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NOWACZEWSKI S., KONTECKA H., KRYSTIANIAK S. 2012. Effect of In Ovo injection of vitamin C during incubation on hatchability of chickens and ducks. Folia biologica (Kraków) 60: 93-97. The aim of the investigation was to ascertain the influence of different doses of vitamin C injected at selected dates of incubation into the eggs of broiler breeders and Pekin ducks on hatchability. The injected vitamin C doses were administered into the air cell on the 13 JD , 15 JD and 17 JD days (3 and 6 mg chickens) and on the 12 JD and 20 JD days (4 and 8 mg ducks) of incubation. In the case of chickens, no significant differences were recorded between the control and experimental groups with regard to hatchability, although the highest value of hatchability from fertilized eggs was determined in the group injected with 6 mg of vitamin C on the 15 JD day of incubation. On the other hand, in ducks, significant differences were found between the control and experimental groups (4 mg of vitamin C administered on days 12 and 20 and 8 mg of vitamin C injected on day 20 of incubation) regarding hatchability. The value of this trait was higher in the group of eggs injected with ascorbic acid in comparison with the eggs which were not treated. On average, the difference amounted to 32.5 percentage points. Similarly, in the case of the number of dead embryos and unhatched chicks, better results were observed in the above-mentioned experimental groups. In summary, vitamin C injected into chicken eggs failed to influence hatchability. In the case of duck eggs, it was demonstrated that their injection on the 20 JD day of incubation with selected doses of vitamin C (4 and 8 mg/egg) improved hatchability by decreasing the proportions of dead and unhatched embryos.

NOWACZEWSKI S., KONTECKA H., ROSIÑSKI A., KOBERLING S., KORONOWSKI P. 2010. Eggs quality of Japanese quail depending on layer age and storage time. Folia biol. (Kraków) 58: [201][202][203][204][205][206][207].The aim of the study was to analyse egg quality changes of Japanese quail during the reproductive season and after several days of storage. A significantly higher egg weight was recorded in week 9 than in week 25 and week 31 of age of birds. The egg specific gravity value of eggs also decreased with the age of quails. The smallest yolk weight and its percentage proportion in egg mass were observed in week 25. Eggs laid in weeks 9 and 25 were characterised by similar and lower (P#0.05) white weight in comparison to those examined on the last date. The highest white proportion in egg weight was recorded during the 25 JD week. The value of this trait was similar or smaller on the remaining dates. Similar and lower values of the white index and Haugh units, in comparison with the first date, were determined in eggs laid on weeks 25 and 31, whereas similar and greater eggshell thickness than in the 9 JD week of age was recorded on the last two dates of examination. Lower (P#0.05) egg weight was observed after 5 and 8 than after 0 (measured on the day of laying) days of storage. Likewise, smaller egg specific gravity was recorded after three consecutive periods of storage in comparison with the eggs examined on the day of laying. Eggs examined after 3, 5 and 8 days of storage, in comparison with those stored for 0 days, were characterised by lower yolk index. Significantly smaller weight and white index than after 0 days were determined in eggs stored, respectively, for 5 and 8 as well as for 3, 5 and 8 days. Similarly, smaller numbers of Haugh units were determined after 3 consecutive storage periods in comparison with the eggs examined on the day of laying. Eggs stored for 0 and 3 days were characterised by a greater eggshell weight than those examined after 5 and 8 days. The weight of Japanese quail eggs decreased significantly from day 5 onwards, whereas the egg specific gravity -from the 3 H@ day of storage. Yolk and white quality began to deteriorate already after 3 days of egg storage. It appears, therefore, that egg storage of Japanese quails before hatching lasting more than 3 days in the analysed conditions deteriorated the eggshell quality and internal egg traits.

The aim of the study was to determine the usefulness of two protein concentrates composed of rapeseed meal and new cultivars of narrow-leaved and yellow lupine, peas in laying hen diets and their influence on birds' performance and egg characteristics. The experiment was conducted with 180 layers kept in individual cages. The birds were randomly assigned to three treatments, with 60 hens in each and during the period of 17 weeks, they were fed diets: I -containing soybean meal as a protein source, II -containing protein concentrates composed of mixture of lupines, peas (19.48% of diet) and rapeseed meal, III -containing protein concentrates composed of a mixture of lupines and peas (27.68% of diet). The body weight, laying rate, egg weight, feed intake and feed conversion ratio (FCR) and egg characteristics were registered. After 9 weeks of experiment, a decrease of laying rate was recorded in treatment III. The mean value of laying rate for 17 weeks amounted to 82.7 (I), 82.5 (II) and 75.9% (III) (P<0.01). The egg weight was diversified already after 4 weeks of egg production and averaged 57.9 (I), 55.9 (II) and 54.9 g (III) (P<0.05). Feed intake amounted to 108 (I), 111 (II) and 104 g per hen/day (III), and FCR was 2.05, 3.17 and 2.23 kg/kg egg weight, respectively. As to egg characteristics, increases of white index (P<0.05), Haugh unit score and yolk colour in treatment III were observed but egg shell thickness was found significantly reduced. In conclusion, the use of about 27.68% of legume seed in laying hen diet affected negatively performance results but about 19.48% of these seeds and 8% rapeseed meal in diets could be accepted as a soybean meal substitute.

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