Sd. Chowdhury et Rh. Davis, INFLUENCE OF DIETARY OSTEOLATHYROGENS ON THE EGGSHELL QUALITY OF LAYING HENS, British Poultry Science, 39(4), 1998, pp. 497-499
1. Laying hens were fed osteolathyrogens, either semicarbazide hydroch
loride at 0.3 or 0.4 g/kg or beta-aminopropionitrile fumarate at 0.5 o
r 0.6 g/kg diet to examine their effects on eggshell quality. 2. Shell
quality characteristics considered for evaluation were shell surface
area, shell thickness, shell weight, percentage shell, shape index and
the specific gravity of eggs. Measurement of shell quality traits rev
ealed that the hens fed osteolathyrogens laid eggs with significantly
lower specific gravities and proportion of shell by weight. These diff
erences were not explained by differences in shell thickness or weight
or the shape index of eggs. 3. It was concluded that osteolathyrogens
cause hens to lay eggs with poor shell quality and such eggs are weak
and fragile.