• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.254-257
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• 2022

Owing to its excellent nutritional value, eggs are among the most important components of the human diet. Gender and environmental factors, such as feed composition, may alter the nutritional profile and quality of eggs. Feed additives have recently been used to enhance the health and productivity of hens, which has resulted in the production of higher-quality eggs. The fungus Cordyceps militaris, a well-established source of traditional medicines, contains potential bioactive metabolites, which prompted us to examine the effects of C. militaris-supplemented diets on the quality of hens' eggs. The hens of two species (Gallus gallus domesticus and Araucana) were fed with one of three different diets: a control diet and diets supplemented with 2% or 5% of C. militaris. Egg quality was determined by measuring the Haugh Unit, yolk color, and shell thickness. In addition, egg and shell densities together with the ratio of yolk to albumen were calculated. Eggshell thickness and yolk color were both enhanced by the addition of C. militaris, whereas Haugh Unit values were somewhat reduced. Egg size, eggshell weight, and yolk and albumen production were all enhanced by C. militaris supplementation. Notably, in hens fed the 2% C. militaris-supplemented diet, enhancement was more evident in the yolk than in the albumen. The overall quality of the egg yolk was enhanced when 2% C. militaris was added to the hens' diet, which led to increases in both yolk color and quantity. Eggshell thickness and weight were also higher among eggs laid by hens fed the supplemented diets. Although these effects differed depending on the chicken species, we established that, in general, C. militaris contributes to improving egg quality.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.485-491
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• 2004

Spawning induction, egg development and larval growth of ark shell (Tegillarca granosa) (L.) were investigated. The most effective method of spawning induction was steady temperature increasing from$4^{\circ}C\;to\;28^{\circ}C$ with irradiation of sea water by UV after T. granosa was exposed to air at $4^{\circ}C$ Optimum condition for larval roaring was under the 32.4 psu and two temperature $regimes:\;28{\pm}1^{\circ}C\;and \;25{\pm}1^{\circ}C$. Fertilized eggs was demersal isolated eggs, and egg diameter was $60{\mu}$. D-shaped larvae appear about 20 hr after hatching with $94.1{\mu}$ in shell length and $86.7{\mu}$ in shell height. Ten days were required from hatching to umbo larva stage, of a mean shell length $125.2{\mu}$. On 25th day, the larva grew to $450{\mu}$ in shell length and began to settle on the bottom. Effect of temperature between $25^{\circ}C$ (control group) and $28^{\circ}C$ on larval growth was not different. Survival rate of larvae settled on the bottom was about $19{\%}$ in both temperatures conditions $(25^{\circ}C\;and\;28^{\circ}C)$.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 1996

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of feeding split diets for a.m. and p.m. in laying hens on egg shell qualities, and to study the relationship among the methods of measuring shell quality with 480 ISA Brown layers during 32∼36, 52∼56 and 72∼76 wk of age, respectively. A total of 1,080 eggs were collected from 6 treatment groups in every laying period and weighed individually. Egg specific gravity, egg breaking strength, shell thickness and shell percentage of eggs were measured, and then correlation coefficients (r) and regression equations were calculated. By feeding the split diets for a.m. and p.m. differing in ME, CP, and Ca levels, and as the Ca level of the p. m. diet increased, eggshell qualities were improved(P<0.05). The correlation coefficient values indicate that shell percentage, shell thickness and egg specific gravity are highly correlated with the egg breaking strength(P<0.01).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.240-245
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• 2010

The effects of controlled energy restriction and duration of pre-incubation egg holding on fertility, hatchability and hatch losses were evaluated in aged broiler breeders (64 wk). The energy (ME) required for maintenance, activity, growth and anticipated egg production was calculated and offered to a control group (283-471 kcal/kg) from 21-64 weeks of age. In three other groups, ME was quantitatively reduced either by 20% (SER; severe energy restriction) or 10% (MER; moderate energy restriction) and increased by10% (EEF; excess energy feeding) over the control group (CER; controlled energy restriction). Each diet was offered to 130 pullets in individual cages, and the quantity of ME increased with age. At the end of 64 weeks, fertile eggs were collected from each dietary group for 11 consecutive days and grouped under 4 holding periods based on the length of storage (2, 5, 8 or 11 d). The influence of energy regimes, egg holding intervals and their interaction was evaluated on fertility, hatch losses and hatchability. Broiler breeders maintained on SER regime (231-419 kcal/d) produced maximum number of eggs (993) followed by MER (819), CER (624) and EEF (438) during the 11-day period. The percent fertility and hatchability was significantly (p$\leq$0.05) higher in SER and MER groups compared to CER and EEF. However, energy regimes did not influence the loss in egg weight during pre-incubation storage, shell weight, shell thickness or hatch losses as dead germs and dead in shell. The improvement in hatchability in SER and MER groups appeared to be closely related to higher fertility and lower embryonic mortality. Holding of eggs for 11 days showed a linear loss in egg weight with the length of storage, but did not influence the fertility and hatch losses. The percent hatchability on eggs set was maximum when storage period was restricted to 5 days. The interaction between energy regimes and egg holding periods exhibited better hatchability results with SER regime when eggs were held for 5 days. Response to MER was not different from SER. It was obvious that energy restriction during production period had a positive influence on egg number, fertility and hatchability in aged breeders. At 64 weeks of age, holding of fertile eggs for 5 days prior to incubation was adequate for optimum hatchability in breeders.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.279-284
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of storage temperature and time on the quality parameters of eggs from laying hens at peak production. A total of 576 eggs were obtained from Lohmann Light-Brown hens, which were collected 3 times when the hens were 26, 27, and 28 weeks old. The fresh eggs were collected and measured within 2 h of being laid. Samples of 48 eggs each were stored in chambers for 2, 5, or 10 d inside a refrigerator ($5^{\circ}C$), at room temperature ($21^{\circ}C$), and at a high temperature ($29^{\circ}C$). As the storage temperature and time increased, egg weight, percentage of albumen, Haugh unit (HU), and yolk color significantly (p<0.001) decreased. In addition, egg shell weight, shell percentage, and albumen weight significantly (p<0.001) decreased with storage time. Yolk weight, yolk percentage, and albumen pH significantly (p<0.001) increased with increasing storage temperature, and yolk pH significantly (p<0.001) increased with increasing storage time. When the storage temperature was increased to $29^{\circ}C$, egg weight loss dramatically increased from 1.74 to 3.67% at 5 and 10 d of storage time, respectively. With the exception of the $5^{\circ}C$ storage temperature, HU dramatically decreased according to storage time and temperature, decreasing from 91.3 to 72.63 at $21^{\circ}C$ and from 87.62 to 60.92 at $29^{\circ}C$ during 10 d of storage; however, this decline was not found at $5^{\circ}C$. A rapid increase in albumen alkalinity was observed even after just 2 d of storage regardless of the storage temperature. Interactions between storage time and temperature were significant (p<0.001) with respect to egg weight loss, egg shell weight and percentage, albumen weight and percentage, yolk weight and percentage, albumen and yolk pH, HU, and yolk color. The results of the current study indicated that eggs from laying hens at peak production had significant deterioration of internal quality with increasing storage temperature and time. The results suggest that egg weight loss, albumen pH, and HU are parameters that are greatly influenced by the storage temperature and time of eggs from hens at peak laying.

• 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.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.207-213
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• 2012

The egg morphology of minute intestinal flukes (MIF) that can occur as human infections in the Republic of Korea, i.e., Metagonimus yokogawai, M. miyatai, M. takahashii, Heterophyes nocens, Heterophyopsis continua, Stellantchasmus falcatus, Stictodora fuscata, Pygidiopsis summa, and Gymnophalloides seoi, was studied in comparison with Clonorchis sinensis. The adult worms were obtained from residents of endemic areas, and their intrauterine eggs were studied and measured using light microscopy; the length, width, length-width ratio (LWR), and Faust-Meleney index (FMI). Several specimens were processed for scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and before gold-coating, the uterine portion of each fluke was etched with a sharp pin in order to expose the eggs. The MIF eggs were ovoid, pyriform, or elliptical with a size range of $21-35{\times}12-21{\mu}m$. S. fuscata eggs revealed the highest FMI (largest in the area) and lowest LWR, whereas P. summa eggs showed the lowest FMI and medium LWR. SEM revealed that G. seoi and S. fuscata had remarkably clean shell surface lacking the muskmelon-like structure which is prominent in C. sinensis eggs. In Metagonimus spp., H. continua, H. nocens, and S. falcatus eggs, minute surface ridges were recognizable though less prominent compared with C. sinensis. On the surface of P. summa eggs, thread-like curly structures were characteristically seen. The results revealed that important differential keys for MIF eggs include the length, width, area (FMI), shape of the eggs, and the extent of the muskmelon-like structure or ridges on their shell surface and operculum.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.933-938
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• 2007

An experiment was conducted to study the laying performance, shell quality, bone mineralization, hatchability of eggs and performance of progeny (weight at day one and 14 d of age, P content in day old chick, leg score and survivability of chicks) of synthetic broiler breeders fed different levels of non-phytate phosphorus (NPP). Six levels of NPP (1.2, 1.8, 2.4, 3.0, 3.6 and 4.2 g/kg diet) at a constant calcium (Ca) level (30 g/kg) in a maize-soya-deoiled rice bran based diet were tested. Levels of dicalcium phosphate, shell grit and deoiled rice bran were adjusted to achieve the desired levels of NPP and Ca. Each level of NPP was fed with a weighed quantity of feed (160 g/b/d) to 40 female broiler breeders from 25 to 40 weeks of age housed in individual cages. Each bird was considered as a replicate. Egg production, feed/egg mass, body weight, egg weight, shell weight, shell thickness, egg specific gravity, serum Ca content and tibia breaking strength were not influenced (p>0.05) by the variation in dietary NPP levels tested. Increasing the dietary levels of NPP did not influence the hatchability of eggs, phosphorus (P) contents both in egg yolk and day old chick, chick body weight at day one and 14 d of age, leg score and survivability of chicks up to 14 d of age. Maximum response ($p{\leq}0.01$) in shell breaking strength, tibia ash and serum inorganic P contents were observed at NPP levels of 2.09, 2.25 and 3.50 g per kg diet, respectively. The retention of Ca increased, while the P retention decreased ($p{\leq}0.01$) with increasing dietary levels of NPP. Though maximum responses in shell breaking strength, bone ash and serum inorganic P were observed at NPP higher than 1.2 g/kg diet, the broiler breeder performance in terms of egg production, shell quality, hatchability of eggs and progeny performance and their survivability was not influenced by dietary NPP concentrations. It is concluded that synthetic broiler breeders maintained in cages do not require more than 1.2 g NPP/kg diet with a daily intake of 192 mg NPP/b/d during 24 to 40 weeks of age.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.47-51
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• 2004

To evolve silkworm hybrids with higher survival and productivity and easy and effective seed cocoon production, three new evolved bivoltine hybrids of silkworm (Bombyx mori L.), created with participation of sex-limited lines at eggs and larva stage were evaluated with control Super$_1$${\times}$Hessa$_2$ hybrid at Plovdiv Agrarian University during 2000 - 2002. ANOVA analysis was employed and the performance of hybrids was observed in respect of main quantitative traits. The results obtained show significant superiority of new hybrids T$_{15}$ 4/${\times}$TBV$_{2}$24/, XT$_{215}$38/${\times}$TV$_{3}$2/, XT$_{215}$38/${\times}$B$_{2}$6/ and their reciprocal crosses over the control. They were characterized with 99% hatchability of eggs, 93-95% silkworm survival, 2.32- 2.42 g cocoon weight, 53.5-55.7 cg shell weight, 22.9-23.1% shell ratio, 1,307-1,326 m filament length, 3.08-3.17 denier, 95-96% reelability, 44.4-45.1% silk ratio, 569-593 number of normal eggs per lying and 347-364 mg weight of normal eggs per lying. Newly evolved hybrids were manifested high productivity, 41.0-43.6 kg cocoon yield and 7.33-7.78 kg raw silk yield per one box (20,000$\pm$200 viable eggs), which significant surpass the control Super$_1$${\times}$Hessa$_2$ hybrid with 7.6-14.4% and 10.8-17.6%, respectively. T$_{15}$ 4/${\times}$TBV$_{2}$24/ and XT$_{215}$38/${\times}$TV$_{3}$2/ were considered as highly productive hybrids to local conditions and found suitable to rear in spring season.n.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.541-544
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• 1992

Duck eggs from Indigenous (desi), Khaki Campbell and Crossbred (Indian Runner $\times$ Khaki Campbell, $F_1$) were incubated to investigate fertility, hatchability and other related traits. The fertility was highest in crossbred followed by Khaki Campbell and Indigenous ducks respectively. The embryonic mortality was highest in Khaki Campbell followed by Indigenous and crossbred respectively. The embryonic mortality was higher in eggs of 7 days pre-incubation holding period and lower in eggs of 3 days pre-incubation holding period. A significant positive correlation was found between temperature and embryonic mortality as well as relative humidity and embryonic mortality. The hatchability on fertile eggs was highest in crossbred ducks and almost similar in both Khaki Campbell and Indigenous ducks. The hatchability was higher in eggs stored for 3 days in comparison with that of 7 days pre-incubation holding period. A negative correlation was found between temperature and hatchability as well as humidity and hatchability. The normal ducklings hatched out from the eggs of Khaki Campbell ducks was highest followed by Indigenous and crossbred respectively. There was a negative correlation between temperature and normal ducklings hatched as well as relative humidity and normal ducklings hatched. The preincubation holding temperature and relative humidity had positive correlation with dead-in-shell.