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Genetic and environmental factors regulate hen egg traits. To demonstrate the possibility of producing designer eggs through genetic and environmental factors, we investigated the effects of breed and feed on egg traits using 2 chicken breeds, Rhode Island Red (RIR) and Australorp (AUS), and 2 feeds, mixed feed and fermented feed. A total of 40 egg...
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... fermented feed was made especially using a silage preparation additive, WS360 (Protocol Japan Ltd., Japan), which contains lactic acid bacteria and cellulolytic enzyme. The ingredients in both mixed and fermented feeds (Table 1) were analyzed at the Institute of Chemurgy in the Tokachi Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives, Japan. As shown in Figure 1, eggs from hens of each breed (RIR and AUS) were collected at 4 different stages: during the mixed feed period (0 mo), 1 mo, 1.5 mo, and 2 mo from the start of the fermented feed period. ...Similar publications
Eggs are commonly used in the food industry because of their excellent nutrient value and also for their coagulating, foaming, emulsifying, colouring and flavouring properties. Manufacturers substitute shell eggs with processed egg products, such as liquid whole egg, liquid egg yolk or albumin. They have a shelf life of a few weeks, but freezing ca...
Citations
... Additionally, increased plasma concentrations of non-essential amino acids and decreased essential amino acids were associated with egg formation (Taylor et al. 1970). Birds may prioritize early maternal allocation by adjusting amino acids deposition into eggs based on the environmental factors such as habitat quality, predation risk and social environments (Dixit et al. 2017;Macelline et al. 2021;Mori et al. 2020). These cues may shape early maternal allocation strategies through specific amino acid deposition into the egg such as methionine, serving as energy budget for the offspring growth and development (Fontaine and Martin 2006). ...
Embryonic development is one of the most sensitive and critical stages when maternal effects may influence the offspring’s phenotype. In birds and other oviparous species, embryonic development is confined to the eggs, therefore females must deposit resources into the eggs to prepare the offspring for the prevailing post-natal conditions. However, the mechanisms of such phenotypic adjustments remain poorly understood. We simulated a maternal nutritional transfer by injecting 1 mg of l-methionine solution into Japanese quail eggs before the onset of incubation. The increase in early methionine concentration in eggs activated the insulin/insulin-like signalling and mechanistic target of rapamycin (IIS/mTOR) signalling pathways and affected post-natal developmental trajectories. Chicks from methionine-supplemented eggs had higher expression of liver IGF1 and mTOR genes at hatching but were similar in size, and the phenotypic effects of increased growth became apparent only a week later and remained up to three weeks. Circulating levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and expression of ribosomal protein serine 6 kinase 1 (RPS6K1), the mTOR downstream effector, were elevated only three weeks after hatching. These results show that specific nutritional cues may have phenotypic programming effects by sequentially activating specific nutrient-sensing pathways and achieving transgenerational phenotypic plasticity.
... Samples (oocytes, cumulus cells or granulosa cells) for analyses were only included when GV, MI and MII samples from an individual mare were available for a given cell type. Traits within each cumulus, granulosa and oocyte cell type were analyzed by two-way mixed design analysis of variance (ANOVA) with the factor of age group (Young and Old) as the between-subjects factor and the factor of maturation stage group (GV, MI and MIIC) as the within-subject (repeated) factor to determine the main effects of age and stage and the effect of age-by-stage interaction (Mori et al., 2020). The descriptive statistics of traits within each cumulus, granulosa and oocyte cell type are presented as y± S y (mean ± standard error of the mean) for age, stage, and age-by-stage combination. ...
Introduction: Oocytes and follicular somatic cells within the ovarian follicle are altered during maturation and after exposure to culture in vitro. In the present study, we used a nontargeted metabolomics approach to assess changes in oocytes, cumulus cells, and granulosa cells from dominant, follicular-phase follicles in young and old mares.
Methods: Samples were collected at three stages associated with oocyte maturation: (1) GV, germinal vesicle stage, prior to the induction of follicle/oocyte maturation in vivo; (2) MI, metaphase I, maturing, collected 24 h after induction of maturation in vivo; and (3) MIIC, metaphase II, mature with collection 24 h after induction of maturation in vivo plus 18 h of culture in vitro. Samples were analyzed using gas and liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry only when all three stages of a specific cell type were obtained from the same mare.
Results and Discussion: Significant differences in metabolite abundance were most often associated with MIIC, with some of the differences appearing to be linked to the final stage of maturation and others to exposure to culture medium. While differences occurred for many metabolite groups, some of the most notable were detected for energy and lipid metabolism and amino acid abundance. The study demonstrated that metabolomics has potential to aid in optimizing culture methods and evaluating cell culture additives to support differences in COCs associated with maternal factors.
... Genetic and environmental factors regulate hen egg traits. Mori et al.'s [57] results revealed significant effects of breed on eggshell redness and yellowness. According to Lordelo et al. [41], the considerably lighter color of eggshells laid by the Portuguese native breeds, in particular, the "Branca" breed, may be strongly related to their differentiated genetic background, as well as the darker eggshell found in the hybrid breeds, which is probably a consequence of intensive genetic breeding selection. ...
The sustainability of agroecological systems, biodiversity protection, animal welfare, and consumer demand for higher quality products from alternative and extensive farming methods have reinforced interest in local breeds that are well adapted to low-input environments. However, food safety needs to be safeguarded to reinforce consumer confidence. The aim of this study was to conduct a preliminary investigation on the occurrence of Salmonella spp. in eggshells, hen’s cloaca, and litter materials from autochthonous Portuguese laying hens raised in a semi-extensive system for small-scale production. A total of 279 samples from 31 flocks belonging to 12 farms were obtained, with 63 samples from the “Preta Lusitânica” breed, and 72 samples each from the remaining autochthonous breeds, namely, “Branca”, “Amarela”, and “Pedrês Portuguesa”. None (0%) of the samples analyzed were positive for Salmonella spp. To the best of our knowledge, these are the first results of Salmonella evaluation from hen’s cloaca, eggshells, and litter materials in autochthonous Portuguese chickens, suggesting that a semi-extensive production system can contribute to better food security and a lower risk to public health and the environment.
... The replicated cage was considered the experimental unit (n = 12 per group). The sample size analysis (employing a two-tailed Student's t-test with α = 0.05 and power = 0.8) indicated that a sample size of n = 12 is adequate to detect changes ranging from 10-19% in AA values in egg albumen [44]. ...
In recent years, a supplementation of livestock animals, including poultry, with β-Hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) has gained attention for its effects on protein and fat metabolism. This study investigates the effects of HMB in the laying hen diet on egg quality, focusing on amino acid and fatty acid composition. Laying hens were supplemented with 0.02% HMB, with performance parameters and egg components analyzed. HMB supplementation led to increased albumen weight, influencing egg weight while also reducing feed intake per egg without affecting laying rate, yolk indices, fat, or cholesterol content. Notably, the study revealed significant changes in egg amino acid and fatty acid profiles due to HMB supplementation. Various amino acids, including glycine, serine, and isoleucine, were altered in the yolk, impacting nutritional value and potential health benefits. Regarding fatty acids, the study observed changes in both saturated as well as n-6 and n-3 fatty acids, affecting the overall lipid profile of egg yolks. However, the shifts in fatty acid composition could have implications for cardiovascular health due to altered ratios of n-6/n-3 fatty acids. Further research is required to comprehensively understand the implications of these findings for consumer-oriented egg quality and health benefits.
... Genetic and environmental factors regulate hen egg traits. Mori et al. [48] results revealed significant effects of breed on eggshell redness and yellowness. According to Lordelo et al. [31] the considerable lighter color of eggshells laid by the Portuguese native breeds, in particular, the "Branca" breed, may be strongly related to their differentiated genetic background, as well as the darker eggshell found in the hybrid breeds, which is probably a consequence of intensive genetic breeding selection. ...
The sustainability of agroecological systems, biodiversity protection, animal welfare and consumer demand for higher-quality products from alternative and extensive farming methods, have reinforced interest in local breeds that are well adapted to low-input environments. However, food safety needs to be safeguarded to reinforce consumer confidence. The aim of this study was to conduct a preliminary investigation on the occurrence of Salmonella spp. in eggshells, hen’s cloaca and litter materials from autochthonous Portuguese laying hens raised in a semi-extensive system for small-scale production. A total of 279 samples were obtained, with 63 samples from the “Preta Lusitânica” breed, and 72 samples each from the remaining autochthonous breeds, namely “Branca”, “Amarela” and “Pedrês Portuguesa”. None (0%) of the samples analyzed were positive for Salmonella spp.. To the best of our knowledge, these are the first results of Salmonella evaluation from hen’s cloaca, eggshells, and litter materials in autochthonous Portuguese chickens, suggesting that a semi-extensive production system can contribute to better food security and a lower risk to public health and the environment.
... Measurement of egg weight, egg white weight, and egg yolk weight was weighed using a digital scale. Egg white protein levels were measured using the Kjeldahl method (Mori et al., 2020). Egg yolk cholesterol levels were measured using the Liebermann Burchard method (Ukachukwu,et al., 2017). ...
Nanochitosan is a polysaccharide that can be used as a feed additive to improve the chemical quality of eggs. Protein and cholesterol levels are indicators of the chemical quality of eggs that affect egg weight. This study aims to analyze the effect of nanochitosan as a feed additive on improving the chemical quality of eggs in terms of protein content, cholesterol content, egg white weight, egg yolk weight, and duck egg weight. This study was designed in a completely randomized design (CRD) consisting of 5 treatments (0; 2.5; 5; 7.5; 10 g nanochitosan/kg feed) with 5 replications. Treatment of feed was given for 8 weeks. Variables measured included protein content, cholesterol level, egg white weight, egg yolk weight, and duck egg weight. Data was analyzed using ANOVA at 5% significance. The results showed that nanochitosan as a feed additive had a significant effect on increasing protein content, egg white weight, egg yolk weight, egg weight and cholesterol reduction. The conclusion of this study is that nanochitosan can be used as a feed additive that has potential to improve the chemical quality of duck eggs. The novelty of this research is the use of nanochitosan as a feed additive to improve the performance of livestock in increasing protein levels and reducing cholesterol levels in pengging duck eggs. The results of this study are expected to open up opportunities regarding the use of nanochitosan as a feed additive in various other local ducks in Indonesia.
... Our derivatization protocol (Silfer et al., 1991) measured ca. 97% of all amino acids present in yolk (Mori et al., 2020), but the bulk stable isotopes could also reflect other nitrogen and carbon-containing molecules not removed by the lipid extraction, such as, for example, phosphoproteins (Mecham & Olcott, 1949). ...
Income and capital breeding represent opposing ends of a continuum of reproductive strategies. Quantifying nutrient allocation to reproduction is challenging, but recent advances in compound‐specific stable isotope analysis hold promise for tracing the source of individual compounds allocated to reproduction.
Here, we describe a novel approach of using measured carbon (δ ¹³ C) and nitrogen (δ ¹⁵ N) isotope values of individual amino acids (AAs) in pectoral muscle of egg‐laying females and egg yolk as a useful tool to quantify the reliance on income versus capital breeding in migrating species. We used white‐fronted ( Anser albifrons frontalis ), lesser snow ( A. caerulescens caerulescens ) and black brant ( Branta bernicla nigricans ) geese breeding in tundra ecosystems of northern Alaska as model organisms.
All three species relied on mixed capital–income breeding strategies, but models based on AA isotope data estimated higher proportional contributions of endogenous resources to yolk synthesis compared to results based on bulk tissue isotope analyses.
Tracing income versus capital nutrient allocation in migratory species at the compound level is a major advance from the current ‘elemental’ perspective obtained from bulk tissue stable isotope analyses. Our framework is applicable to all taxonomic groups, as long as there is a sufficient spatial or temporal isotopic gradient between resources obtained during the breeding and non‐breeding periods.
... Tosa-jidori (n = 20) hens at the experimental farm of the Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Japan, were reared in group-housing conventional cages with free access to diet and water. Mixed feed for layers (Rankeeper; Marubeni Nisshin Feed Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) was provided, and the ingredients in the mixed feeds have been reported previously [25]. At the age of 17 wks (n = 10) and 15 wks (n = 10), all hens were weighed and allocated to two different housing systems: the conventional cage (cage) system and the floor rearing (litter) system (n = 5 at 17 wks and n = 5 at 15 wks in each group). ...
... This study revealed that free amino acids in albumen were changed by the housing systems. We previously confirmed the significant effects of genetic (breed) and environmental (feed) factors on yolk and albumen amino acid traits in several research environments [21][22][23][24][25][26]. This study newly revealed the possibility that the housing system itself affects albumen amino acid contents as one of the environmental factors, alongside our previous study [43]. ...
Simple Summary
Although there are several housing systems (e.g., cage and litter) for egg layers, there is still no consensus about housing system effects on egg quality traits. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine housing effects on egg quality traits, including free amino acids of albumen and yolk. We observed significant housing effects in body weight gain, eggshell weight, yolk weight, eggshell thickness, eggshell lightness, and several albumen amino acids. Staying 7 weeks in a litter condition seemed to be enough to cause a significantly lighter eggshell color regardless of the egg production stages. These results will be important knowledge in the future layer industry.
Abstract
Many countries have gradually shifted to animal welfare-friendly housing systems for egg layers. However, there is still no consensus among researchers on whether the housing system affects egg quality traits. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effects of housing systems on egg traits and free amino acid contents of albumen and yolk using two types of housing systems, the conventional cage (cage) system and a floor rearing (litter) system. Tosa-jidori (n = 20) hens were divided into two groups. Experiments during the 7 weeks were performed twice by switching the housing systems (first and second stages). One-way analysis of variance was used to evaluate the effects of housing systems on body weight gain, egg traits, albumen and yolk amino acid contents, and fecal corticosterone. We observed significant housing effects in body weight gain, eggshell weight, yolk weight, eggshell thickness, eggshell lightness, and several albumen amino acids (A_Gln, A_His, A_Met, A_Cys, A_Lys, A_Asp, A_Glu, A_Ser, A_Thr, A_Ala, A_Pro, and A_Phe). Notably, a robust effect was seen in eggshell lightness, even after switching housing systems. These results suggest that eggshell lightness and several egg traits, including albumen amino acid contents, can be changed by using the different housing systems.
... Therefore, whiteshelled eggs from Julia Lite contained lower levels of L-PGDS than those from Boris Brown. Moreover, it was previously reported that feed affects amino acids in the egg yolk (37). Thus, feed may have contributed to the difference of L-PGDS content in their egg whites from the same chicken lineage. ...
We have previously reported that lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase (L-PGDS) in egg white reacts with IgE antibodies from children with egg allergies. However, antibodies against chicken L-PGDS are not commercially available, and the amount of L-PGDS in egg white is unclear. In this study, we prepared four monoclonal antibodies against chicken L-PGDS and developed a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a highly sensitive immune complex transfer enzyme immunoassay (ICT-EIA) to quantify L-PGDS in hen egg whites. The detection sensitivity of ICT-EIA for L-PGDS (0.01 ng/mL) was 2,000-fold higher than that of ELISA, which could not be adapted to determine the amount of L-PGDS in egg white. Thus, ICT-EIA is a better method for quantification of trace allergens and expected to be applied to the quantification of other food allergens. Hen eggs (white-shelled eggs from Julia Lite hens, brown-shelled eggs, and iodine-enriched eggs from Boris Brown hens) were purchased from markets in Kochi City, Japan, and the amounts of L-PGDS in them were determined by ICT-EIA. The amounts of L-PGDS per hen egg white were: brown-shelled eggs, 1,179.3±214.3 μg/egg; iodine-enriched eggs, 607.7±126.1 μg/egg; and white-shelled eggs, 350.0±74.1 μg/egg. These results show that the amount of L-PGDS in hen eggs varies depending on the hen lineage; it could also be affected to some extent by other factors, such as feeds and breeding environment.
... Free amino acids in eggs can be altered by breed and feed (Goto et al., 2019; 2021a; 2021b; 2022; Attia et al., 2020; Mori et al., 2020;Nishimura et al., 2021). Free amino acids are known to be related to the taste of foodstuffs (Kirimura et al., 1969;Schiffman and Dackis, 1975). ...
In recent years, the market share for cage-free eggs has gradually increased. Because commercially available cage-free eggs are often produced not only by several housing systems but also with different feed crude protein (CP) levels, there are combined effects of feed and housing systems between cage-free and cage eggs. Therefore, using field data, this study aimed to determine the combined effects of feed and housing systems on egg traits and yolk and albumen amino acids in table eggs. Brown layers (n = 40) at the middle laying stage under two feed and housing systems (cage, CP 15.5% diet; barn, CP 17.0% diet) were used. One-way analysis of variance and Pearson’s correlation analysis were used to evaluate 10 egg traits, 19 yolk amino acid traits, and 20 albumen amino acid traits. We observed significant effects of feed and housing on two egg traits (yolk weight and eggshell color redness), 16 yolk amino acids (Asp, Glu, Asn, Ser, Gln, His, Arg, Thr, Ala, Tyr, Met, Cys, Ile, Leu, Phe, and Lys), and 14 albumen amino acids (Asp, Asn, Ser, Gln, Gly, His, Arg, Thr, Ala, Val, Met, Cys, Ile, and Leu). This study revealed that eggs from the barn system (CP 17.0%) contained higher levels of free amino acids in 15 yolk and nine albumen amino acid traits. Phenotypic correlations among the 49 egg traits indicated similar correlation patterns in both systems, which implies that the balance of free amino acid content in yolk and albumen is similar in each system. Although some potential confounding factors may be present for comparing egg content between cage (CP 15.5%) and barn (CP 17.0%) systems, this study suggests that commercially available cage-free eggs may be different from cage eggs not only in external egg traits but also yolk and albumen amino acid traits.
