Egg quality of brown laying hens fed with different Met + Cys and chelate Cu levels

Abstract Text: The objective of the current study was to evaluate effects from Met + Cys levels combined with chelated Cu concentrations for brown laying hens. Nine hundred sixty brown laying hens (6 replicates/treatment, 8 birds/replicate) from 22 to 26 weeks of age were allotted in a randomized bloc design under factorial scheme 5 x 4 (Met+Cys x Chelated Copper). The diets were formulated according had similar composition (2,800 kcal/kg ME, 15.5% CP) and were formulated according with the lineage of the birds, except for Met + Cys and copper levels. At the final day of period two eggs/experimental unit were evaluated for weight, specific gravity-change, % shell, shell thickness, % albumen, % yolk, Haugh unit, yolk index, and yolk color. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA and Tukey's test 5%.

 

Table 1.External and internal egg quality of brown laying hens fed with Met + Cys and Chelated Cu levels

Variable	Met + Cys (%)
	1.1	0.95		0.80		0.65		0.50	CV (%)
Weight (g)
Specific Gravity-change	1.096	1.095		1.097		1.094		1.095	0.49
% shell	10.00	9.83		10.16		9.76		9.86	7.72
Shell thickness (mm)	38.80	38.75		38.79		38.69		38.48	7.13
% Albumen	68.06	68.04		67.71		67.88		67.71	3.68
% Yolk	21.94	22.13		22.59		22.36		22.43	7.69
Haugh unit	101.22	102.63		101.54		100.75		101.23	5.29
Yolk index	49.46	50.75		49.88		50.00		50.65	9.01
Yolk color
	Chelate Cu (ppm)
	88		43		22		0		CV (%)
Weight (g)
Specific Gravity	1.096		1.096		1.095		1.095		0.49
%Shell	9.94		9.96		9.93		9.85		7.72
Shell thickness (mm)	38.68		39.37		38.22		38.62		7.13
% Albumen	68.34		67.99		67.85		67.35		3.68
% Yolk	22.09		22.05		22.22		22.81		7.69
Haugh unit	101.98		101.43		100.44		102.04		5.29
Yolk index	49.38		50.78		50.27		50.15		9.01
Yolk color	6.8		6.8		6.6		6.4		15.11

In line, means do not differ (P> 0.05), by Tukey test

In conclusion, Met + Cys and Chelate Cu did not affect external and internal quality results of eggs from brown layer hens at 26 weeks of age.

Keywords: Albumen, yolk, organic mineral