Hens ranked as highly feed efficient have an improved albumen quality profile and increased polyunsaturated fatty acids in the yolk1

Abstract

The shelf life of eggs that contain elevated levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) is compromised due to the relative instability and therefore greater potential for lipid peroxidation of unsaturated fatty acids (FA). Poultry that is highly feed efficiency (HFE) exhibits higher systemic levels of antioxidant enzymes and therefore may produce eggs with improved albumen quality and favorable FA profiles that are stable over time. We tested the hypothesis that HFE-laying hens produce eggs with improved internal egg quality and a favorable yolk FA profile prior to and following storage. Following an initial screening phase (7 wk) using 140 Isa Brown layers (28 wk old), the 10 most efficient (FCR < 1.99 ± 0.05) and the 10 least efficient (FCR > 2.30 ± 0.05) hens were identified and designated as HFE and low feed efficiency (LFE) groups, respectively. Internal quality and composition were determined on eggs (n = 10 per group) stored at 15 °C for 0, 14, and 28 d. At 0, 14, and 28 d, the albumen weight, albumen height, Haugh unit (HU), and albumen:yolk ratio of eggs from the HFE group were significantly higher (P < 0.01), whereas the eggs from the LFE group had heavier (P < 0.01) yolk than the HFE group. After 28-d storage, the yolk color score of the LFE group was lower (paler; P < 0.05) compared with that of the HFE group. The relative proportions of total PUFA and the ratio of total PUFA and total saturated fatty acids (SFA) were higher (P < 0.05) in HFE group of eggs. The LFE group of eggs contained higher (P < 0.05) levels of lipid peroxidation marker (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances; TBARS) values both in fresh and in stored eggs. The results suggest that HFE hens produce eggs with greater albumen quality and higher levels of yolk PUFA both at lay and after storage.

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Effects of dietary glycerol monolaurate on productive performance, egg quality, serum biochemical indices, and intestinal morphology of laying hens

“…Laying performance and egg quality are profoundly affected by the metabolic status of laying hens. It has been proven that physiological stress, including metabolic rate, energy consumption, and catabolism, directly affects egg quality (Kim and Choi, 2014;Akter et al, 2018). In this study, increases in serum LH and FSH levels were associated with an improvement in the productive performance of laying hens.…”

“…It has been reported that higher contents of MUFA and PUFA, as well as a lower content of SFA, as found in the egg yolks from GML-treated groups, could contribute to a decrease in the negative influences of high cholesterol levels in eggs (Milinsk et al, 2003). Fatty acids, which are deposited in yolks, are synthesized from excess carbohydrates and amino acids in hens' livers (Akter et al, 2018). The enrichment of fatty acids in the yolk by GML treatment might be attributed to the reduction of FCR, which could increase the absorption of carbohydrates and protein from feed in laying hens (Jin et al, 2013).…”

Variation and Association of Hen Performance and Egg Quality Traits in Individual Early-Laying ISA Brown Hens

“…The positive association between FCR and BW change in the present study is consistent with a study by Lacin et al [ 4 ], who reported positive associations between BW and FCR. Similarly, Akter et al [ 11 ] reported that hens classed as highly feed efficient, with an FCR value of <1.8, had a significantly lighter BW when compared to hens ranked as poorly feed efficient, FCR > 2.1.…”

“…In a previous study, it was observed that hens ranked as having a high FCR had greater BW and produced eggs with a lower Haugh unit [ 11 ]. In the present study, the absence of an association between feed intake and albumen height, BW indices and albumen height and albumen weight suggests that neither increased feed consumption nor increased hen body weight was associated with albumen quality in early-laying hens.…”

“…In a study with white-shelled hens ranked by BW [ 4 ], it was reported that light BW hens had a higher EP, laid bigger eggs, had a lower feed conversion ratio (FCR), and had higher albumen heights compared to the heavy BW birds. Akter et al [ 11 ] reported associations between traits such as ADFI egg weight and BW, and egg quality characteristics in mid-lay ISA Brown layers. That study showed that hens had varying feed intake but comparable egg mass and hence a low (better) FCR had a higher albumen height.…”