THE EFFECT OF DIETARY MENHADEN MEAL AND STORAGE ON THE OMEGA-3-FATTY-ACIDS AND SENSORY ATTRIBUTES OF EGG-YOLK IN LAYING HENS

The effect of dietary menhaden meal (Mh?) on production and egg yolk l ipids of commercial White Leghorn hens was studied for 350 d. One hund red and ninety-two birds were given a corn-wheat-soybean diet that con tained either 0, 4, 8, or 12% MM. Analysis of the egg yolks at four pe riods in the laying cycle (162, 211, 254, and 289 d) was performed on the fresh and stored (4 wk at 4 degrees C, RH similar or equal to 70%) egg yolks. Sensory evaluation was performed on fresh eggs collected a t the end of the laying cycle (448 d). Production whether measured as hen-day or hen-housed, increased linearly with the inclusion of MM in the diets. The level of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids inc reased 10- and 2.6-fold to give levels of 9 and 95 mg yolk(-1), respec tively. Storage had no effect (P > 0.05) on these parameters. Sensory data suggested that the level of MM in the diets of laying hens should be between 4 and 8% in order to avoid off-flavours in eggs.