DOI: 10.11118/978-80-7509-994-5-0048

INFLUENCE OF SOURCES AND LEVELS OF INORGANIC AND ORGANIC IRON ON EGG QUALITY IN DOMINANT DARKSHELL DS109

FILIP DYTRT¹, MARTINA LICHOVNÍKOVÁ¹, VOJTĚCH ANDERLE², ELIŠKA DRAČKOVÁ¹

¹ Department of Animal Breeding, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 1665/1, Černá Pole 613 00 Brno, the Czech Republic

² Dominant Genetika s.r.o., Voleč 119, 533 41 Lázně Bohdaneč, the Czech Republic

With the ever-increasing societal pressure on animal welfare, there is a gradual transition to alternative housing systems. A new development in the field of breeding of laying hens is the breeding of hybrids that can be used in alternative and extensive conditions on the parameters of eggshell colour and uniformity. Different feeding strategies are being tested to maintain the desired colour and uniformity, but these must also be tested in relation to egg quality parameters. The aim of this study was to test the effect of different iron sources and levels on egg quality parameters in the hybrid Dominant Darkshell DS109, which is specifically bred to produce table eggs with dark to chocolate brown eggshell colour. The study included 240 laying hens whose diets were supplemented with two different sources and levels of iron. Our results showed a significant effect (p < 0.001) of increased organic and inorganic iron levels on the parameters of eggshell thickness (0.403; 0.402 mm vs. 0.395 mm), eggshell weight (5.7 and 5.6 vs. 5.4 g) and eggshell percentage (9.4 and 9.3 vs. 9.1 g). The results also indicate a positive effect of elevated 191 mg/kg Fe-Gly on egg weight (64.1 g vs 62.7 g). There was an effect (p < 0.05) of inorganic form of iron on yolk proportion parameter throughout the laying period.

Klíčová slova: laying hens; ferrous sulfate; eggs quality; iron chelate, eggshell quality

stránky: 48-58, online: 2024