Review: What are the challenges facing the table egg industry in the next decades and what can be done to address them?

Gautron, Joël; Réhault-Godbert, Sophie; Braak, T.G.H. van de; Dunn, Ian C.

doi:10.1016/j.animal.2021.100282

Cited by 54 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…Egg production performance of modern laying hens has improved significantly during the last decade. Prolonging the laying period of laying hens has become a new breeding goal, that is, the “long life” layer, which will be capable of producing 500 eggs in a laying cycle of 100 weeks ( Bain et al, 2016 ; Gautron et al, 2021 ). Osteoporosis is a major and prevalent welfare condition in laying hens caused by bone loss due to absorption of structural and medullary bone for calcium needed for eggshell production ( Webster, 2004 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dietary Energy and Protein Levels During the Prelay Period on Production Performance, Egg Quality, Expression of Genes in Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Ovary Axis, and Bone Parameters in Aged Laying Hens

Qian

Jiao

et al. 2022

Front. Physiol.

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Nutrition during the pre-lay period takes effect on the production performance in the laying flock. This study evaluated the effects of dietary energy and protein levels in pre-lay diet on performance during the whole laying period and the egg quality, bone quality, and mRNA expression of hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis-related genes of hens at the end of the laying cycle. A total of 1,856 15-wk old Hy-Line brown pullets were randomly assigned to one of the four dietary treatments: using a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with 2 energy levels (2,700 and 2,800 kcal/kg ME, respectively) and 2 protein levels (15 and 16.5% CP, respectively). Pullets were fed ad libitum from 15 to 20 wk and from 20 wk onward, fed with a similar laying diet till 72 wk of age. At 72 wk, the expression of genes in the hypothalamus, pituitary, ovarian, and follicles and bone quality was evaluated. At 72wk, there were no differences in production performance, BW, organ index, and ovarian parameters among the dietary treatments. High-CP diet increased the egg shape index and eggshell thickness (p < 0.05), but the eggshell breaking strength, Haugh unit, and albumen height did not differ among the treatments. Neither dietary energy nor protein level took an effect of bone quality. Low-energy diet increased the mRNA expression of gonadotropin-releasing hormone-1 (GnRH-1) in the hypothalamus (p < 0.05). The mRNA expression level of estrogen receptor-1 (ESR-1) in the hypothalamus and ovary was elevated by the 2,700 ME-15%CP diet (p < 0.05). The expression of cytochrome family 17 subfamily A polypeptide 1 (CYP17A1) in the large white follicle (LWF), small yellow follicles (SYF) and dominant follicle (DF) was decreased by the 2,800 kcal/kg diet (p < 0.05). These results indicate that the prelay diet had no influence on the production performance but had minimal effect on the eggshell characteristics and bone parameters. These results suggest that the energy and protein level of the prelay diet changes the expression of HPG axis-related genes of hens around the end of the laying cycle without changing the circulating sex hormone profile. The effect of prelay diet on the endocrinal adjustment at the end of the laying cycle needs to be investigated further.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dietary Energy and Protein Levels During the Prelay Period on Production Performance, Egg Quality, Expression of Genes in Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Ovary Axis, and Bone Parameters in Aged Laying Hens

Qian

Jiao

et al. 2022

Front. Physiol.

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“…For participants, the pig industry stakeholders (farmers, industry, and scientists) have the responsibility to develop housing methods that enable sows’ freedom to move while avoiding piglet mortality by crushing, with many expressing optimism that they will be able to do so. Our findings suggest that public support for loose farrowing housing may be lower than expected, for reasons similar to the enriched cages for laying hens [ 75 , 76 , 77 ]. However, participants’ trust in the pig industry stakeholders’ capability to develop farrowing systems that are in line with their concerns suggest an opportunity for the pig industry to be proactive in communicating with the public to reach common grounds.…”

Section: Conclusion and Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 79%

“Mothers Should Have Freedom of Movement”—Citizens’ Attitudes Regarding Farrowing Housing Systems for Sows and Their Piglets

Vandresen

Hötzel

2021

Animals

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Farrowing crates are the most common housing for lactating sows throughout the world, despite known public opposition to housing systems that deprive animals’ freedom to move. This study aimed to investigate Brazilian citizens’ attitudes towards three farrowing housing systems (crates, loose pens, and outdoors). Data were obtained via an online questionnaire containing open- and close-ended questions. Participants’ (n = 1171) attitudes were most negative towards the crates and most positive towards outdoor farrowing, and positively correlated with perceived sows’ quality of life. Participants overwhelmingly rejected the use of farrowing crates, and most supported a proposal to move from farrowing crates to loose pens, even when informed that this entailed an increased risk of piglets’ mortality. Participants’ views were underpinned by concerns about sows’ freedom of movement, behavioral freedom and naturalness, and the belief that it is possible to develop and manage housing that prevents piglet crushing that does not involve confining the sow. Furthermore, loose farrowing pens may not fully address all concerns expressed by participants regarding farrowing housing, which included the possibility of allowing sows to socialize and express maternal behaviors. We conclude that maintaining farrowing crates may erode the pig industry’s social license.

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“…Such information remains important in the context of the development of methods to avoid the culling of male chicks. Indeed, storage or incubation methods that could imbalance the sex ratio in favour of females would diminish the number of male embryos and chicks to eliminate ( Gautron et al, 2021 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How Egg Storage Duration Prior to Incubation Impairs Egg Quality and Chicken Embryonic Development: Contribution of Imaging Technologies

et al. 2022

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Storing fertilised eggs prior to incubation is a frequent practice in commercial hatcheries to coordinate activities and synchronise hatchings. However, the conditions used to store eggs can have major impacts on egg quality and the subsequent viability of chicken embryos. While storage temperatures of 16–18°C are classically used in hatcheries, the duration of storage varies from three to more than 10 days. We explored the effect of storage duration (zero, three or 10 days; D0, D3 and D10, respectively) at 16°C, 80% relative humidity (RH) on egg quality (Broiler, Ross 308), using computed tomography (CT) and classical measurements (egg weight, eggshell strength, egg white pH, Haugh units, yolk index and colour). The results revealed that a storage duration of up to 10 days negatively affected some egg quality traits (yolk index and volume, air chamber volume and egg white pH). Eggs stored for three or 10 days were further incubated for 11, 13 or 15 days (37.8°C, 55% RH). Eggs were analysed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and CT to assess the development of the embryo and internal egg changes occurring during incubation. First, data showed that the fertility and sex ratio of eggs were not affected by storage duration. However, the mortality of viable eggs was increased in the D10 group compared to the D3 group. Results of non-invasive imaging technologies revealed that the storage of eggs for 10 days impaired embryo growth as early as 11 days of incubation (decrease in brain and embryo volumes). Collectively, these data provide new evidence that the duration of egg storage negatively affects embryonic growth. They further corroborate that this parameter is likely to be crucial to synchronising embryonic stages and maybe reducing the hatching window, hence limiting the time spent by newborn chicks in hatchers. In addition, our results highlight that CT and MRI imaging technologies are useful non-invasive tools to evaluate egg quality prior to incubation and the impact of storage (or incubation) practices on developmental growth of the embryo.

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Review: What are the challenges facing the table egg industry in the next decades and what can be done to address them?

Cited by 54 publications

References 43 publications

Dietary Energy and Protein Levels During the Prelay Period on Production Performance, Egg Quality, Expression of Genes in Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Ovary Axis, and Bone Parameters in Aged Laying Hens

Dietary Energy and Protein Levels During the Prelay Period on Production Performance, Egg Quality, Expression of Genes in Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Ovary Axis, and Bone Parameters in Aged Laying Hens

“Mothers Should Have Freedom of Movement”—Citizens’ Attitudes Regarding Farrowing Housing Systems for Sows and Their Piglets

How Egg Storage Duration Prior to Incubation Impairs Egg Quality and Chicken Embryonic Development: Contribution of Imaging Technologies

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