), 68 (37.0%), and two (1.1%) of a total of 184 composite eggs (shells, egg content or both) sampled were positive for Salmonella, Escherichia coli, and Campylobacter respectively. All 184 samples tested were negative for Listeria spp. Salmonella was recovered from seven (3.8%) egg shell samples only compared with 14 (7.6%) egg content samples only positive for the pathogen. Fifty-two (28.3%) egg shell samples and seven (3.8%) egg content samples were positive for E. coli. Both isolates of Campylobacter coli originated from egg contents. Of a total of 24 composite egg samples positive for Salmonella, eight different serotypes of Salmonella were isolated from a total of 24 Salmonella-positive composite eggs of which S. Enteritidis was the most prevalent, 58.3% (14/24). Salmonella Georgia was isolated for the first time in Trinidad. Failure to properly handle or heat table eggs sold in Trinidad poses a potential health hazard to consumers because of their poor microbial quality.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Research note: eggshell quality in Japanese quail fed different fatty acids.

The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of diets containing 3% palmitic acid (Diet PA), oleic acid (Diet OA), or linoleic acid (Diet LA) on the shell quality of eggs of Japanese quail. Each diet was fed to 10 hens maintained individually in wire quail laying cages. There was no difference (P greater than .05) in feed consumption between hens fed Diets OA and LA, but hens of both groups consumed less (P less than .05) feed than those fed Diet PA. Egg weight, shell weight, and thickness of shell plus membrane were not influenced by dietary treatment (P greater than .05). However, specific gravity of eggs from hens fed Diet OA was significantly higher (P less than .05) than that of eggs from those fed either Diet PA or Diet LA. Comparison of these data with hatchability data obtained in a previous experiment conducted under similar conditions suggests that the differences in hatchability would not be explained by differences in eggshell quality.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Ahemeral lighting of turkey breeder hens. 1. Cycle length effects on egg production and egg characteristics.

A study was conducted to determine the effective range of light-dark cycle lengths for reproductive performance in turkey hens. The treatments consisted of seven different light-dark cycle lengths: 21, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, and 30 h each with a 15-h photophase per cycle. Data were collected for BW, feed intake, livability, onset and rate of egg production, egg weight (EW), shell thickness, and weight of egg components. The results indicate that turkey hens can be induced to lay eggs with light-dark cycle lengths other than 24 h (ahemeral) with practical extremes being about 23 to 28 h. Egg production in the ahemeral treatments never significantly exceeded that occurring in the 24 h group and the percentage of floor eggs increased at cycle lengths greater than 26 h and at 21 h. Cycle lengths of 21 and 30 h provided the most extreme deviations in the quantity and quality of eggs from those obtained on a 24 h cycle length. Shell thickness increased consistently as cycle lengths increased from 23 to 30 h. Egg weight increased in a curvilinear manner as cycle lengths increased or decreased from 24 h. This increase was associated with increases in shell, yolk, and albumen weight; however, the contribution by each was inconsistent, varying by cycle length as well as time on treatment. It may be concluded that an effective practical range of light-dark cycles for turkeys is 23 to 28 h and that 28 h is a reasonable limit to maximize EW and shell thickness while minimizing a reduction in egg production.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Influence of spiced feed additives on taste of hen's eggs].

The effect of the spices garlic (Allium sativum), extract from garlic, sage (Salvia officinalis), caraway (Carum carvi), peppermint (Mentha piperita), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), thyme (Thymus vulgaris), paprika (Capsicum annuum), marjoram (Majorana hortensis), cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) and sausage-mix fed to white hybrides on the quality of eggs (n = 705) was tested by 10 qualified persons. Changes in smell or taste were partly significant; a direct improvement is hard to induce. A well seasoned taste was obtained by feeding of garlic, fennel, peppermint and marjoram. They produce an aromatic flavor. A practical application is possible but limited by higher production prices. Further, it is uncertain if there is a need for "taste-manipulated" eggs.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1987

The relation between sodium chloride concentration in drinking water and egg-shell damage.

1. A significant linear increase in egg-shell defects from 60-week-old laying hens, and corresponding significant linear decreases in various egg-shell-quality measurements, were observed in response to increasing concentrations of sodium chloride in the drinking water, to the maximum concentration of 600 mg/l used in the present study. 2. The incidence of damaged egg shells was increased 3-fold by including NaCl in the drinking water at a concentration of 600 mg/l. 3. Shell defects declined when birds were placed on normal water for 5 weeks but were still 1.4- to 2.1-fold greater than control values. 4. After an induced rest from lay on normal water, shell defects were still 1.3- to 3.2-fold greater in birds which had previously received the NaCl in the drinking water. 5. The increased incidence of shell damage was not related to decreased food intake or increased egg weight or production.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Calling is an honest indicator of paternal genetic quality in poison frogs.

Several competing hypotheses have been put forward to explain why females of many species mate preferentially with males possessing the most conspicuous signals (e.g., ornaments, displays, or songs). We performed a laboratory experiment using two species of poison frogs, Dendrobates leucomelas and Epipedobates tricolor, to test the hypothesis that male calling performance is an honest indicator of parental quality. Our analyses are based on data from behavioral observations of mating activities of captive-reared individuals (and their offspring) that were housed in terraria for four consecutive breeding seasons. Male mating success increased with male calling rate and chirp duration in both species, suggesting that females preferred males with more elaborate calls. Because calling performance improved with age in D. leucomelas, female poison frogs that prefer males with more elaborate calls in the wild may end up mating with older males that have already proven their ability to survive. Females that mated with good callers obtained higher quality offspring. Eggs fertilized by males with high calling rates and long chirp durations had higher hatching success and produced tadpoles that were more likely to metamorphose into surviving frogs. As a consequence, females that mated with males with high calling performance obtained more surviving offspring per egg, compared to females that mated with poor callers. Collectively, our findings comply with the notion that female poison frogs prefer to mate with good callers because calling performance is a reliable predictor of offspring quality. The possible influence of maternal allocation and reasons for the strong effect size compared to previous studies are discussed.

Aging↗
PubMed2001

Effect of the mycotoxin aurofusarin on the antioxidant composition and fatty acid profile of quail eggs.

1. The effect of the mycotoxin aurofusarin on the antioxidant composition and fatty acid profile of quail eggs was investigated. 2. Thirty eight 45-d-old Japanese quails were divided into two groups (experimental and control, 15 females +4 males in each group) and were fed on a maize-soya diet balanced in all nutrients. The diet of the experimental quails was supplemented with aurofusarin at the level of 26.4 mg/kg feed in the form of Fusarium graminearum culture enriched with aurofusarin. At the beginning and after 2, 4 and 8 week supplementation periods, eggs were collected and analysed. After 8 weeks of supplementation, experimental quails were fed on unsupplemented diet during the next 4 weeks and eggs were collected after 2 and 4 weeks on such a diet and analysed. 3. Aurofusarin caused a significant (P<0.05) decrease in vitamins E, A, total carotenoid, lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations and significantly (P<0.05) increased egg yolk susceptibility to lipid peroxidation. During two weeks on the diet without aurofusarin the levels of carotenoids in the egg yolk returned to the initial level, vitamins A and E returned to the initial level during 4 weeks on the same unsupplemented diet. 4. Dietary supplementation with aurofusarin was associated with a significant (P<0.01) decrease in the docosahexaenoic acid proportion in the phospholipid, cholesteryl ester and free fatty acid fractions of the egg yolk. At the same time the proportion of linoleic acid in the phospholipid, free fatty acid and triacylglycerol fractions significantly (P<0.05) increased. 5. It is concluded that mycotoxin aurofusarin is detrimental to the nutritional quality of eggs.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Bioavailability of iron in cooked egg yolk for maintenance of hemoglobin levels in growing rats.

The relative biological value (RBV) of iron in egg yolk was compared with that of iron in ferrous sulfate in prophylactic assays with weanling rats. Egg yolk cooked by one of three different methods was used in each experiment: (1) yolk of eggs boiled in the shell, lyophilized, and mixed with other dry diet ingredients; (2) pasteurized yolk and other diet components steamed with 8 liters of water per kilogram of diet; and (3) pasteurized yolk and other diet ingredients baked with 0.5 liters of water per kilogram of diet. Diets containing three levels of egg yolk and four levels of ferrous sulfate were fed to different groups of rats for 1, 2, and 3 weeks. Response of dietary iron was calculated as the regression of hemoglobin iron gain on iron intake and the nutritional quality of egg iron relative to that of ferrous sulfate iron was evaluated by slope-ratio analysis. RBV was 61, 64, and 90%, respectively, for iron of egg yolk cooked by the three methods. The presence of ascorbic acid during heat treatment of the diets significantly increased RBV of yolk iron from 64 to 92% in experiment 2, and increased it to a value equivalent to that of ferrous sulfate in experiment 3.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Effects of egg storage time on spread of hatch, chick quality, and chick juvenile growth.

A total of 1,800 incubating eggs produced by a commercial flock of Cobb broiler breeders was used to determine the effects of storage duration (3 or 18 d) on spread of hatch and chick quality. Chick relative growth (RG) at the end of 7 d of rearing was also determined as a measure of the chick performance. Chick quality was defined to encompass several qualitative characteristics and scored according to their importance. Eggs stored for 3 d hatched earlier than those stored for 18 d (P < 0.05). Hatching was normally distributed in both categories of eggs, and the spread of hatch was not affected by storage time (P = 0.69). Storage duration of 18 d reduced the percentage of day-old chick with high quality as well as average chick quality score (P < 0.05). RG varied with length of egg storage, quality of day-old chick, and the incubation duration (P < 0.05). Eighteen-day storage of eggs not only resulted in longer incubation duration and lower quality score but also depressed RG. Chick quality as defined in this study was correlated to RG and storage time. It was concluded that day-old chick quality may be a relatively good indicator of broiler performance. The results suggest however that in order to improve performance prediction power of chick quality, it would be better to define it as a combination of several qualitative aspects of the day-old chick and the juvenile growth to 7 d.

Aging↗
PubMed2004

Payment for egg donation and surrogacy.

This article examines the ethics of egg donation. It begins by looking at objections to noncommercial gamete donation, and then takes up criticism of commercial egg donation. After discussing arguments based on concern for offspring, inequality, commodification, exploitation of donors, and threats to the family, I conclude that some payment to donors is ethically acceptable. Donors should not be paid for their eggs, but rather they should be compensated for the burdens of egg retrieval. Making the distinction between compensation for burdens and payment for a product has the advantages of limiting payment, not distinguishing between donors on the basis of their traits, and ensuring that donors are paid regardless of the number or quality of eggs retrieved.

Commodification↗
PubMed1985

Calcium and its relationship to excess feed consumption, body weight, egg size, fat deposition, shell quality, and fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome.

In Experiment 1, Hyline W36 caged hens were fed diets containing 1.7, 2.9, 3.5, and 4.1% calcium for 10 and 16 weeks. In Experiments 2 and 4, Dekalb XL and Hyline W36 pullets were fed diets containing 1.0, 1.7, and 3.75% calcium for 3 weeks (Exp. 2) or until 25 pullets from each group laid 7 eggs (Exp. 4). In Experiment 3 and 5, Dekalb and Hyline hens were fed diets containing 1.5 (Dekalb only), 1.75, 2.25, 2.75, and 3.75% calcium for 8 weeks. Criteria were liver, fat pad, egg and shell weights, egg specific gravity, production, feed consumption, liver fat and fatty acid composition, liver hemorrhage score, and body weight. As percent dietary calcium decreased, Hyline birds (Exp. 1, 4, and 5) had increased liver fat, body weight (except Exp. 4), and feed consumption, but egg specific gravity and shell weight decreased. Reduced dietary calcium levels had no effect on egg production in Experiment 1 but significantly reduced production in Experiment 5. Liver hemorrhage score significantly increased as percent dietary calcium decreased (Exp. 1). As dietary calcium decreased, Dekalb pullets (Exp. 2) had increased feed consumption, fat pad weight, and liver hemorrhage score. There was no increase in liver fat. However, in Dekalb hens (Exp. 3), feed consumption and egg production were significantly decreased as dietary calcium decreased. It is concluded that overconsumption caused by feeding pullets or hens inadequate calcium had no beneficial effect on egg size or egg production and, depending on strain, increased liver fat, liver hemorrhage score, body weight, and fat pad weight.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1989

Production performance of laying hens fed L-tryptophan.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether supplementing L-tryptophan to a nutritionally complete diet would influence egg production rate and egg shell quality in laying hens. One hundred and twenty layers (Rhode Island Red x White Leghorn) were randomly allocated into three groups. Birds were fed a basal diet or diets supplemented with L-tryptophan at 250 or 500 mg/kg for 405 days from 25 wk of age. Hen day egg production and daily egg output were proportionately higher with higher levels of supplemental dietary L-tryptophan; the differences were significant (P less than .05) for layers fed the 500 mg tryptophan/kg diet. The improvement in egg production by dietary L-tryptophan was greatest during the latter part of the laying period. These findings suggest that supplemental L-tryptophan improves the egg production rate in laying hens.

Animal Feed↗