Nano-calcium carbonate: Effect on performance traits and egg quality in laying hens

Document Type : Research Article (Regular Paper)

Authors

1 Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Jiroft, Jiroft, Iran.

2 Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Jiroft, Jiroft, Iran.

3 Natural Resource and Agricultural Research and Education Center of Kerman, Kerman, Iran.

Abstract

A ten-week trial was carried out to determine the effect of different levels of nano-calcium carbonate (NCC) on egg production performance and egg quality. A completely randomized experiment was designed comprising 6 treatments, each with 4 replicates of 5 hens. Groups 1 and 2 were fed diets containing 8.06% and 6.045% calcium carbonate (CC) as positive and negative control respectively. Groups 3, 4, 5 and 6 received diets with 4.03% CC plus 2.015, 1.01, 0.252 and 0.126% NCC respectively. Egg production at 32 wks of age was significantly reduced by the lowest dietary supplementation with NCC (T6) (P<0.05). However, dietary treatments had no significant effect on egg weight, egg mass and FCR (P>0.05). The lowest egg shape index was recorded for the birds fed T6 at 31 and 33 wks of age (P<0.05). Hens fed T6 had the lowest egg specific gravity at 29 wks of age compared to those fed other diets. However, the lowest egg specific gravity at 33 wks of age belonged to the birds which received T3. Dietary treatments had no effect on the Haugh unit.  Hens on T6 had the highest yolk color at 33 wks of age compared to those receiving other treatments (P<0.05). It was concluded that it is possible to utilize NCC at the level of 0.252 to 2.015% instead of 4.03% CC in laying hen diets. However, longer term studies are suggested to determine the potential of nano-calcium carbonate, as a new calcium source, on egg production performance and egg quality in laying hens.

Keywords


  • Ahmed, N. M., Abdel Atti, K.A., Elamin, K. M., Dafalla, K. Y., Malik, H. E. E.,Dousa, B. M., 2013. Effect of dietary calcium sources on laying hens performance and egg quality. Journal of Animal Production Advances 3, 226-231.
  • Cai, S. J., Wu, C. X., Gong, L. M., Song, T., Wu, H., Zhang, L. Y., 2012. Effects of nano-selenium on performance, meat quality, immune function, oxidation resistance, and tissue selenium content in broilers. Poultry Science 91, 2532-2539.
  • Catli,A.U., Bozkurt, M., Kucukyılmaz, K., Ginar, M., Bintas, E., Goven, F., Atik, H., 2012. Performance and egg quality of aged laying hens fed diets supplemented with meat and bone meal or oyster shell meal. South African Journal of Animal Science 42, 74-82.
  • Cheng, T.K., Coon, C.N., 1990. Effect of calcium source, particle size, limestone solubility in vitro, and calcium intake level on layer bone status and performance. Poultry Science 69, 2214-2219.
  • Guo, X.Y. Kim, I.H., 2012. Impacts of limestone multi-particle size on production performance, egg shell quality, and egg quality in laying hens. Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences 25, 839-844.
  • DSM, 2016. Egg yolk pigmentation guideline. Available at https://www.dsm.com/markets/anh/en_US/infocenter-news.markets.dsm.categories.dsm.html [Verified 4 December 2017].
  • El-Shuraydeh, K. N., Al-Beitawi, N. A., Al-Faqieh, M. A., 2014. Effect of Aqueous nanosuspensions of clay minerals on broilers’ performance and some selected antibody titers. Journal of Nanotechnology in Engineering and Medicine 5, 011003-1.
  • Leeson, S., Summers, J. D., 2001. Nutrition of the Chicken.4th Ed. University Books, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
  • Oluyemi, J.A., Roberts, F.A., 2000. Poultry Production in Warm Wet Climates. 2nd Ed. Spectrum Books Limited, Ibadan, Nigeria.
  • Pelicia, K., Garcia, E. A., Faitarone, A. B. G., Silva,A. P., Berto, D. A., Molino, A .B., Vercese, F., 2009. Calcium and available phosphorus levels for laying hens in secondproduction cycle. Brazilian Journal of Poultry Science 11, 39-49.
  • Pelicia, K., Garcia, E. A., Scherer, M. R. S., Mori, C., Dalanezi, J. A., Fiatarone, A. B. G., Molino, A. B., Berto, D. A., 2007. Alternative calcium source effects on commercial egg production and quality. Brazilian Journal of Poultry Science 9, 105-109.
  • Pizzolante, C. C., Saldanha, E. S. P. B., Lagana, C., Kakimoto, S. K., Toghashi, C. K., 2009. Effect of calcium levels and limestone pareticle size on the egg quality of semi-heavy layers in their second production cycle. Brazilian Journal of Poultry Science 11, 79-86.
  • Roland, D.A.Sr., Bryant, M.M.,Rabon, H.W., 1996. Influence of calcium  and  environmental  temperature  on  performance of  first –cycle  (phase  1)  commercial  leghorn.  Poultry Science 75, 62-68.
  • Ross, , S. A., Srinivas, P. R., Clifond A. J., Lee, S. C., Philbert, M. A., Hettich, R. L., 2004. New technologies for nutrition research. Journal of Nutrition 134, 681-685.
  • Saffa, H.M., Serrano, M.P., Valencia, D.G., Frikha, M., Jimenez-moreno, E., Mateos, G.G., 2008.  Productive performance and egg quality of brown egg-laying hens in the late phase of production as influenced by level and source of calcium in the diet. Poultry Science 87, 2043–2051.
  • SAS, 2012. Statistical Analysis System, User''s Guide. Statistical. Version 9.1th Ed. SAS. Inst. Inc. Cary. N.C. USA.
  • Schmidt, C. W., 2009. Nanotechnology-related environment, health, and safety research: examining the national strategy. Environmental Health Perspectives 117, 158-161.
  • Seemann, M., 2000. Factors which influence pigmentation, No. 24 / 2000, page 20. Available at: http://lohmann-information.com/content/l_i_24_article_4.pdf [Verified 7 January 2018].
  • Sekhon, B. S., 2012. Nanoprobes and thier application in veterinary medicine anmd animal health. Reaserch Journal of NanoScience and Nanotechnology 2, 1-16.
  • Siriat, N., Lu, J. J., Hung, A. T. Y., Lien, T. F., 2013. Effect of different levels of nanoparticles chromium picolinate supplementation on performance, egg quality, mineral retention, and tissues minerals accumulation in layer chickens. Journal of Agricultural Science 5, doi:10.5539/jas.v5n2p150.
  • Vijayakumar, M. P., Balakrishnan, V., 2014. Effect of calcium phosphate nanoparticles supplementation on growth performance of broiler chicken. Indian Journal of Science and Technology 7, 1149-1154.
  • Wang, S., Chen, W.,Zhang, H.X.,Ruan, D., Lin, Y.C., 2014. Influence of particle size and calcium source on production performance, egg quality, and bone parameters in laying ducks. Poultry Science 93, 2560–2566.