The effect of feeding magnesium-enriched diets to laying hens on the quality of the albumen of stored eggs.
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An increase in sporadic and outbreak-associated Salmonella enteritidis infections in Wisconsin: the role of eggs.
In Wisconsin, reported Salmonella enterica serotype enteritidis (SE) infections during 1997 more than doubled compared with the previous 9 years. A case-control study was conducted to determine risk factors for sporadic infections, and results of outbreak investigations were reviewed. Eating raw eggs (matched odds ratio [MOR]=14.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7-591.6), eating raw or undercooked eggs (MOR=5.8; 95% CI, 1.3-28.0), eating any eggs (MOR=4.2; 95% CI, 1.2-16.2), and dining at a restaurant (MOR=4.7; 95% CI, 1.4-18.4) were associated with infection in the case-control study. For 3 of the 8 outbreaks, a probable source was identified, in each instance, foods containing eggs. Human infections decreased after eggs were diverted from implicated flocks. This epidemic demonstrates the continuing need for quality assurance on egg farms and enhanced education of consumers and commercial food preparers regarding safe handling of eggs.
Adolescent↗
Effects of strontium on bone strength, density, volume, and microarchitecture in laying hens.
UNLABELLED: Strontium has been reported to have beneficial effects on bone. Treatment of laying hens, which are susceptible to osteoporosis and bone fracture, with strontium increased DXA measurements of BMD and BMC and microCT measurements of bone volume and microarchitecture and improved the mechanical performance of whole bone, but had no effect on the estimated material properties of the bone tissue. INTRODUCTION: Strontium (Sr) has been reported to dissociate bone remodeling and have positive influences on bone formation. We supplemented the diet of laying hens, which are susceptible to osteoporosis and bone fracture, with Sr to study the capacity of the element to improve bone mechanical integrity and resistance to fracture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Increasing dosages of Sr (0, 3000, 4500, and 6000 ppm) were fed to 196 13-week-old pullets for 11 months. BMD and BMC, as measured by conventional and DXA methods, microarchitectural parameters derived from microCT, and structural and material properties as determined by three-point bending test, were studied. Calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), and Sr levels in plasma and bone, as well as egg output, shell quality, and composition, were assessed. RESULTS: Sr concentrations in plasma and bone increased in a dose-dependent manner without affecting Ca and P. Treatment with Sr increased BMD and BMC as measured by DXA, increased cortical and medullary bone volume, trabecular thickness, number, and surface, and improved whole bone ultimate load, but had no effect on the estimated material properties of diaphyseal bone. Sr also increased the ash content of eggshells and did not affect egg output and shell quality. CONCLUSIONS: Sr supplementation induced large positive effects on bone density, volume, and microarchitecture as measured by radiographic methods. Sr treatment also improved the structural strength of diaphyseal bone but had no effect on the estimated material properties of the bone tissue.
Animals↗
[The influence of infectious bronchitis virus on egg production, fertility, hatchability and mortality rate in chickens (author's transl)].
In 35 flocks comprising almost 100,000 White Plymouth Rock birds producing hatching eggs, infectious bronchitis (IB) caused a decline in production which appeared to be connected with the age of the birds, when the outbreak started (table I). In outbreaks of IB in pullets 3-4 weeks before they are ready to lay there is a considerable risk of delay of production and a generally too low yield (fig 1). Egg laying birds, 25-34 weeks of age, suffered a drop in production from 20-80% (on an average 40%) and normal yield was never regained. After 6-8 weeks the production rate usually stabilizes around 6-12% below normal production. IB outbreaks in the middle of the production period (35-45 weeks) resulted in a decline of egg production of 40-90% (on an average 55%). Recovery of production usually occurred after 6-8 weeks (fig. 2). Observations of clinically typical outbreaks without any laboratory verification indicate that IB outbreaks at the end of the egg production period resulted in irreparable decline of production. Marked alterations in exterior and interior quality of the egg have been observed. Both mishapen appearance, rough and thin shell, bleached shell color and watery albumen have occurred. These facts did sometimes cause transient increased "sorting out" of haching eggs. Also fertility rate was noticed to be affected temporarily during and after an attack of IB. In 17 flocks drops of 1.7-22.4% (on an average 7.4%) were registered (fig. 3). Also hatchability decreased 3.0-43.8% (on an average 13.7%) (fig. 4). In most of the registered outbreaks of IB the weekly mortality remained below 1%, but in single cases the figure could rise up to about 4% (fig. 5), most often in flocks where complicating factors such as secondary infections caused by E. coli or M. gallisepticum were present.
Animals↗
IVF and related technology. The present and the future.
OBJECTIVE: To describe the current status of in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) and related technologies, including: the indications for the procedures and the problems associated with the use of stimulated cycles; the use of frozen embryos and donor eggs; and the newer procedures of gamete micromanipulation for male infertility, immature egg collection as a possible alternative to the stimulated cycle, and preimplantation genetic diagnosis. DATA SOURCES AND STUDY SELECTION: The clinical experience and research at Monash IVF and the Centre for Early Human Development, Monash University, were reviewed in association with key original or review articles in the world literature. DATA SYNTHESIS: Cumulative pregnancy rates for IVF and the gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) procedure at Monash IVF demonstrate that 29% of IVF patients and 55% of GIFT patients will have a live baby, the average number of treatments pursued being 3.4. Analogues of gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) have improved pregnancy rates, reduced blood sampling, and prevented natural ovulation. Disadvantages of stimulated cycles include a higher risk of multiple pregnancy, a higher risk of hyperstimulation, and behavioural changes due to the effects of drugs. Natural cycles or immature egg collection at incidental laparoscopy may become alternatives to the use of the stimulated cycle. In Australia the GIFT procedure is more successful than IVF and is nearly always used if the fallopian tubes are normal. Multiple pregnancies may be reduced, particularly triplets, by reducing the number of eggs or embryos transferred to two when egg or embryo quality is high. Embryo freezing has made a small but important contribution to overall pregnancy rates by enabling patients to use excess eggs and embryos. The social and legal concerns resulting from the use of frozen embryos have required new ethical and legal considerations. Donor eggs have made a small contribution to achieving pregnancy in women with absent or inappropriate eggs and increased the chance of conception in women over the age of 40. Micromanipulation of sperm and eggs has enabled fertilisation and conception when sperm are defective in quantity or quality. Sampling of cells in early embryos enables genetic diagnosis and may be used in selecting chromosomally normal embryos in IVF procedures or in couples at risk of recessive genetic disease. CONCLUSION: Assisted reproductive technology has developed over a decade to become useful for couples with infertility which cannot be cured by simpler treatments. The birth rates are comparable to natural conception and the incidence of congenital malformation is not increased. The costs and complexity of treatment have been reduced to in turn reduce the stress and social inconvenience of therapy. Problems related to the high risk of multiple pregnancy and the use of the stimulated cycle are being reduced and new techniques for severe male infertility and the detection of genetic abnormalities in the embryo are being introduced.
Female↗
Influence of mating sex ratio in commercial pheasant flocks on bird health and the production, fertility, and hatchability of eggs.
1. The effects of two mating ratios (8:1 and 12:1 females:males) on bird health, egg production and quality, fertility (employing macroscopic and microscopic techniques) and hatchability were examined for pheasants (Phasianus colchinus) on a commercial game farm, to provide a baseline data set for production of pheasants under specific conditions. 2. Mating ratio did not significantly affect mortality or pathology of breeding birds. 3. Egg production was significantly higher for the 8:1 mating ratio over the first 5 weeks of the trial but this difference disappeared during the second half of the trial. 4. Incidence of rejected eggs increased as the season progressed, mainly due to poor shell quality, but it was not significantly affected by mating ratio. 5. Fertility of eggs produced from birds under an 8:1 mating ratio was consistently and significantly 4% higher than fertility of eggs from the 12:1 mating ratio. The incidence of eggs showing no sign of mating (no sperm) was twice as high for the 12:1 pens (13.7% of the sample). There was good agreement between macroscopic and microscopic examination of fertility in eggs. Higher fertility in the 8:1 pens appeared to be related to a higher proportion of the females being recruited and mated. 6. Hatchability was significantly improved by adopting an 8:1 mating ratio, presumably due to the higher fertility of the eggs. Candling of the eggs improved hatchability but only for the 12:1 pens probably because more clear eggs were removed from the tray.
Animals↗
Effect of BioSentry 904 and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid-tris disinfecting during incubation of chicken eggs on microbial levels and productivity of poultry.
Proper sanitation practices and the use of efficacious disinfectants in a hatchery have an effect on chick quality. Aerosol bacterial counts, egg moisture loss, hatchability, chick quality, and broiler productivity were evaluated when egg surfaces were contaminated by immersion of each egg into a broth medium containing a field isolate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and incubated with exposure to one of three disinfectant treatments administered by fine spray: distilled water, BioSentry 904 (904), and a 1:1 ratio of 904 and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)-Tris. The aerosol bacteria levels were statistically greater on day 21 of incubation in the group treated with distilled water than in those receiving disinfectants. Overall hatch of fertile eggs and egg moisture loss were comparable among all three treatments. At 1 day of age, the chicks incubated with 904 had a statistically lower yolk sac contamination rate than those incubated with 904+EDTA-Tris or distilled water. The 2-wk mortality rates, body weights, feed conversion ratios, yolk sac weights, and yolk sac contamination rates were all similar among the three treatments.
Animals↗
Investigations of the vertical transmission of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae in laying hens.
Erysipelas was diagnosed in a layer breeder flock in Sweden in 2002. Although vertical transmission of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae has not been previously described in chickens, the potential of erysipelas infection to adversely affect hatching eggs was of concern. To clarify the possible impact of erysipelas on hatching eggs and their progeny, an experiment was done using 200 hatching eggs collected from the infected flock. The eggs were incubated for 21 days, and the egg shells, infertile eggs, dead-in-shell embryos, and a sample of day-old hatched chicks and blood samples from 5-day-old chicks were cultured for E. rhusiopathiae. In addition, after 28 days of grow-out, the male chickens were euthanatized and cultured for the bacterium, and the remaining female chickens were placed as a backyard flock and observed over a 4-mo period. Bacteriological test results of the above-mentioned samples were negative for E. rhusiopathiae. Mortality rates were not excessive, and no clinical symptoms of erysipelas were observed during the period of observation. The result of the investigation suggests that in layer breeder chickens, E. rhusiopathiae is not vertically or egg transmitted and that the disease outbreak in the parent stock had no adverse impact on the quality of hatching eggs in terms of increased embryo mortality.
Animals↗
Heterosis in egg-laying lines under divergent selection for residual feed consumption.
Two lines selected since 1976 for high (R+) or low (R-) residual feed consumption (RFC) from a common genetic base were compared with one another and with their F1 reciprocal crosses for traits of egg production and quality, for morphological traits, body weights, and feed consumption. Heterosis was 11, -2.5, 8, and 2%, respectively, for egg number, age at first egg, egg laying rate, and egg weight, with marked differences between reciprocal crosses for all those traits but egg number. Heterosis for wattle length and shank length was 3.8 and 1.3%, respectively, essentially because R+ x R- crossbreds, with larger mean values, resembled the R+ line for those traits, which may therefore be associated with the presence of genes linked to the Z chromosomes. On the other hand, heterosis for RFC (-3.6%) originated from similar crossbred advantage in both reciprocal crosses, thereby suggesting that RFC is not determined by sex-linked genes.
Animals↗
Mothers matter: crowding leads to stressed mothers and smaller offspring in marine fish.
Most marine populations are sustained by the entry of juveniles that have survived the larval phase, during which time most die. The number of survivors depends strongly on the quality of the eggs produced by spawning females, but it is not known how the social conditions under which breeding occurs influence the quality of larvae produced. Here I show that the density of females interacting with breeding mothers directly influences the size of larvae produced, through a stress-related mechanism. On the Great Barrier Reef of Australia, breeding pairs of a damselfish, Pomacentrus amboinensis, were isolated on habitat patches, and additional females that could not access the spawning site were added at four densities (0, 1, 3, or 6 females). Additional females increased aggressive interactions by mothers and increased the levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, in their ovaries, leading to reduced larval size. Neither egg output nor yolk size of the larvae was influenced by female density. Pairs breeding in isolation produced the largest larvae; current theory suggests that these larvae should contribute most to subsequent population replenishment events. This social mechanism may influence which females effectively contribute to the next generation and may promote resilience in patchy or isolated populations.
Animals↗
Suppressive effect of interleukin-4 neutralization differs for granulomas around Schistosoma mansoni eggs injected into mice compared with those around eggs laid in infected mice.
The principal pathological manifestation of murine Schistosoma mansoni infection is the egg-induced granuloma. Synchronous pulmonary granulomas forming around intravenously injected schistosome eggs are widely used to study the immunopathology of schistosomiasis. A number of anticytokine antibody treatments have a remarkable effect in modulating granulomas in this model but little effect on the size of hepatic granulomas around laid eggs during experimental infection. To examine this discrepancy, we examined the effects of anticytokine antibodies on liver and lung granulomas around injected eggs and around eggs laid during infection in both locations. Anti-interleukin-4 (IL-4) treatment greatly reduced the volume of granulomas around eggs injected into the liver via the portal vein and around eggs injected into the lung via the tail vein. On the contrary, granulomas around eggs laid by worms in either the liver or the lung during the course of infection were not significantly decreased in size by anti-IL-4 treatment. Thus, site is not important for the disparate effects of anti-IL-4 in granuloma formation around injected versus laid eggs. This effect is seen in naive and sensitized animals and is most probably due to differences in the quality of injected eggs versus those laid in situ by the worms.
Animals↗
Optimal patch residence time in egg parasitoids: innate versus learned estimate of patch quality.
Charnov's marginal value theorem predicts that female parasitoids should exploit patches of their hosts until their instantaneous rate of fitness gain reaches a marginal value. The consequences of this are that: (1) better patches should be exploited for a longer time; (2) as travel time between patches increases, so does the patch residence time; and (3) all exploited patches should be reduced to the same level of profitability. Patch residence time was measured in an egg parasitoid Anaphes victus (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) when patch quality and travel time, approximated here as an increased delay between emergence and patch exploitation, varied. As predicted, females stayed longer when patch quality and travel time increased. However, the marginal value of fitness gain when females left the patch increased with patch quality and decreased with travel time. A. victus females appear to base their patch quality estimate on the first patch encountered rather than on a fixed innate estimate, as was shown for another egg parasitoid Trichogramma brassicae. Such a strategy could be optimal when inter-generational variability in patch quality is high and within-generational variability is low.
Animals↗
Identification of Enterobacteriaceae from washed and unwashed commercial shell eggs.
To evaluate the effect of processing on the safety and quality of retail shell eggs, a storage study was conducted with unwashed and commercially washed eggs. This work demonstrated that commercial processing decreased microbial contamination of eggshells. To know which species persisted during storage on washed or unwashed eggs, Enterobacteriaceae isolates were selected and identified biochemically. For each of three replications, shell eggs were purchased from a commercial processing plant, transported back to the laboratory, and stored at 4 degrees C. Once a week for 6 weeks, 12 eggs for each treatment (washed and unwashed control) were rinsed in sterile phosphate-buffered saline. A 1-ml aliquot of each sample was plated onto violet red bile glucose agar with overlay and incubated at 37 degrees C for 24 h. Following incubation, plates were observed for colonies characteristic of the family Enterobacteriaceae. A maximum of 10 isolates per positive sample were streaked for isolation before being identified to the genus or species level using commercially available biochemical strips. Although most of the isolates from the unwashed control eggs belonged to the genera Escherichia or Enterobacter, many other genera and species were identified. These included Citrobacter, Klebsiella, Kluyvera, Pantoea, Providencia, Rahnella, Salmonella, Serratia, and Yersinia. Non-Enterobacteriaceae also recovered from the unwashed egg samples included Xanthomonas and Flavimonas. Very few washed egg samples were contaminated with any of these bacteria. These data provide useful information on the effectiveness of processing in removing microorganisms from commercial shell eggs.
Animals↗
New monochromatic light source for laying hens.
Artificial illumination is an important factor in the management of layers. In this study, a new monochromatic light system was developed for egg layers. Prelaying pullets (Lohmann) were marked and housed in nine light and temperature control rooms (15 battery cages, 3 hens per cage; n = 45), divided into three light treatments: 0.1 and 0.01 W/m2 light intensity using light emitting diode (LED) lamps and 0.1 W/m2 using mini-fluorescent bulbs (PL) (control). In each of the LED rooms, three wavelengths were tested: 560 (n = 9), 660 (n = 9), 880 (n = 6), and 660 intermitted lighting (15 min light 45 min dark, 660IN) (n = 9). Birds were exposed to 12 h light and 12 h of darkness using PL lamps. At 21 wk of age, the light period was increased to 12.75 h by using 5.5 h of LED lamps and 7.25 of PL light source for Groups 1 and 2, the third group received 12.75 h of PL light. Until 28 wk of age, light hours increased by 0.5 h/w using LED light for Groups 1 and 2 and PL source for the third group, reaching 16 h of light at 28 wk of age. Egg production and feed consumption were recorded daily; egg components were recorded weekly for 10 mo. A significant reduction in egg production was observed in all 880nm groups; no differences in egg production and quality were found in the other groups. Feed consumption was significantly lower by 7% in all 0.01 W/m2 groups. We suggest that an important reduction in rearing costs of laying hens may be obtained by using this system.
Animals↗
Physiological responses of hens divergently selected on the number of chicks obtained from a single insemination.
A series of experiments was conducted in domestic fowl to investigate the consequences of five generations of divergent selection for increased (L+) or decreased (L-) numbers of hatched chicks. After artificial insemination with pooled ejaculates within the same line (L+ males x L+ hens or L- males x L- hens), significant differences were observed between L+ and L- hens for mean fertility rates (L+ 94.8%, L- 70.2%, P < 0.0001) and for effective and maximum duration of fertility (P < 0.00001). A comparison of the overall laying performance and shell quality between the two selected lines showed that L- hens laid fewer eggs than L+ hens (P < 0.00001) and L- eggs had poorer shell quality (shell breaking strength) than L+ eggs (P < 0.00001). These observations were associated with significantly higher percentages of early embryo death in eggs from L- hens compared with L+ hens. Another series of experiments revealed the presence of larger initial populations of spermatozoa in the sperm storage tubules as well as in the perivitelline layer of eggs from L+ hens. The populations of spermatozoa in the sperm storage tubules of commercial laying hens inseminated with pooled semen samples from L+ males was compared with those in hens inseminated with samples from L- males to determine whether the variations in oviductal sperm storage between the two lines were male dependent. No significant differences between the populations of spermatozoa present in the sperm storage tubules of either group of hens could be detected at any of the intervals examined after insemination (days 1, 3 and 10). Finally, an experiment conducted on hens originating from the two selected lines indicated that the utero-vaginal junction of L+ hens contained significantly more sperm storage tubules compared with L- hens (P < 0.01). It is concluded that selection based on overall reproductive performance modifies the number of eggs capable of developing viable embryos and also influences the efficacy of initial sperm storage by increasing or altering the population of sperm storage tubules located in the utero-vaginal junction. Such changes have major consequences on the duration of the fertile period, which in avian species is directly dependent on both the actual population of spermatozoa stored in the oviduct and on their rate of release from the storage sites.
Animals↗
Effects of dietary 1,4-diaminobutane (putrescine) on eggshell quality and laying performance of hens laying thin-shelled eggs.
Experiments were conducted to evaluate the potential for dietary 1,4-diaminobutane (putrescine) to influence eggshell quality and overall laying performance in hens. Forty-eight, 60-wk-old White Leghorn hens laying thin-shelled eggs were fed a corn and soybean meal-based diet supplemented with 0.00 (control), 0.05, 0.10, or 0.15% putrescine for 4 wk. Twelve hens that laid thick-shelled eggs were also fed the control diet. The feeding of supplemental putrescine decreased feed consumption; however, egg weight decreased only at higher levels of supplementation. Increasing dietary levels of putrescine responded quadratically in eggshell deformation, eggshell weight, and eggshell weight as a percentage of egg weight (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in shell deformation, shell thickness, or shell weight when comparing hens laying thick-shelled eggs and those laying thin-shelled eggs that were fed 0.05% supplemental putrescine. Calcium intake, calcium retention, and calcium balance decreased linearly (P < 0.05) with increasing levels of dietary putrescine. Pancreatic putrescine concentrations were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in hens laying thick-shelled eggs compared with hens laying thin-shelled eggs. It appeared that pancreatic cells synthesized more polyamines in hens laying thick-shelled eggs. This increase in polyamines might have caused improved eggshell quality by increasing calcium transport. It was concluded that 0.05% supplemental putrescine improved eggshell quality; however, higher levels proved to be toxic.
Animals↗
Effect of dry heating on the microbiological quality, functional properties, and natural bacteriostatic ability of egg white after reconstitution.
Spray-dried egg white (powder) is widely used in the food industry because of its variety of functional properties and its practical advantages. Moreover, egg white powder is generally considered safe because it can withstand high temperatures that allow for the destruction of all pathogens, especially Salmonella. In France, two types of treatments are used to improve the functional properties (whipping and gelling) of dried egg white: standard storage at 67 degrees C for about 15 days and storage at 75 to 80 degrees C for 15 days. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of two dry-heating treatments (storage at 67 and 75 degrees C for 15 days) on the subsequent ability of egg white to resist Salmonella growth after reconstitution. The impact on the endogenous microflora of the powder and on its functional properties was also considered. Both dry-heating treatments were efficient in destroying a large number of Salmonella. Dry heating at 75 degrees C affected the bacteriostatic ability of reconstituted egg white to a greater extent than did dry heating at 67 degrees C. This loss of bacteriostatic ability could be attributable to the thermal denaturation of ovotransferrin, resulting in a reduction in its activity as an iron chelator. However, dry heating at 75 degrees C resulted in improved functional properties. Ultimately, no complete compromise between better functional quality and the preservation of the bacteriostatic ability of egg white after reconstitution is possible. Our results underline the importance of the use of hygienic conditions with egg white powder, especially with powder subjected to high-temperature treatments.
Consumer Product Safety↗
Impact of high dietary vomitoxin on yolk yield and embryonic mortality.
Single Comb White Leghorn hens at 58 weeks of age were given control (C) and vomitoxin (V)-contaminated feed for 4 weeks; then the V treatment was changed to C for 2 subsequent weeks. Fusarium graminearum-infected corn was substituted for sound corn to attain a practical extreme of 38 ppm V. Hen-day production, feed consumption, body weight, and gross pathology were the same between treatments. Egg weight, internal quality, and shell strength were not adversely affected; however, dietary V led to a small reduction in the percentage of yolk while albumen increased. Solids content of both egg components remained unchanged, and no V as such could be detected (less than .2 ppm). Presence of toxic V metabolites in the egg were indicated by increased (although still low) embryonic mortality upon incubation. Improvement in yolk yield and relief from germ losses occurred 1 week after the change from V to C feed. Overall responses to present extreme circumstances were no greater than variation occurring between weeks, and problems in practice seem remote.
Animals↗