2. The estimates of heritability for the frequency of cracked eggs ranged from 0.11 to 0.43, for egg number from 0.12 to 0.29 and for egg weight from 0.58 to 0.65.
3. The estimates of the genetic correlations between the traits were variable but in general showed no evidence of antagonism between a reduction in crack frequency and an increase in the production traits.
4. The efficiency of selection for reduction in the frequency of cracked eggs based on early measurements is briefly discussed. 相似文献
2. Shell formation began 9–5 to 11 h after the oviposition of the previous egg, increased linearly for 13 h and then plateaued at 1–5 h before oviposition.
3. The variation in egg shell quality observed in two experimental groups of hens was 75% attributable to differences in the rate of shell deposition and 25% attributable to difference in the duration of shell deposition.
4. The mean interval between ovipositions increased with age but neither shell weight, nor rate or duration of shell depositon were affected. The increase in egg weight with age accounted for the decrease in shell quality.
5. Intervals between ovipositions were positively correlated with the duration of shell formation, especially its latter stages.
6. Egg production was negatively correlated with the interval between ovipositions but not with the duration or rate of shell deposition. There was a negative correlation between duration and rate of shell deposition, except in the case of the hens producing eggs of poor shell quality. 相似文献
2. Egg weight and shell quality characteristics were recorded for the eggs and the cuticle was then removed from one egg of each pair.
3. Egg weight and shell quality were re‐assessed for the eggs from which the cuticle had been removed.
4. The cuticle made a significant (P<0.01) contribution to shell thickness and removal of it appeared to reduce shell strength when measured directly, but the method of measurement was too variable to establish this with statistical significance. 相似文献
2. The Sinai egg was smaller and its shell thicker and stronger than the Leghorn egg. All the differences were statistically significant.
3. Shell thickness and strength of Leghorn eggs were in accordance with values predicted on the basis of egg mass, while those of the Sinai and the two crosses were considerably higher than predicted.
4. The apparent differences in mean egg mass between Sinai and Leghorn breeds did not explain the differences in egg‐shell quality, neither did the shape index which was very similar among all breeds.
5. The findings suggest that the differences in egg‐shell properties are of a genetic origin.
6. The thick, strong and less permeable egg‐shell of the Sinai breed may reflect adaptations to its arid environmental origin and to incubation in the open.
7. These genetically‐determined egg‐shell characteristics might serve in a future selection for improved egg‐shell quality in poultry. 相似文献
2. The Sinai egg was found to be smaller and less permeable to water vapour than the eggs of the Leghorn and crossbreds. The differences were statistically significant.
3. The measured egg‐shell water vapour conductance of the Sinai breed was 25% lower than predicted on the basis of egg mass.
4. The low permeability of the Sinai egg shell might be related to its higher than predicted thickness, which did not interfere with the shell functional pore area.
5. The low water vapour conductance of the Sinai egg shell may reflect adaptations to its dry habitat. 相似文献
2. The taint was due to the inclusion of either 25 or 70 g Icelandic capelin fishmeal/kg of the diet.
3. Babcock hens produced significantly more (17%) tainted eggs than Warrens (1.2%).
4. Tainted eggs were significantly reduced to a very low proportion (1.3%) by the third day of feeding a fishmeal‐free diet.
5. The taint was due to the presence of up to 17 mg/trimethylamine kg in affected eggs. 相似文献
2. Changes in the body composition of the hens were followed in vivo by means of computed tomography (CT) four-weekly, between 20 and 72 weeks of age. The measurements covered the whole body of the hens using overlapping 10 mm slice thicknesses on a Siemens Somatom Emotion 6 multislice CT scanner.
3. The yolk, albumen and shell ratio of the eggs, produced on the days of the CT measurements by the hens, were determined and their composition was analysed chemically.
4. The body fat content of the hens increased continuously until 44 weeks of age and plateaued thereafter in both genotypes. However, the body fat content of the white egg layers was always higher than that of the brown egg layers.
5. The yolk ratio and the dry matter and crude fat content of the eggs of white egg layers were higher than the brown egg layers throughout the experiment.
6. Moderate correlations were observed in both genotypes between the body fat content of the hens and egg yolk ratio of their eggs. 相似文献
2. Egg, yolk, albumen and shell plus membrane weights increased, whereas the egg shape, specific gravity and shell thickness decreased between 49 and 154 days of age.
3. Yolk, albumen and shell plus membrane comprised 32–59%, 53–57% and 7–80%, respectively of the total egg weight.
4. Regression between the quail's age and the characteristics of eggs were derived and correlation coefficients ranged from —0–42 to — 0–86. The albumen weight was more highly correlated with egg weight than yolk weight.
5. Relationships were also derived between egg shape and specific gravity, and egg shape and albumen weight.
6. It was concluded that the eggs’ characteristics were modified as the quails aged, and the best criterion of the shell's strength was the egg shape. 相似文献
2. There was evidence that eggs from range had stronger shells: they required more energy to crack, shell thickness was greater and shell deformation at 70 weeks was less (though the difference was not significant).
3. The differences between systems in shell strength, although real, were small. It is probable that environmental insults make a much larger contribution than shell strength to differences in crack incidence.
4. Eggs laid by hens on range were larger (+ 6.8% at 36 weeks and + 2.9% at 70 weeks) than those laid by the same stock housed in cages. 相似文献
2. Relative water vapour conductance, i.e. the ratio between the water vapour conductance as determined in a desiccator and the actual water vapour conductance, as well as relative humidity in the desiccator are influenced by the total rate of water loss of the eggs in the desiccator.
3. The total rate of water loss is influenced by the number of eggs in the batch, their average actual water vapour conductance, desiccator temperature and barometric pressure.
4. Therefore water vapour conductance is easily underestimated, in particular when determined in still air at a small surface area of desiccant.
5. All the above effects are considerably reduced by convection.
6. Further improvements in technique are suggested, particularly for practice where determinations have to be made for a relatively large batch of eggs. 相似文献
2. The Leghorn egg was characterised by a thinner and weaker shell compared with the Sinai and the crossbreds, at all the experimental temperatures.
3. In contrast to other reports, high ambient temperatures for a long period had only mild effects on egg‐shell quality.
4. The results suggest that gradual acclimation to high ambient temperatures might improve the efficiency of the physiological mechanisms involved in the hen's response to heat. Consequently, the reproductive process adapts to the hot environmental conditions.
5. The results indicate that the Sinai breed might be used for future selection of a breed, highly resistant to extreme environmental conditions and with an improved shell quality. 相似文献
2. No difference was found in the qualitative electrophoretic patterns of the anterior pituitary homogenates at different ages and between the sexes.
3. Pituitary PRL concentrations in males were generally higher than in females.
4. Pituitary PRL concentrations in castrated immature cockerels were higher than in intact birds, while PRL concentration was depressed by the injection of testosterone propionate or oestradiol benzoate.
5. Prolactin concentration in intact immature cockerels was decreased by daily injection of testosterone or oestradiol for 3 weeks but not by injection of the hormones for 1 week. 相似文献
2. — The first eggs laid are of low weight and shell porosity but generally by the fifth week of lay both characteristics have increased to the values found in the mature flock.
3. —For mature flocks porosity decreases in the summer and the consequences of this are considered in relation to the observed decrease in hatch‐ability at this time. 相似文献
2. The Sinai produced significantly fewer, smaller eggs, resulting in lower egg mass output (g/bird d), than the Leghorn and the crossbreds.
3. Egg weight of both crossbreds was intermediate between Sinai and Leghorn but laying rate was closer to that of the Leghorn.
4. Differences in egg mass output apparent at 8 to 10 months of age decreased considerably with age.
5. These findings suggest that selection or crossbreeding of the Sinai might improve productive performance while maintaining improved eggshell quality. 相似文献
2. Growth of both embryo and wing length during 42 d of incubation was comparable and approximately linear, with a more or less weekly doubling in size up to 35 d of incubation.
3. The embryo eye size increased more rapidly than beak length and reached a maximum of ~16.2 mm by 28 d of incubation, whereas beak length increased continuously until hatching at 42 d.
4. Linear regression equations were derived from morphometric measurements of embryos between 7 and 42 d.
5. Information stemming from these results can be used to estimate the age of dead-in-shell embryos in an attempt to identify timing of incubation problems that potentially result in low hatchability of fertile eggs. 相似文献
2. The intake of low‐calcium diet and of oyster shell were similar for each light period of each lighting regimen.
3. Ovipositions were distributed virtually at random throughout the day and the mean interval between successive eggs within a clutch was increased.
4. Reducing the total daily photoperiod from 12 to 6 h decreased daily food consumption. 相似文献
2. The water content was highest in White Leghorn eggs, which were the heaviest.
3. Cholesterol content was similar in all eggs except for Dwarf Sussex in which it was less.
4. English Gamecock eggs contained a higher proportion of protein than those of the other breeds.
5. From the data presented, egg size, under similar conditions of feeding, does not determine the contents of components of the egg, but there are underlying genetic factors. 相似文献
2. The yolk: albumen ratio of the goose egg was higher.
3. The fat concentration in the egg yolk and the protein concentration in the egg albumen were lower.
4. Deposition of dry matter in the embryo and energy expenditure during incubation were similar. In both species, the nitrogen in the embryo exceeded the nitrogen in the egg contents. This is probably due to the utilisation of egg‐shell membrane proteins.
5. Lysine concentration in the goose egg proteins was lower, which was reflected in the hatched gosling proteins.
6. There were high correlations in amino acid concentrations between chicken and goose eggs and between the efficiencies of amino acid utilisation by their embryos, implying that similar metabolic processes are involved in these two species. 相似文献
2. Dry plucking increased weight loss due to plucking and eviscerating, and reduced chilled carcass yield.
3. Dry eviscerating increased carcass water uptake during chilling.
4. Pre‐chilling with running water increased carcass water uptake compared with chilling in ice and water alone.
5. Water uptake during chilling appeared to be increased by longer eviscerating time. 相似文献
2. Data on 5 laying flocks (#34–38) of the North Carolina Layer Performance and Management Test were used in this meta-analysis.
3. The moulting methods were non-fasted moulted (NF), short feed restricted (SF), 13-d feed restricted (FR), non-anorexic moult programme (NA), non-anorexic moult programme with low sodium (NALS) as well as non-moulting programme as control treatment. The percentages of targeted body weight loss during the moulting period were 20, 24, 25 and 30% of body weight at the end of the first egg production cycle.
4. Post-moult egg production and egg mass were influenced by all moulting methods. Maximum increase in post-moult egg production rate and egg mass occurred with FR and NF programmes, respectively, at 30% of body weight loss, compared to non-moulted hens. Non-fasting methods reduced mortality rate more effectively than fasting methods.
5. Moulting resulted in increases in percentage of grade A and decreases in percentage of grade B eggs. Non-fasting methods increased percentage of grade A eggs more effectively than fasting methods. Percentage of cracked eggs decreased in moulted rather than non-moulted hens and the lowest rate was associated with the NA programme.
6. Post-moult egg weight was not significantly influenced by moulting methods. However, percentage of body weight reduction affected egg weight. The optimum increment in egg weight was achieved by 24% body weight reduction.
7. Overall, non-fasting methods resulted in similar egg production compared with fasting methods. Considering post-moult mortality and USDA egg weight distribution, non-fasting methods, especially NF and NA programmes, performed much better than fasting methods, indicating that non-fasting moulting methods, which are better for animal welfare, are effective alternatives to fasting methods. 相似文献