• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.840-846
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• 2015

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary corticosterone on egg quality. For 2 weeks hens received either control or experimental diet containing corticosterone at 30 mg/kg diet. Feed intake and egg production were monitored daily, and body weight measured weekly. Egg weights and egg quality were measured daily. Corticosterone treatment resulted in a remarkable increase in feed intake and sharp decrease in egg production compared with control (p<0.05) whereas body weight remained unchanged. Decreased albumen height, but no changes in egg weight, led to decreased Haugh unit (p<0.05). Corticosterone caused elevated eggshell thickness (p<0.05) without altering weight and strength, suggesting possible changes in shell structure. Yolk color and redness were increased by corticosterone (p<0.05) but lightness and yellowness were either not changed or inconsistent over the time period of measurements. Increased concentrations in plasma were also found for corticosterone, glucose, cholesterol, creatinine, uric acid, albumin, aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, total protein, and amylase (p<0.05), suggesting that corticosterone increased protein breakdown, renal dysfunctions and pancreatitis. Together, the current results imply that dietary corticosterone affects egg quality such as yolk colors and shell thickness, in addition to its effects on feed intake and egg production.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.254-259
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• 2009

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of different levels of extracted pigment from Dietzia natronolimnaea biomass as a source of canthaxanthin in comparison with synthetic canthaxanthin on egg yolk pigmentation. The experiment used a completely randomized design (CRD). A total of 63 laying hens, 68 weeks old, were used and the birds were allotted to 7 dietary treatments with each treatment replicated three times with three hens per replicate. Treatments consisted of 3 levels of synthetic canthaxanthin (4, 8 and 16 ppm), 3 levels of extracted pigment from D. natronolimnaea biomass (4, 8 and 16 ppm) and control. Changes in yolk color were determined in 2 eggs taken at random, during the four week experimental period from each replicate. Supplementation of extracted pigment from D. natronolimnaea biomass had a significant effect on the color of egg yolks (p<0.05). Yolk color score of the control group was 6.83 in BASF color fan and the yolk color score of different extracted pigment levels was 11.00, 12.50 and 14.50, respectively. The yolk colors of different levels of synthetic canthaxanthin were 12.00, 14.00 and 15.00, respectively. The effect of pigment supplementation on egg yolk color was better explained by polynomial response curves. The $R_{2}$ indicated that for 3 supplementation levels of each pigment studied, over 90% of the color variation could be explained by the pigment concentration. The egg yolk color after 15 and 30 days of storage was not significantly different, but boiling reduced egg yolk color significantly (p<0.05).

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.239-245
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• 2011

Pigments in the diet affect yolk colors. Due to variations in both the bioavailability of pigments in chickens and their amounts occurring in the feed ingredients, concern about egg quality arises in terms of yolk color. In this study, the effects of pigments, produced through cell culture in the laboratory, on yolk colors were determined for 4 weeks in laying hens receiving one of the 6 dietary treatments: control diets containing 1) no synthetic pigments (CON); 2) canthaxanthin (4 ppm) purchased from BASF (BASF); 3) cultured cells so that the diet had canthaxanthin at 4 ppm (CX); 4) cultured cells so that the diet had lycopene at 30 ppm (LP); 5) canthaxanthin (4 ppm) that was purified from cultured cells (SPCX); or 6) lycopene (30 ppm) that was purified from cultured cells. Relation between deposition of pigments into yolks and egg production was also tested. Yolk color of eggs from chickens fed dietary CX was significantly enhanced, which was slightly but significantly below that of BASF. Results from other treatments were lower than those of CX. Deposit rates of pigments into yolks were: BASF > CX > SPCX > LP > SPLP. The amounts of pigments, with the exception of SPLP, in feed were not changed during the storage for 4 weeks at $25^{\circ}C$. Egg production rates varied among treatments during the initial phase of the study but became relatively uniform at the later stage, except for CON and LP groups. The results of the present study indicate that the deposition of pigments into yolks is independent of egg production.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.371-376
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• 2012

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of wild grape (Vitis coignetiae) on egg qualities. Laying hens were randomly assigned to three different dietary groups containing 0, 0.25, and 0.5% of wild grape and fed for 8 weeks, respectively. Eggs were collected after feeding period and stored at $4^{\circ}C$ for 7 days. Egg quality traits and cholesterol level of egg yolk were measured at 0 and 7 days of storage. There were no significant differences in total cholesterol content of egg yolk and egg shell thickness among the treatments. However, egg weights of wild grape-fed groups significantly increased compared to that of control. Dietary supplementation of 0.25% wild grape increased the shell and yolk colors compared to the control. Dietary supplementation of 0.5% wild grape significantly increased albumen height and Haugh unit and decreased egg shell hardness and pH values at day 0. However, no differences were found after 7 days of storage. Consequently, the dietary supplementation of wild grape improved the egg qualities on some extent including egg weights, shell and yolk color, albumen height, and Haugh unit.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.51-58
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• 2003

The gonadal development and the gametogenic cycle and the fine structure of ripe germ cells of the cultured Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas were investigated using oysters monthly collected from the southern coast of Korea from October 2000 to September 2001. Monthly changes in the condition index were similar to that of meat weight rate and the highest value was observed in between April and May, and the lowest value in August. The external colors of the testis and the ovary were milky white and yellowish, respectively. The spawning period of the Pacific oyster was continued from May to September, with a peak in July. The gametogenic cycle could be classified into five successive stages: multiplicative stage (December to March), growing stage (March and April), mature stage (April to June), spawning stage (June to August) and resting stage (August to January). Variety of egg yolk granules, lipid granules, mitochondria, and endoplasmic reticula were observed in cytoplasm of ripe oocyte. The spermatozoon consisted of the head, middle piece and tail; including cap-shaped acrosome with domed structure, elliptical shaped nucleus, four mitochondria, two centrioles and flagellum.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.375-383
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• 1999

Gonadal development, gametogenesis, reproductive cycle, and first sexual maturity of Reishia clavigera were investigated monthly from July 1998 to June 1999 through cytological and histological observations. R. clavigera had separate sexes, and was an internal fertilizer. The ma1e penis was located near the two tentacles. The ovary and testis were composed of a great number of oogenic lobules and spermatogenic tubules, respectively. The size of ripe oocyte ranged from 130 to 140 ${\mu}$m in diameter. The peripheral cytoplasm of the germinal vesicle of the ripe oocyte in many cases were surrounded by smaller yolk granules, while the eccentric cytoplasm was occupied with larger ones. The reproductive cycle of R. clavigera could be classified into five successive stages: early active, late active, ripe, spawning, and recovery. Spawning of females occurred from early July to August when the seawater reached above 24.8$^{\circ}C$. Spawning of males occurred from early June to August in the water above 22.8$^{\circ}C$. Minimum size for sexual maturity of both sexes was above 10.0 mm in shell height. Each egg capsule was a cylinder or spindle in shape, 4-6 mm in length and 1-2 mm in width. Colors of newly spawned egg capsules showed yellowish white or pale yellow, while those with veliger larvae showed pale black, and released larvae or dead egg capsules showed black violet. The fecundity in an egg capsule ranged from 70 to 91 eggs (mean＝80.28 eggs).

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.245-252
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• 2018

This study investigated the effect of LED light wavelength (color) on reproductive hormones and egg production of brown laying hens raised on floor. Red, blue, green and white colors of LED light were four treatments with four pens per treatment. One hundred forty four Hy-line brown laying hens (47 wks old) were allocated in a floor pen for six weeks trial. Egg production, egg quality, yolk cholesterol and hormones ($17{\beta}$-estradiol, progesterone) concentrations in plasma and oviduct were analyzed. Egg production of red group was higher (P<0.01) than that of green group. Haugh unit of eggs from red group was higher (P<0.01) than that of blue and green groups. Egg weight of green group was heavier (P<0.05) than that of red group. Shell of blue group was stronger (P<0.05) than that of red and white groups. Shell color of white group was browner (P<0.01) than that of blue and green groups. Yolk cholesterol of red group was higher (P<0.01) than that of others. Plasma $17{\beta}$-estradiol of red group was higher (P<0.05) than that of others at $3^{rd}$ week, but that of white group was highest (P<0.05) at $6^{th}$ week. Oviduct progesterone of green group was higher (P<0.01) than that of others. The result showed that the LED colors affect the reproductive hormone concentrations, egg production, egg weight and egg quality. This study suggested that red LED would be the most appropriate color for floor raising brown laying hens to sustain the egg production when it begins to decline with aging.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Poultry Science Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.35-36
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• 2004

A total of 1.200 eggs obtained from 312-day-old Hy-line Brown layer breeder hens and 319-day-old Hy-line Brown commercial layer hens (600 eggs obtained from each ones) were used to investigate the effects of storage period, storage temperature, and insemination of hens on the change of albumen height, Haugh unit (HU), albumen pH, shell strength, and yolk color. Eggs were stored up to 14 days after lay at $3\;^{\circ}C\;or\;10\;^{\circ}C$ and sampled one day after stored and then 24 hours interval. Longer periods of storage resulted in lower albumen height and HU at both storage temperatures, but in higher albumen pH. The eggs stored at $3\;^{\circ}C$ were generally higher in HU and lower in albumen pH than the ones stored at $10\;^{\circ}C$. There was no statistically difference although the eggs obtained from the non-inseminated-hens were slightly higher in albumen height and HU than the eggs obtained from the inseminated-hens. Whereas, the eggs obtained from the non-inseminated-hens in the albumen pH of eggs stored at $3\;^{\circ}C$ was significantly (P<0.05) higher than the ones obtained from the inseminated-hens, but the albumen pH of eggs stored at $10\;^{\circ}C$ did not differ each other. The mean shell strength of the eggs obtained from the inseminated-hens was significantly (P<0.05) stronger than that of the eggs obtained from the non-inseminated-hens at both storage temperatures. Albumen height and albumen pH were negatively correlated(P<0.01~0.001) in both inseminated and non-inseminated-hen's egg groups. The degree of yolk colors were not significantly changed overall of the experimental periods in both storage temperatures. The study suggests that the change of egg freshness such as albumen height and HU are relatively more associated with storage period and storage temperature than insemination or non-insemination of hens.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.172-177
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• 2014

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the dietary effects of conventional or lutein fortified chlorella on lutein absorptions, the tissue distributions and the changes in lutein content of eggs in laying hens. In Exp 1, a total of one hundred and fifty, 70 wk-old Hy-Line brown layers were divided into three groups with five replicates and fed with each experiment diet (control diet, diet with 1% conventional chlorella or lutein fortified chlorella) for 2 wk, respectively. The egg production in groups fed diets containing both chlorella powders were higher than that of the control group (p<0.01). With chlorella supplementations, the yolk color significantly increased, although there were no significant differences in the eggshell qualities. The lutein contents of serum, liver and growing oocytes were greatly increased by feeding conventional or lutein fortified chlorella (p<0.01). In Exp. 2, a total of ninety 60 wk-old Hy-Line brown layers were assigned into three groups with three replicates per group (10 birds per replicate). The birds were fed with one of three experimental diets (0, 0.1 or 0.2% lutein fortified chlorella) for 2 wk, respectively. The egg production was not affected by dietary treatments. The egg weight in the group fed with diet containing 0.2% of lutein fortified chlorella was higher than that of the control (p<0.05). As the dietary chlorella levels increased, the daily egg mass linearly increased, although not significantly. The yolk colors in groups fed diets containing lutein fortified chlorella were dramatically increased as compared to the control (p<0.001). The lutein in chicken eggs significantly increased when fed with 0.2% of lutein fortified chlorella (p<0.01). These results suggested that the dietary lutein derived from chlorella was readily absorbed into the serum and absorbed by the liver with growing oocyte for commercial laying hens. Particularly, the lutein fortified chlorella was a valuable natural source for the production of lutein enriched chicken eggs.