The relationship of brown deposits in the eggs with stress, fear and shell quality
Heterophil lymphocyte ratio and tonic immobility reaction were studied in hens laying eggs with brown deposits from a Spanish breed of chickens. A total of 40 hens were used, equally divided in two groups laying eggs with brown deposits or normally colored. They were obtained from two varieties of the Vasca breed (Barred Red and Red). There were no significant differences between groups in terms of heterophil lymphocyte ratio or tonic immobility reaction (duration and number of inductions), two indices of stress and fearfulness in fowls, respectively. Hens laying eggs with brown deposits showed higher heterophil lymphocyte ratio (0.62 ± 0.06 vs 0.48 ± 0.06) and shorter tonic immobility duration (389 ± 48 vs 433 ± 48 s) than hens with normal colored eggs. A total of 983 eggs (247 with brown spots and 736 normal colored) were used in an attempt to determine the extent in which brown deposits affected shell quality. A significant negative association (P < 0.01) was found between eggshells with brown deposits and shell strength, as indicated by the flotation in a single salt solution. The results suggest that brown deposits in the eggs of brown laying stocks have no effect on the stressful or fearful state of the hens, although they may lead to a significant decrease in the external shell quality.
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | journal article biblioteca |
| Language: | eng |
| Published: |
1997
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12792/5673 |
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