Some factors affecting the incidence of cracks in hens’ egg shells     

G. B. Anderson  T. C. Carter  R. Morley Jones 《British poultry science》1970,11(1):103-116

Six blocks of data are analysed: British Egg Marketing Board (BEMB) data on second quality eggs‐in‐shell in packing station throughput; shell thickness and colour data on 1,440 eggs sampled in 4 packing stations; crack incidence data on 162,480 individually recorded eggs from a two‐strain experimental flock kept in battery cages; similar data on 34,611 eggs from another experimental flock; shell thickness, volume and shape data on 76 eggs from 19 pairs of hens, one of each pair with a high and one with a low shell‐crack record; and BEMB data on the prevalence of battery and deep‐litter husbandry. Conclusions reached are:

1. Over the last decade there has been a rise in the incidence of packing‐station egg downgrading in the United Kingdom; it is assumed to have been due largely to a rise in the incidence of cracked shells.

2. The rise in crack incidence was probably not due primarily to deterioration in shell strength associated with high production rates or white shell colour; such associations were looked for but not found.

3. It was probably due primarily to an increase in “ environmental insults “ to packing‐station eggs accompanying the spread of deep‐litter and battery husbandry; a close association was found between their incidence and that of downgrading.

Implications for cage designers, breeders, egg producers and research workers are discussed.  相似文献   

The Hen's egg: Factors affecting the shearing strength of shell material     

T. C. Carter 《British poultry science》1970,11(4):433-449

Experiments are described from which it is concluded that

1. the force required to shear egg shell material can be measured with high precision by pressing a narrow, flat‐ended plunger on to the shell;

2. shearing force falls and the precision of its measurement rises as the radius of the plunger is reduced;

3. shearing force is related linearly to shell thickness ;

4. the regression line of shearing force on shell thickness does not pass through the origin but has a substantial positive intercept on the thickness axis, at about a third of the mean thickness ;

5. there are differences between hens and between strains of hen in the magnitude of the intercept, but not in the slope of the regression;

6. shearing force is affected also by the glossiness of the shell;

7. shearing force was not significantly affected by stripped membrane thickness, number of mammillae per unit area of shell, shell organic content (standardised for shell thickness), shell curvature, shell colour, mottling score, translucent patch score, speckling score, age of the egg or age of the hen that laid it;

8. measured with a plunger of radius 165 μm, the mean shearing strength of incremental shell was 57 kg wt/mm² (3–7 ton/in²).

The findings suggest that the shearing strength of egg shells might be increased by direct selection and by selection for shell glossiness.  相似文献   

Effect of dietary supplementation of thymol,synbiotic and their combination on performance,egg quality and serum metabolic profile of Hy-Line Brown hens     

A.A.A. Abdel-Wareth 《British poultry science》2016,57(1):114-122

1. An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of dietary supplementation of thymol, synbiotic (Biomin, IMBO) and their combination in laying hen diets on laying performance, egg quality and serum metabolic profile from 24 to 36 weeks of age.

2. Treatment groups were fed on a control diet, the control diet supplemented with thymol (250 mg/kg), the control diet supplemented with synbiotic (250 mg/kg) or the control diet supplemented with a combination of thymol (250 mg/kg) and synbiotic (250 mg/kg).

3. Supplementation of thymol and synbiotic, separately as well as combined, improved egg weight, egg production, egg mass and feed conversion ratio from 24 to 36 weeks of age. The eggs obtained from thymol, synbiotic or their combination treatments displayed higher values of shell thickness, Haugh unit and shell percentage compared to the control.

4. Serum cholesterol significantly decreased in the single or combined form of thymol and synbiotic supplementation treatments.

  相似文献   

Comparison of moulting methods for layers: high-zinc diet versus fasting     

M. C. A. Silva-Mendonça  N. S. Fagundes  G. A. Mendonça  F. C. Gonçalves  B. B. Fonseca  A. V. Mundim 《British poultry science》2015,56(5):598-604

1. The serum biochemical profiles, thyroid hormones, body weights and the production and quality of eggs subsequent to moulting, were compared in laying hens subjected to conventional forced moulting or forced moulting with a diet high in zinc.

2. A total of 200 Dekalb White laying hens in their second production cycle were studied. Blood sampling was conducted in a factorial experimental design (2 × 3) with two methods of moulting (fasting or zinc) and three sampling periods (pre-moult, moult and subsequent peak).

3. Total egg protein content, including globulins, was greater with the zinc diet, whereas egg weight and albumen percentage were greater after fasting. The zinc method resulted in an increased shell thickness and calcium percentage but lower percentage of phosphorus. During the moulting period, the hens in the zinc group had heavier mean body weights.

4. It was concluded that moulting with a high-zinc diet could replace fasting, without negative effects on body weight, biochemical variables or subsequent egg quality and production. The zinc method was also better for the birds’ welfare.

  相似文献   

The hen's egg: Prediction and reduction of downgrading in large producer groups     

T. C. Carter 《British poultry science》1971,12(3):379-385

British Egg Marketing Board data on the incidence of downgrading in eggs received at packing stations during the second week in each month from April 1960 to March 1968 have been analysed in relation to:

1. the incidence of free‐range, deep‐litter and battery husbandry in flocks from which they came, as estimated by interpolation from annual census data;

2. season, as represented by fundamental and first‐harmonic sine and cosine terms;

3. age‐structure of the flocks, as indicated by the incidence of extra‐small eggs 10 months earlier;

4. time;

5. packing‐station throughput.

It is shown that 93–3 per cent of the variance of downgrading percentage is associated with variation in (i), (ii) and (iii). After these effects had been taken into account there was no significant long‐term time‐trend but there were small effects associated with certain years. There was no significant effect of (v). The regression equation was used to predict the incidence of downgrading in the second week of each month from April 1968 to January 1969; this it did accurately except in May and June 1968, when the downgrading percentage fluctuated to an unprecedented degree following a very cold and a very hot spell of weather.

It is suggested that large producer‐packer groups should systematically collect information on the incidence of downgrading and the percentages of birds of each strain and age‐group, of cages of each type, of nutritional regimes and of egg‐collection methods; and that these data should be analysed to yield (a) forecasts of downgrading incidence and (b) estimates of the effect of each strain, cage‐type, etc. on downgrading incidence, for use when deciding replacement policy.  相似文献   

The Hen's egg: Variation in tensile strength of shell material and its relationship with shearing strength     

T. C. Carter 《British poultry science》1971,12(1):57-76

The tensile strength of egg‐shell material is believed to play an important role in determining whether or not a shell will crack when exposed to an environmental insult. Experiments are described in which shell tensile strength was measured. It is concluded that:

1. the force required to produce tensile failure did not vary linearly with the width of the piece of shell under test, but with its two‐thirds power;

2. it varied linearly with the thickness of the shell;

3. the line relating force at tensile failure to shell thickness did not pass through the origin but intercepted the thickness axis at between about 90 and 130 μm, indicating that the inner layers of a shell, up to about a third of its thickness, contributed little or nothing to its tensile strength;

4. the slope of the line did not vary with hen or strain of hen, indicating that the shells did not differ in the tensile strength of the material constituting their outer layers (i.e. about the outer two‐thirds);

5. there were differences between hens and strains in the magnitude of the intercept: shells of the same thickness but from different hens or strains differed in force at tensile failure;

6. the existence of between‐strain differences in intercept constitutes prima facie evidence that the variation in this trait is under genetic control;

7. there was a fairly large within‐egg residual component of the variance of force at tensile failure; it represents real variation in tensile strength between apparently similar pieces of the same shell and is believed to be an effect of chance in the distribution of flaws in the shell material;

8. for any one hen the intercept is the same as that found when shearing strength is measured, so shearing strength (which can be determined easily, quickly and precisely) can be used as a predictor of tensile strength.

Implications for poultry breeders are discussed; it is suggested that they should select for shell strength instead of shell thickness, measuring strength as shearing strength.  相似文献   

Egg collagen content is increased by a diet supplemented with wood charcoal powder containing wood vinegar liquid     

K. Yamauchi  Y. Matsumoto 《British poultry science》2016,57(5):601-611

1. The aims of the present study were to examine whether collagen exists in egg, particularly in egg yolk; to establish a Fourier transform-near infrared (FT-NIR) measurement method for collagen in egg and to assess the possibility of increasing the collagen content by feeding hens a diet containing wood charcoal powder containing wood vinegar liquid (WCV).

2. The collagen in eggs from 67-week-old hens fed on the dietary 0 and 9.9 g/kg WCV diets was investigated using a combination of histochemical, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and FT-NIR approaches.

3. All approaches used to identify collagen in egg yolk yielded positive results.

4. The collagen in egg yolk measured using colorimetry, collagen in egg yolk, egg white and eggshell membrane using FT-NIR and collagen in egg yolk determined by treating the egg yolk with collagenase were abundant after feeding a dietary WCV (p<0.05).

5. These results suggest that egg yolk contains collagen, that the collagen in egg can be measured using FT-NIR, and that the collagen content of egg yolk can be increased by feeding dietary WCV diets.

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Nutritional characteristics and quality of eggs from laying hens fed on a diet supplemented with chestnut tannin extract (Castanea sativa Miller)     

S. Minieri  A. Buccioni  A. Serra  I. Galigani  A. Pezzati  S. Rapaccini 《British poultry science》2016,57(6):824-832

1. The trial was performed with 80 laying hens belonging to two Tuscan autochthonous breeds: 40 birds of the Mugellese (MU) breed and 40 of the White Leghorn (WL) breed.

2. The animals were allotted to 4 groups of individually caged 20 hens each: two groups were fed on a commercial diet and worked as the control groups (MUC and WLC); the other two groups received the same diet, integrated with 2 g of chestnut tannin (CT) extract per kg of diet (MUT and WLT).

3. A sample of 70 eggs were randomly collected and analysed for cholesterol content, fatty acid (FA) profile, weight, thickness of shell and colour of yolk.

4. Physical parameters, including yolk colour, and indices of egg quality were not affected by the treatments.

5. The concentration of unsaturated FAs increased, whereas cholesterol was significantly decreased: ?17% in WLT and ?9% in MUT. Dietary supplementation with CT extract resulted in a modification of lipid composition, towards a more healthy quality of eggs.

  相似文献   

Changes in eggshell structure and predisposition of broilers to health problems: is there a common pathophysiology?     

A.A. Olkowski  S. Nain  B. Laarveld  C. Wojnarowicz 《British poultry science》2015,56(2):267-274

1. A study of broiler breeder eggs differing in eggshell matrix optical density was conducted to determine the association of eggshell structural quality and the risk of disease in broilers.

2. A total of 10 000 eggs from a broiler breeder flock were examined according to the pre-established criteria, and allocated to groups classified as having a high or low density shell matrix.

3. The eggs from respective groups were incubated and hatched in a commercial hatchery. Samples of unhatched eggs from each group were subjected to detailed examination to establish the cause of reproductive failure. First, quality chicks from each group were raised as separate flocks in a commercial broiler barn. Group performance, morbidity, and mortality were monitored throughout the growth period. All birds were processed in a commercial plant, and condemnation data were compiled.

4. There were significantly more unhatched eggs, and fewer quality chicks in the group classified as having a low density eggshell matrix, in comparison to the high-density group.

5. Embryo pathology accounted for a large proportion of the overall reproductive failure in both groups, with a large proportion of embryos showing anatomical anomalies. The eggs and embryos from the low-density eggshell matrix group were three times more likely to be infected.

6. Significantly higher production losses associated with mortality/morbidity, and condemnations of carcasses at processing were observed in broilers from the low-density eggshell group compared with the high-density eggshell group.

7. It is concluded that common metabolic/physiological changes in breeder hens associated with eggshell pathology may be also risk factors linked with predisposition of broiler chicks to some health problems.

  相似文献   

Genetic parameters for egg production traits in purebred and hybrid chicken in a tropical environment     

S. Tongsiri  M.G. Jeyaruban  J.H.J. Van Der Werf 《British poultry science》2015,56(6):613-620

1. Genetic parameters were estimated for 5 economically important egg production traits using records collected over 9 years in chickens reared under tropical conditions in Thailand. The data were from two purebred lines and two hybrid lines of layer parent stocks.

2. The two purebred lines were Rhode Island Red (RIR) and White Plymouth Rock (WPR) and the hybrid lines were formed by crossing a commercial brown egg laying strain to Rhode Island Red (RC) and White Plymouth Rock (WC), respectively.

3. Five egg production traits were analysed, including age at first egg (AFE), body weight at first egg (BWT), egg weight at first egg (EWFE), number of eggs from the first 17 weeks of lay (EN) and average egg weight over the 17th week of lay (EW).

4. Fixed effects of year and hatch within year were significant for all 5 traits and were included in the model.

5. Maternal genetic and permanent environmental effects of the dam were not significant, except for EN and EW in RIR and BWT and EW in WPR.

6. Estimated heritability of AFE, BWT, EWFE, EN and EW were 0.45, 0.50, 0.29, 0.19 and 0.43 in RIR; 0.44, 0.38, 0.33, 0.20 and 0.38 in WPR; 0.37, 0.41, 0.38, 0.18 and 0.36 in RC; and 0.46, 0.53, 0.36, 0.38 and 0.45 in WC lines, respectively.

7. The EN was negatively correlated with other traits, except for BWT in RC and AFE and BWT in WC.

8. It was concluded that selection for increased EN will reduce other egg production traits in purebred and hybrid chicken and therefore EN needs to be combined with other egg production traits in a multi-trait selection index to improve all traits optimally according to a defined breeding objective.

  相似文献   

Effect of dietary inclusion of toasted guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) meal as a source of protein on performance of White Leghorn layers     

S.V. Rama Rao  M.V.L.N. Raju  B. Prakash  E. Pradeep Kumar Reddy  A.K. Panda 《British poultry science》2015,56(6):733-739

1. Two experiments were conducted to study the effect of including toasted (120°C/35 min) guar meal (GM, Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) in the diet on performance and egg shell quality of White Leghorn (WL) layers.

2. Totals of 2376 and 2816 layer chickens (Babcock, BV 300) were randomly distributed into 27 and 32 replicates with 88 birds each in Experiments 1 and 2, respectively. Three diets in Experiment 1 (0, 50 and 100 g GM) and 4 diets in Experiment 2 (0, 50, 100 and 150 g GM/kg) were prepared having similar concentrations of energy and protein. Each diet was fed ad libitum to 9 and 8 replicates, respectively, in Experiments 1 (from 53 to 68 weeks) and 2 (35 to 46 weeks of age).

3. Compared to soya bean meal (SBM) GM contained similar concentrations of protein, but was deficient in all essential amino acids except arginine, which was 70% higher than in SBM. Total non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) content in GM (166 g/kg) was lower than that of SBM (179 g/kg). Amongst different NSP fractions, GM contained higher levels of arabans, xylans, mannans and glucans compared to SBM. The galactomannan gum content in GM was 46 g/kg.

4. Egg production (EP), body weight (BW), food intake (FI), food efficiency (FE) and egg quality (shell weight, shell per cent, shell thickness, Haugh unit score, egg density and egg breaking strength) parameters were not affected by incorporating GM up to 100 g/kg diet in Experiment 1. However, egg weight (EW) and egg mass (EM) were reduced significantly in groups fed on 100 g/kg diet.

5. In Experiment 2, EP and FE were not affected by incorporating GM up to 100 g/kg, but were reduced at 150 g/kg diet. FI, EW, BW and egg quality parameters were not affected by incorporating toasted GM up to 150 g/kg diet.

6. Based on the results of both experiments, it is concluded that toasted GM can be included in WL layer diets up to 100 g/kg without affecting EP, FE, EW, EM, Haugh unit score, BW and egg shell quality parameters.

  相似文献   

The correlation between height of thick albumen,yolk diameter,shape index and the position of the yolk after storage     

W. F. Van Tijen 《British poultry science》1972,13(1):1-6

From about 100 White Leghorn hens the following characteristics were determined on samples of four eggs per hen:

1. The shift of the yolk during a storage period of 7 d at a temperature of 20 °G

2. The height of the thick albumen directly after lay, and at the end of the storage period

3. The diameter of the yolk

4. The shape index of the egg.

The correlation, on a hen basis, between the shift of the yolk and the other above‐mentioned traits was only of very minor importance. This means that one of the arguments on the basis of which the height of the thick albumen was used as a criterion for the internal quality of eggs—the influence of the thick white on the central position of the yolk—has lost much of its significance.

In addition the same measurements were made on eggs from 12 entries at the Random Sample Testing Station at Putten. Here samples of 20 eggs per entry were taken. Contrary to expectation the combination of a large amount of thick albumen and a large shift of the yolk proved to be the rule rather than the exception.  相似文献   

Effect of starting body fat content and genotype of laying hens on the changes in their live weight,body fat content,egg production and egg composition during the first egg-laying period     

G. Milisits  E. Szentirmai  T. Donkó  Z. Budai  J. Ujvári  S. Áprily 《British poultry science》2015,56(6):666-672

1. A total 120 laying hens (60 TETRA BLANCA white egg layers and 60 TETRA SL brown egg layers) were selected from 250 TETRA BLANCA and 250 TETRA SL pullets based on their predicted body fat content by means of computed tomography (CT) at 16 weeks of age. Three groups of pullets were chosen for the investigation with the highest (n = 20), lowest (n = 20) and average (n = 20) body fat content.

2. Changes in the live weight, body fat content, egg production and egg composition of the chosen animals were recorded at 32, 52 and 72 weeks of age.

3. Based on the results, it was established that differences in starting body fat content of the hens remained the same during the experimental period. The differences between the two extreme groups were statistically significant at each age.

4. The starting body fat content of the hens affected the rate of egg production, i.e. hens with high starting body fat content produced 11–14 eggs fewer than the hens with a low or average body fat content but had no effect on the composition of the eggs.

5. Genotype affected almost all of the examined traits: TETRA BLANCA hens had lower live weight and higher body fat content during the experimental period and produced fewer eggs with lower albumen and higher yolk, dry matter and crude fat content than the TETRA SL hens.

  相似文献   

The relative importance of traits reported in the first three gosford random sample tests     

W. H. Foster 《British poultry science》1967,8(3):201-207

An analysis was performed on the published results of the first, second and third Gosford Random Sample Tests to determine which of the various biological traits reported had the greatest influence upon the overall ranking. Ten traits were considered. It was found that regression on survivors’ average egg production and laying house mortality removed 88.1 per cent of the variation in financial return. The addition of average egg weight and daily food consumption increased this figure to 93.3 per cent. The remaining traits, number of unsaleable birds at 500 days, body weight at 500 days, age at 50 per cent production, blood spots, meat spots and shell thickness, did not produce significant reductions except in so far as they were correlated with those previously mentioned.

The financial returns expected from improvements in the four important traits were:

• Per bird

• + 12 in survivors egg production 2S. 4¼d. ± 1¼d.

• —5 in percentage laying mortality is. 5d.± 1d.

• + 1 g. in average egg weight 10½d. + 1 ½d.

• —5 g. in food consumed per day 43/4d.± 1¼d.

Laying house mortality was found to be positively correlated among the entries with survivors’ average egg production and with average egg weight.  相似文献   

The hen's egg: Some factors affecting deformation in statically loaded shells     

T. C. Carter 《British poultry science》1970,11(1):15-38

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Is it possible to increase the n-3 fatty acid content of eggs without affecting their technological and/or sensorial quality and the laying performance of hens?     

E. Baeza  P. Chartrin  M. Lessire  K. Meteau  G. Chesneau  M. Guillevic 《British poultry science》2015,56(6):748-754

1. The aim of this study was to increase the n-3 fatty acid (n-3 FA) content of eggs without affecting their sensorial and/or technological properties or the laying performance of hens. Laying hens from line 477 were divided into 5 groups corresponding to 5 different diets over the laying period: control diet (C) and diets containing extruded linseed with a high level of fibre (ELHF), extruded linseed with a low level of fibre (ELLF), microalgae, or a combination of 75% ELLF and 25% MA (ELLF+MA).

2. Dietary enrichment with n-3 FA had no effect on the laying performance, hen body weight or egg white viscosity. The egg yolks produced by hens fed the diet containing microalgae were redder than egg yolks from the other groups, suggesting the presence of red pigments in the microalgae preparation. However, the colour difference was low and not perceptible to the human eye. Moreover, colour measurement of egg yolks by sensorial analysis panellists using the Roche colour fan did not reveal a diet effect on this parameter.

3. Egg yolk lipid content was not affected by diet. The egg yolk of hens fed on diets containing linseed and/or microalgae had greater n-3 FA content (×2.5 to 2.9 compared to group C). Linseed mainly increased the linolenic acid content (×3.0 to 3.4 compared to group C) and the microalgae increased the LC n-3 FA content (×4.1 compared to group C). Dietary enrichment with n-3 FA had no effect on the sensorial quality of shell cooked eggs except for the “unusual flavour” criterion for which the score was higher for the MA group compared to the other groups and corresponded to a fishy flavour.

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Developing logistic regression models using purchase attributes and demographics to predict the probability of purchases of regular and specialty eggs     

M. Bejaei  K. Wiseman 《British poultry science》2015,56(4):425-435

1. Consumers’ interest in specialty eggs appears to be growing in Europe and North America. The objective of this research was to develop logistic regression models that utilise purchaser attributes and demographics to predict the probability of a consumer purchasing a specific type of table egg including regular (white and brown), non-caged (free-run, free-range and organic) or nutrient-enhanced eggs. These purchase prediction models, together with the purchasers’ attributes, can be used to assess market opportunities of different egg types specifically in British Columbia (BC).

2. An online survey was used to gather data for the models. A total of 702 completed questionnaires were submitted by BC residents. Selected independent variables included in the logistic regression to develop models for different egg types to predict the probability of a consumer purchasing a specific type of table egg.

3. The variables used in the model accounted for 54% and 49% of variances in the purchase of regular and non-caged eggs, respectively. Research results indicate that consumers of different egg types exhibit a set of unique and statistically significant characteristics and/or demographics. For example, consumers of regular eggs were less educated, older, price sensitive, major chain store buyers, and store flyer users, and had lower awareness about different types of eggs and less concern regarding animal welfare issues. However, most of the non-caged egg consumers were less concerned about price, had higher awareness about different types of table eggs, purchased their eggs from local/organic grocery stores, farm gates or farmers markets, and they were more concerned about care and feeding of hens compared to consumers of other eggs types.

  相似文献   

Effect of digestible methionine + cystine concentration on performance,egg quality and blood metabolites in laying hens     

R. Akbari Moghaddam Kakhki  H. Zarghi 《British poultry science》2016,57(3):403-414

1. The estimation of sulphur amino acid requirement is a vital key to providing appropriate nutrition in poultry. The estimation of amino acid requirement depends on what production parameter is taken into consideration for optimisation.

2. A complete randomised block design was performed with 5 treatments and 6 replicates of 8 Hy-line layers (W-36) each from 32 to 44 weeks of age. The blocks were made to have a replicate of each treatment. The dietary treatments were consisted of 5 concentrations of digestible sulphur amino acid (DSAA) at 5.1, 5.6, 6.1, 6.6 and 7.1 (g/kg).

3. Egg production, egg mass, egg weight and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were significantly affected by an increase in DSAA intake. However, feed intake, egg component yield, Haugh unit, specific gravity, eggshell thickness, egg protein and dry matter (DM) were not altered by DSAA intake.

4. A significant increment in plasma high-density lipoprotein was concomitant with a reduction in low-density lipoprotein when DSAA intake was increased. However, triglyceride, cholesterol, uric acid and total protein in plasma were not affected by DSAA intake.

5. The DSAA requirements estimated by the linear broken-line model to optimise egg production, egg mass, egg weight and FCR were 678, 673, 641 and 656 mg/bird.d in the whole experimental period, respectively.

6. The DSAA requirement estimated by the quadratic broken-line model to optimise egg production, egg mass, egg weight and FCR were 4.71%, 7.87%, 8.73% and 7.62% higher than those estimated by linear broken-line fit model in the whole experimental period, respectively.

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Increasing persistency in lay and stabilising egg quality in longer laying cycles. What are the challenges?     

M. M. Bain  Y. Nys  I.C. Dunn 《British poultry science》2016,57(3):330-338

1. In the past 50 years, selection starting initially at the breed level and then using quantitative genetics coupled with a sophisticated breeding pyramid, has resulted in a very productive hybrid for a variety of traits associated with egg production.

2. One major trait currently being developed further is persistency of lay and the concept of the “long life” layer. Persistency in lay however cannot be achieved without due consideration of how to sustain egg quality and the health and welfare of the birds in longer laying cycles. These multiple goals require knowledge and consideration of the bird’s physiology, nutritional requirements, which vary depending on age and management system, reproductive status and choice of the selection criteria applied.

3. The recent advent of molecular genetics offers considerable hope that these multiple elements can be balanced for the good of all in the industry including the hens.

4. The “long life” layer, which will be capable of producing 500 eggs in a laying cycle of 100 weeks, is therefore on the horizon, bringing with it the benefits of a more efficient utilisation of diminishing resources, including land, water, raw materials for feed as well as a reduction in waste, and an overall reduced carbon footprint.

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Whitening of brown shelled eggs: Individual variation and relationships with age,fearfulness, oviposition interval and stress     

A. D. Mills  Y. Nys  J. Gautron  J. Zawadski 《British poultry science》1991,32(1):117-129

1. Fearfulness, shell colour, incidence and degree of shell whitening and the interval between ovipositions were studied in two populations of 30 brown egg laying hens with family histories of a low or a high incidence of egg shell whitening.

2. Hens of the population with the high incidence of whitening appeared to be more fearful than hens of the population with the low incidence of whitening.

3. Brown colouration of the egg shell and the incidence and degree of shell whitening declined as the hens aged.

4. Brown colouration and egg shell whitening were most pronounced on the blunt ends of the eggs.

5. A large part of the variation in egg shell whitening was attributable to the individual (hen) component of variance.

6. Differences in egg shell whitening, between the two populations, were detectable throughout the 26 weeks of the experiment.

7. Oviposition intervals were similar for normal and coated eggs when birds were not exposed to disturbance.

8. Disturbance of hens increased oviposition intervals and the incidence and degree of shell whitening, to a similar extent, in both populations.

9. It is concluded that stress‐related egg retention is not the sole factor responsible for abnormal egg shell whitening. Shell whitening may occur as a consequence of the premature termination of shell pigmentation as well as a consequence of the retardation of oviposition which occurs when hens are disturbed.  相似文献