• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.822-826
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• 2007

This study was conducted to determine the effects of a 0.5% sodium alginate eggshell coating, that was applied at two temperatures, 5 and $25^{\circ}C$, by examining the degree of microbial inhibition on the eggshell surface as well as the coating's effects on egg quality during storage. A significant portion of human Salmonella enteritidis infection is traced to food contamination, and eggs are often highly exposed to this type of contamination. The 0.5% sodium alginate coating's effect for inhibiting microbial growth on the eggs, at $25^{\circ}C$ for 7 days, was one hundred thousand times more effective than that of the uncoated eggs. The pH level in eggs increases as the eggs lose $CO_2$ and as the storage temperature increases. We found that the pH of the coated eggs was lower than that of the uncoated eggs. The pH for the uncoated eggs changed from 7.72 to 7.94 over 30 days of storage at $5^{\circ}C$. However, when the eggs were coated with 0.5% sodium alginate, the pH changed from 7.72 to 7.85 over 30 days of storage at $5^{\circ}C$. The Haugh unit was 66.02 for the uncoated eggs and 70.37 for the 0.5% sodium alginate coated eggs after 30 days of storage. The yolk index of the eggs coated with sodium alginate was higher than that of the uncoated eggs after 30 days. These results indicate that a sodium alginate coating on eggs can serve as protection from microbes and is effective in preserving the interior quality of eggs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.588-596
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• 2020

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of low doses of organic trace minerals (iron, copper, manganese, and zinc) on productive performance, egg quality, yolk and tissue mineral retention, and fecal mineral excretion of laying hens during the late laying period. Methods: A total of 405 healthy hens (HY-Line White, 50-week-old) were randomly divided into 3 treatments, with 9 replicates per treatment and 15 birds per replicate. The dietary treatments included feeding a basal diet + inorganic trace minerals at commercial levels (CON), a basal diet + inorganic trace minerals at 1/3 commercial levels (ITM), and a basal diet + proteinated trace minerals at 1/3 commercial levels (TRT). The trial lasted for 56 days. Results: Compared to CON, ITM decreased (p<0.05) egg production, daily egg mass, albumen height, eggshell strength, yolk Fe concentration, serum alkaline phosphatase activity and total protein, and increased (p<0.05) egg loss and feed to egg ratio. Whereas with productive performance, egg quality, yolk mineral retention, and serum indices there were no differences (p>0.05) between CON and TRT. The concentrations of Fe and Mn in the tissue and tibia were changed notably in ITM relative to CON and TRT. Both ITM and TRT reduced (p<0.05) fecal mineral excretion compared to CON. Conclusion: These results indicate that dietary supplementation of low-dose organic trace minerals reduced fecal mineral excretion without negatively impacting hen performance and egg quality.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.121-126
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• 2020

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of drinking ion water on the performance, egg quality, and serum biochemical properties of laying hens in a high-temperature environment. A total of 180 laying hens with equal egg production rates were randomly divided into three treatments with five replicates. Treatments were applied from 24 to 27 weeks of age and included the supply of ion water (IW), tap water (TW), and cold water (CW). The results showed that the egg production rate, egg weight, and feed intake of hens were significantly (P<0.01) improved in the IW group compared with those in the TW group but did not differ from those in the CW group. Egg quality parameters such as albumen height, Haugh unit, and eggshell thickness were found to be higher in the IW than in the TW group (P<0.05); however, no significant differences were observed in comparison with the CW group. Serum Ca and P concentrations tended to increase (P<0.10) in the IW group, and serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and albumin levels were greater (P<0.05) in response to IW than those to TW. This study provides evidence that the supply of IW can relieve the high-temperature stress during the summer. In particular, because the improved effects of the IW were confirmed to be similar to those of CW, it shows potential as a method to manage the drinking water of hens in the summer season along with the supply of CW.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.61-66
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• 2003

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary germanium biotite supplementation on egg quality and fecal noxious gas content in laying hens. One hundred and forty-four 40-wk-old, ISA Brown layers were used in this experiment. Dietary treatments were 1) CON(control diet), 2) GB0.5(control diet + 0.5% germanium biotite), 3) GB1.0 (control diet + 1.0% germanium biotite) and 4) GB1.5(control diet + 1.5% germanium biotite). Hen-day egg Production and egg shell breaking strength were not influenced by germanium biotite supplementation. However, egg weight decrease as the level of germanium biotite supplementation increased in the diets increased(Cubic effect, p<0.02). Eggshell thickness, yolk color and yolk index were not influenced by garmanium biotite supplementation. Serum triglyceride concentration as dietary germanium biotite increased (linear effect P<0.02; quadratic effect, p<0.05). Dietary supplementation of germanium biotite reduced fecal NH$_3$-N concentration (P<0.01), propionic acid(P<0.01), butyric acid( P<0.05) and acetic aicd(P<0.01) concentrations in the feces. In conclusion, the results of this experiment indicated that dietary germanium biotite supplementation did not affect egg shell quality, but reduced fecal NH$_3$-N concentration.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.207-213
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• 2012

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of various levels of dietary protein on laying performance and egg quality in laying quail. A total of six hundred forty 7-week-old laying type Japanese quail were divided into four groups with eight replicates per group (20 birds per replicate) and fed four diets differing in dietary protein levels (18, 20, 22 and 24%) with isocaloric corn-soybean meal-based diets for 8 weeks. The results showed no significant differences in feed intake and egg weight among the groups. With an increase in dietary protein levels, the egg production and daily egg mass were linearly increased (P<0.05). However, there were no significant differences in eggshell thickness and Haugh unit. The dietary protein did not affect the blood levels of GOT, GPT, BUN, albumin, and creatinine. The ammonia concentration of intestinal digesta was not affected by the dietary treatments. The contents of hepatic triacylglycerol in the groups fed diets containing 20% protein or more were significantly reduced as compared with that of 18% CP group (P<0.05). Overall, this study showed that relatively high levels of dietary CP are needed to sustain the higher egg production and daily egg mass and to avoid the hepatic triacylglycerol accumulation in Japanese quail.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.689-703
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• 2019

The term quality or freshness of eggs in industrial production still poses concerns regarding whether washing is necessary. Therefore, the aims of this study were to examine the effects of different storage times and temperatures and to perform a comparison between washed and unwashed eggs. A total of 1000 washed and 1000 unwashed egg samples were stored at three different temperatures (5, 10, and $25^{\circ}C$) for 0 - 8 weeks and were used for the data collection. On the designated day, the eggs were processed to evaluate their internal and external quality traits, such as the Haugh unit, airspace volume, eggshell strength, pH, and microbiological profile. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed between the washed and unwashed eggs for each quality trait. The results indicate that storage between 5 and $10^{\circ}C$ better preserved the quality of eggs compared with the storage at $25^{\circ}C$ throughout the days of the storage. Overall, this study suggests that the storage time and temperature have a vital role in maintaining the quality of eggs which were significantly affected during storage. In addition, all the quality parameters differed between the washed and unwashed samples which is further responsible for deteriorating the quality of the eggs.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.815-823
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• 2014

Green tea has been known to show beneficial effects on alleviating stress. The present study was conducted to determine the effects of dietary green tea on quality of eggs, during storage, laid by laying hens treated with corticosterone in order to mimic the current practice of the egg market. Hens were fed for 2 weeks one of three diets containing green tea at 0.0, 0.4 or 1.0%. Each dietary group was divided into two subgroups receiving corticosterone at 0 or 30 mg/kg for 1 week. Eggs, laid at 5-7 days following the initiation of corticosterone treatment, were stored at $10^{\circ}C$ for 1 or 5 weeks and then analyzed for egg quality. After 1 week of storage, egg weight was significantly increased by green tea (p<0.025) but decreased by corticosterone (p<0.0001), but no interaction was observed between both. Corticosterone decreased shell color (p<0.0001) but green tea significantly decreased shell strength (p<0.006). Yolk color, albumen height and Haugh unit were not affected by both treatments. After 5 weeks of storage, corticosterone resulted in reduced egg weight (p<0.01) and eggshell color (p<0.001) and increased shell strength, which were not attenuated by green tea. Taken together, the results of the current study show that dietary corticosterone reduces egg quality during storage, which are attenuated in part by dietary green tea.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.23-30
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• 2023

This study was conducted to analyze the correlation between egg breakage rate and cumulative external forces on eggs during the egg transfer system in 12 commercial layers farms. The commercially available electronic egg device was used to detect the external forces on eggs during egg collection systems. In addition, egg breakage rate per farm was collected. It was found that the external force on eggs were greater in the order of washer and dryer connection part, conveyor connection part, transfer, sorter, collecting elevator, packer, egg transfer connection part, and egg tray. A positive relationship between the external forces on eggs during egg transit system and the incidence of cracked eggs per farm was noted. The external forces on eggs varied from 5G to 38G depending on the location and the egg breakage rate ranged from 3.2 to 14.5% per farm. Although efforts to produce eggs with high eggshell quality are considered important, extra care should be made to lower the external forces on eggs during the egg transfer system from laying house to egg packing center.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.369-376
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• 2003

This experiment was conducted to investigate the influence of different levels of metabolizable energy (ME) and crude protein (CP) on post-molt performance and egg quality of spent laying hens. Four hundred and thirty two, ISA Brown hens at sixty six weeks of age after molt induction were fed six experimental diets containing three ME (2,750, 2,800, 2,850 kcal/kg) with two CP (15, 17%) levels in a factorial design. The influence of ME and CP were evaluated on egg production, egg weight and feed intake throughout 24 weeks of production. Egg mass and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were measured during the experimental period. Haugh unit, yolk color and eggshell breaking strength were measured at 5%, 50%, peak, post peak and end stage of egg production. The hens fed 2800 kcal/kg diet along with 15% CP recorded the highest outcome of egg production (P<0.05). The egg weight has been shown to increase with hens receiving 2,800 kcal/kg ME. Daily egg mass tended to increase in hens fed with 15% CP and 2,800 kcal/kg ME. Feed intake decreased significantly with the level of ME and CP in the diet increased (P<0.05). Yolk color was improved significantly in eggs laid by the hens receiving 17% CP than 15% diet. It also tended to be higher in 17% CP with 2,800 or 2,850 kcal/kg ME diet treatments. Egg shell breaking strength increased with hens receiving diets of 15% CP and 2,800 kcal/kg. From this experiment it can be concluded that the ME level of 2,800 kcal/kg coupled with 15% CP could be used to achieve the higher egg production and better eggshell strength in induced molting hens.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.1318-1323
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• 2008

Corn distiller's dried grains with solubles (DDGS) is a completely new feed ingredient in the Korean feed market. There is an ever increasing need for the Korean feed industry to import and make the best of it as a high protein and high energy feed ingredient. A layer feeding trial was conducted for 10 weeks to investigate the effects of addition of light-colored DDGS to layer diets on laying performance, egg qualities and yolk fatty acid composition. Also, the economics of using DDGS in the Korean situation was analyzed. Nine hundred Hy-line Brown layers, 24 weeks of age, were employed in a feeding trial consisting of four dietary treatments (0, 10, 15, and 20% DDGS), and five replicates per treatment. All experimental diets were prepared as iso-protein (17%) and iso-calorie (TMEn 2,780 kcal/kg). The use of DDGS up to 20% in layer diets did not exert any influence on feed intake, laying rate, total egg mass, mean egg weight and feed conversion ratio (p>0.05). The color and breaking strength of eggshell, as well as the albumin height and Haugh unit were not affected by the addition of DDGS up to 20% in the diet. The yolk color was significantly increased by DDGS supplementation (p<0.05). As the DDGS level increased, the oleic acid content decreased, and the linoleic acid increased (p<0.05) in egg yolk. The degree of saturation of yolk fatty acids was not affected by DDGS supplementation. The inclusion of light-colored DDGS up to 20% in layer diets resulted in a decrease of feed cost per kg without any undesirable effect on laying performance. In conclusion, the light-colored DDGS (L* 56.65) could be used up to 20% in layer diets without any harmful effect on laying performance, and possibly provide economic benefits to the Korean poultry industry.