Effects of supplementing laying hens diets with organic selenium on egg quality during storage [electronic resource].

Includes references.

A total number of 498 (450 laying hens and 48 cocks) birds of Golden Montazah (GM) and Fayoumi (F) strains at 42 wks of age were used to evaluate the effects of two dietary levels of Se as Sel-Plex (0.1 or 0.2 mg/Kg diet) on egg quality during storage. Equal numbers from each strain were divided randomly into 3 equal treatment groups of83 birds each (75 hens and 8 cocks each). Birds were placed in 6 floor layers pens (three for each strain). the 1St group was fed the basal diet, while the 2nd and 3rd groups were fed the same diet but supplemented with one of the two levels (0.1 or 0.2 mg/Kg diet) of selenium (Se) as Sel-Plex. The experimental period lasted for 23 weeks (from 42 to 65 wks of agel.The quality of 200 eggs per treatment was determined at different storage periods (50 at zero day; 50 at seven: 50 at 14 and 50 at 21 d). Results obtained could be summarized in the following: Eggs from GM hens were heavier than those from F hens. with more albumen% but less shell thickness. yolk%, shell%. yolk index% and shape index%. Eggs from laying hens fed diet containing 100 mg Se/ton diet as Sel-Plex had highest yolk color and albumen%. Eggs from laying hens fed diet containing 200 mg Se/ton diet as Sel-Plex had higher shape index%, while. those from layers fed the control diet had higher shell% and lower shape index%.

Summary in Arabic.

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