| Author(s) | A.A.Alsobayel, H.A. Al-Batshan and M.A. Albadry |
| Affiliation | Department of Animal Production, College of Agriculture, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
| Title | Effect of Salicornia bigelovii Torr Meal and Age on Egg Quality Characteristics of Baladi and Leghorn Laying Hens |
| Source | Journal of King Saud University. Agricultural Sciences. Volume 15, No 2. (2003/1423) |
| Abstract | Abstract. The study was undertaken to assess the effect of the inclusion of Salicornia bigelovii Torr meal (SM) in laying ration and age on egg quality characteristics of Baladi and Leghorn hens. Hens were fed ration containing 0, 40 or 80 g kg-1 SM. Four eggs per day of each replicate of both breeds were collected for three consecutive days during the last week of each 28-days period. Shell thickness (ST), egg surface area (SA), shell density (SD), shell weight per unit of surface area (SWUSA), Haugh unit (HU), blood (BS) and meat (MS) spots and yolk color (YC) of each individual egg were determined. The inclusion of SM in the layer ration had a significant (P < .05) adverse effect upon SH, SA, SWUSA and YC but led to a significant (P <.05) increase in HU and decline in MS whereas SD and BS spots were not affected. The increase in HU was more pronounced with respect to the high SM level whereas the decrease in SH and SWUSA was more pronounced with respect to the low SM level. Differences in breeds’ response to SM inclusion in the ration was also observed with regard to ST and SWUSA. The results also showed breed and age differences (P < .05) with regard to all studied egg and shell quality traits except breed effect with respect to shell thickness and density and age effect with respect to blood and meat spots. |
