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Xuan L, Zheng J. Translucent eggs of laying hens: a review. Poult Sci 2024; 103:103983. [PMID: 38954901 PMCID: PMC11266994 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2024.103983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Eggshell quality is a significant characteristic that influences consumer preferences. Eggshell translucency is a common defect in the appearance of eggshells, which are characterized by gray spots that are visible to the naked eye under natural light. The presence of various defects resulting from eggshell translucency has caused a decrease in consumer willingness to purchase eggs, leading to considerable economic losses in the egg industry. Although the impact of eggshell translucency on food safety, egg quality, and hatchability has been extensively investigated, the classification and causes of eggshell translucency remain unclear and lack a systematic summary. In recent studies, new interpretations of evaluation methods and causes of eggshell translucency have been proposed, along with numerous innovative solutions. Therefore, this paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of the evaluation methods, classification, causes, effects, and influencing factors of eggshell translucency and to summarize the treatments for translucent eggs. We believe that this review will serve as a valuable reference for researchers involved in the study of translucent eggs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Xuan
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and MOA Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Jiangxia Zheng
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and MOA Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
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Yuan C, Chen S, Sun R, Ren L, Zhao T, Wu M, Zhang A. Thymol improves the growth performance of blue foxes by regulating the gut microbiota. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1368293. [PMID: 38946897 PMCID: PMC11212683 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1368293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The drawbacks of using antibiotics as feed additives for blue foxes have gradually become apparent; moreover, thymol has wide-spectrum antimicrobial activity and has the potential to replace antibiotics in various animals. However, there are few reports on the effects of thymol on blue foxes. Methods This study aimed to investigate the effects of different concentrations of thymol on the growth performance, apparent nutrient digestibility, serum biochemical indicators, intestinal morphology, and gut microbiota of blue foxes. Twenty-four male blue foxes (120 ± 5 d) of similar weight (6.05 ± 0.16 kg) were randomly divided into 4 groups. 0, 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg thymol were added to the basal diets of groups C, L, M, and H, respectively. Results Compared with those in the C group, the addition of 100 mg/kg thymol to the diet significantly increased organic matter (OM) digestibility, crude protein (CP) digestibility, immunoglobulin (Ig) A, IgM, the VH of the duodenum, the CD of the jejunum, the VH of the ileum, and the VH/CD of the ileum (P < 0.05) and strongly significantly increased IgG (P < 0.01). The addition of 200 mg/kg thymol to the diet increased the VH/CD of the duodenum (P < 0.05). The addition of 300 mg/kg thymol to the diet significantly increased the VH and CD of the jejunum (P < 0.05). The addition of 200 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg thymol to the diets increased the final weight (FW) (P < 0.05). Adding 100 mg/kg thymol significantly increased the levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and catalase (CAT) compared with those in the other groups (P < 0.05). 16S rRNA gene detection revealed that thymol can change the abundances of Bifidobacterium, Fusobacterium, Allobaculum, Streptococcus, Megasphaera, and Lactobacillus in the gut. Conclusion The addition of thymol to diets can increase the abundance of Bifidobacterium, Fusobacterium, and Allobaculum, which may contribute to improving the growth performance of blue foxes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Aiwu Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
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Shao D, Liu L, Tong H, Shi S. Dietary pyrroloquinoline quinone improvement of the antioxidant capacity of laying hens and eggs are linked to the alteration of Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and gut microbiota. Food Chem X 2023; 20:101021. [PMID: 38144785 PMCID: PMC10740097 DOI: 10.1016/j.fochx.2023.101021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Pyrroloquinoline quinone disodium (PQQ·Na2) has been considered a human food supplement for human health promotion with its antioxidant properties. To determine whether PQQ·Na2 had similar functions to improve the antioxidant ability of layers and eggs, 180 laying hens were fed with 0 or 0.4 mg/kg PQQ·Na2 diets. Supplementation with PQQ·Na2 increased the albumen height, Haugh unit of the eggs. PQQ·Na2 also led to a higher glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) concentration in plasma and a lower malondialdehyde (MDA) content in the liver and egg yolk. Similarly, liver gene and protein expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) were up-regulated by PQQ·Na2. Moreover, PQQ·Na2 increased the abundance of Firmicutes, Microbacterium, Erysipelatoclostridium, Mailhella, Lachnospiraceae_UCG-010, and Herbaspirillum in gut. Overall, these results suggested PQQ·Na2 increased the antioxidant ability of layers and eggs which might be in connection with the activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and optimized gut microflora.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Shao
- Poultry Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Yangzhou 225125, China
| | - Liangji Liu
- Poultry Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Yangzhou 225125, China
| | - Haibing Tong
- Poultry Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Yangzhou 225125, China
| | - Shourong Shi
- Poultry Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Yangzhou 225125, China
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Ge C, Luo X, Wu L, Lv Y, Hu Z, Yu D, Liu B. Plant essential oils improve growth performance by increasing antioxidative capacity, enhancing intestinal barrier function, and modulating gut microbiota in Muscovy ducks. Poult Sci 2023; 102:102813. [PMID: 37343349 PMCID: PMC10404791 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2023.102813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Essential oils (EO) are known for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and growth-promoting properties. However, data rgarding their impact on the intestinal health and gut microbiota of ducks remain limited. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effects of plant EO on the growth performance, intestinal health, and gut microbiota of Muscovy ducks. A total of 360 healthy male Muscovy ducks aged 1 d were randomly divided into 4 groups with 6 replicates and 15 ducks per replicate. Ducks were fed basal diets supplemented with 0, 100, 200, or 300 mg/kg EO. The results showed that 200 mg/kg EO supplementation significantly (P < 0.05) increased the final body weight and average daily gain, while significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the feed conversion ratio during the 56-d experimental period. Furthermore, dietary 200 mg/kg EO significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced antioxidant capacity and immune function and improved the barrier function of the intestine. Additionally, 16S rDNA sequencing analysis results showed that 200 mg/kg EO favorably modulated the cecal microbial diversities and composition evidenced by the increased (P < 0.05) the abundances of short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria (e.g., Subdoligranulum and Shuttleworthia) and decreased (P < 0.05) abundances of potential enteric pathogenic bacteria (e.g., Alistipes, Eisenbergiella, and Olsenella). The relative abundance of beneficial bacteria was positively correlated with antioxidant, immune, and barrier function biomarkers. Overall, these findings revealed that dietary supplementation with 200 mg/kg EO had several potentially beneficial effects on the growth performance of Muscovy ducks by improving antioxidant capacity, enhancing the intestinal barrier function and favorably modulating gut microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaoyue Ge
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Yazhou Bay Sci-Tech City, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Xinyu Luo
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Lianchi Wu
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yujie Lv
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Yazhou Bay Sci-Tech City, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Zhaoying Hu
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Dongyou Yu
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Yazhou Bay Sci-Tech City, Sanya 572000, China.
| | - Bing Liu
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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Shi X, Liang Q, Wang E, Jiang C, Zeng L, Chen R, Li J, Xu G, Zheng J. A Method to Reduce the Occurrence of Egg Translucency and Its Effect on Bacterial Invasion. Foods 2023; 12:2538. [PMID: 37444276 DOI: 10.3390/foods12132538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Translucent egg consumption is low due to consumer acceptance and quality concerns, which is a problem that egg producers need to address. This study was performed to evaluate the reasons for the high occurrence of egg translucency in summer, as well as whether the addition of mono-dicalcium phosphate (MDCP) to the diet can relieve eggshell translucency and whether eggshell translucency is associated with the risk of bacterial invasion. A total of 72 laying hens that were 36 weeks old were randomly divided into control (CON) and MDCP groups and fed in the same environment. Results showed that the number of translucent eggs increases in July and August as the temperature and humidity increase. Compared with the CON group, in July, August, and October, the translucent egg grade (TEG) of the MDCP group was lower than that of the CON group (p < 0.05). TEG was correlated with mastoid space height (MSH), width (MSW), and area (MSA) (correlation coefficients 0.63, 0.59, and 0.68, respectively, p ≤ 0.05). There was no significant difference in the invasion rate of E. coli between translucent and non-translucent egg groups (47.2% vs. 39.33%), and translucent area and non-translucent area (13.49% vs. 15.08%). In conclusion, our results show that dietary MDCP may alleviate eggshell translucency and that eggshell translucency would not increase the probability of E. coli cross-shell penetration rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuefeng Shi
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Qianni Liang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Enling Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Caiyun Jiang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Lingsen Zeng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Ruochen Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Junying Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Guiyun Xu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jiangxia Zheng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
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Özbilgin A, Kara K. Effect of adding lavender oil to laying quail diets on performance, egg quality, oxidative status, and fatty acid profile. Trop Anim Health Prod 2023; 55:173. [PMID: 37186264 DOI: 10.1007/s11250-023-03596-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
This study aims to investigate the effects of lavender essential oil on performance, egg quality parameters in quails, malondialdehyde (MDA) in fresh and stored (28 days at +4°C) eggs, and individual and total fatty acids. To this end, 100 female quails (Coturnix coturnix Japonica) which were 5 weeks old with an average weight of 224 g were used. The study lasted 45 days, including 10 days of introduction and 35 days of study. Quails were fed ad libitum with four different treatments. Four groups were formed as control groups (0g lavender essential oil/kg feed), Lav125 (125mg lavender essential oil/kg feed), Lav250 (250mg lavender essential oil/kg feed), and Lav500 (500mg lavender essential oil/kg feed). There were five subgroups under each group and five quails in each subgroup. Feed consumption and egg weight parameters increased in Lav500 group compared to the control group (p<0.05). The highest egg yield compared to the control group was determined in Lav500 group (p>0.05), and the highest egg mass compared to the control group was determined in Lav125 group. The highest feed conversion ratio compared to the control group was in Lav250 group (p>0.05). In addition, egg white height and Haugh Unit (HU) compared to the control group were the highest in Lav500 group (p<0.05). The MDA concentration decreased in Lav125 and Lav250 group in fresh and in Lav500 group in stored eggs (at +4C for 28 days) compared to the control group (p<0.05). Omega 3 fatty acids in fresh and stored eggs were higher in lavender groups compared to the control group (p<0.05). However, the concentration of omega 9 (oleic acid) fatty acid decreased in the lavender groups compared to the control group (p<0.05). As a result, it was found that adding lavender essential oil to the diet leads to an increase in body weight, egg yield, egg mass, egg weight, egg white height, HU, omega 3 fatty acids, and a decrease in MDA concentration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdullah Özbilgin
- Sivas Cumhuriyet University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Department of Animal Nutrition and Nutritional Disorders, Sivas, Turkey.
| | - Kanber Kara
- Erciyes University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Department of Animal Nutrition and Nutritional Disorders, Kayseri, Turkey
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Feng J, Lu M, Ma L, Zhang H, Wu S, Qiu K, Min Y, Qi G, Wang J. Uterine inflammation status modulates eggshell mineralization via calcium transport and matrix protein synthesis in laying hens. ANIMAL NUTRITION 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aninu.2023.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
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Li Z, Jin X, Wu Q, Long L, Li Y, Zhang Q, Liu A, Chen X, Geng Z, Zhang C. Effects of encapsulated thymol and carvacrol mixture on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immune function and intestinal health of broilers. ITALIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/1828051x.2022.2151944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Li
- Department of Animal Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Xu Jin
- Department of Animal Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Qiong Wu
- Department of Animal Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Lingbo Long
- Department of Animal Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Animal Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Qingyue Zhang
- Department of Animal Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Aidong Liu
- Department of Animal Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Xingyong Chen
- Department of Animal Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Zhaoyu Geng
- Department of Animal Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Cheng Zhang
- Department of Animal Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
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Johnson AM, Anderson G, Arguelles-Ramos M, Ali AAB. Effect of dietary essential oil of oregano on performance parameters, gastrointestinal traits, blood lipid profile, and antioxidant capacity of laying hens during the pullet phase. FRONTIERS IN ANIMAL SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fanim.2022.1072712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Many benefits have been found in supplementing essential oils such as oregano oil (EOO) to poultry, including increased body weight gain, antioxidant activity, and better gastrointestinal morphology. However, few studies tested the influence of EOO supplementation on laying hens and reported conflicting results regarding its efficacy in improving their health and performance. Therefore, we aimed to explore the effects of dietary EOO on performance, gastrointestinal (GIT) traits, blood lipid, and antioxidant capacity in laying hens during the rearing phase. A total of 300-day-old Hy-line-Brown chicks were used, and treatment diets consisted of corn-soybean based either without (CON) or with EOO (Ecodiar®, 0.275 g/kg diet). Birds were randomized across treatments with five pens/treatment and 30-birds/pen. Pen weights and feed rejected were recorded every two weeks (1-17 weeks of age), to calculate daily feed intake (ADFI), body weight (BW), and daily weight gain (ADWG). At 11 and 14 weeks of age, blood samples were collected from 3 birds/pen and analyzed for blood lipids and antioxidant levels, and 5-birds/treatment were euthanized, and GIT traits were tested. Differences in measured parameters across weeks and between treatments were assessed using GLMM with Tukey’s Post hoc test applied to significant results in R 3.3.1 (α set at 0.05). Body weights at weeks 3, 11, 13, and 17 were significantly higher in the EOO group compared to the CON group (all P ≤ 0.05), ADWG was significantly higher in EOO birds compared to CON birds at 9 and 13 weeks old (all P ≤ 0.05), while no significant differences in ADFI were observed between treatments across weeks of the trials. At both 11 and 17 weeks old, triglyceride levels were significantly lower, while high-density-lipoprotein levels were higher in EOO (all P ≤ 0.05). Malondialdehyde levels were lower in the EOO group versus CON (p=0.01), while EOO birds had higher glutathione levels (p=0.01) than CON. Finally, at 12 weeks old, the weight of the entire GIT and empty gizzard were higher in the EOO group versus CON (all P ≤ 0.05), while liver and spleen weights were not significantly different between groups. In conclusion, dietary oregano supplementation exerted promoting effects on the performance of Hy-Line Brown pullets.
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Research progress on bird eggshell quality defects: a review. Poult Sci 2022; 102:102283. [PMID: 36399932 PMCID: PMC9673113 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2022.102283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The eggshell quality declined with extending of chicken laying cycles. Eggshell quality is a crucial feature that not only affects consumer preference, but also influences producers' economic profitability. The eggshell ultrastructure consists of mammillary, palisade, and vertical crystal layers. Any defect in shell structure results in a reduction in eggshell quality. Speckled, translucent, pimpled, and soft eggshells are common defects that cause significant financial losses for farmers and food security concerns for consumers. Therefore, reducing the faulty eggshells is critical for poultry production. Defective eggshell quality has been attributed to hereditary factors and external environmental stimuli. As such, improvements can be carried out through selective breeding and environmental control of components such as temperature, moisture, and diet formula balance. In this review, the molecular mechanisms of the main eggshell quality defects (speckled, translucent, pimpled, broken, and soft-shell eggs) and the relevant improvement methods are detailed. We hope this review will serve as a useful resource for poultry production management and effectively increasing eggshell quality.
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