Nutrition and egg safety papers highlight IPSF 2014

The International Poultry Scientific Forum, which is held in conjunction with the International Production and Processing Expo (IPPE) in Atlanta each year, provides an opportunity for the poultry industry and researchers to interact and exchange ideas. Papers featured here focused on nutrition treatments for layers and pullets as well as food safety of hens in alternative housing systems.

University of Nebraska researchers found egg shell strength was greater in aviary-housed hens than in cage-housed hens.
University of Nebraska researchers found egg shell strength was greater in aviary-housed hens than in cage-housed hens.

The International Poultry Scientific Forum, which is held in conjunction with the International Production and Processing Expo (IPPE) in Atlanta each year, provides an opportunity for the poultry industry and researchers to interact and exchange ideas. Papers featured here focused on nutrition treatments for layers and pullets as well as food safety of hens in alternative housing systems.

Impact of limestone particle size

Eusebio et al., from the University of Nebraska, compared limestone particle size during the pullet rearing phase and carryover effects into layer bone health. They reported heavier and stronger eggshells from hens housed in an aviary than in cages (Figure 1). The aviary-housed hens had increased bone mineral density compared with caged hens, but an increased number of keel bone fractures and depressions (Figure 2). Feeding large particle limestone, greater than 0.870 millimeters (0.0343 inches), during the pullet grower and finisher phases improved the eggshell weight during lay and reduced keel bone deformities without any detrimental effects on egg production.

Antimicrobial resistance and housing type

Researchers at Michigan State University and USDA-ARS, Athens, Ga., presented data on the development of the microbial populations in new layer housing. They sampled the feed and the house environments for E. coli and Salmonella in aviary and enriched buildings. All isolates were tested for susceptibility to a panel of antimicrobials using the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) methods. The housing environments were negative for Salmonella prior to placement of the hens, but the feed was not always negative. No Salmonella isolates were resistant to any antimicrobials tested. Resistant strains of E. coli were found in the aviary and enriched housing systems. Salmonella Kentucky was only isolated in the enriched system. Data collection is continuing in this ongoing project.

Organic protein alternatives

Burely, Hulet and Patterson, Penn State University, evaluated organic feed sources that would help poultry producers meet the methionine requirements for broilers fed organic diets. They compared organic fish meal, naked oats and sunflower meal as feed ingredients along with limited synthetic methionine supplementation. The most promising combinations were fish meal and naked oats along with the allowed 2 pounds per ton synthetic methionine supplementation, as per the revised national organic standards. Egg producers should have similar access to organic fish meal or naked oats for their organic diets.

Enzyme supplementation

A multi-institution team (Adhikari et al.) investigated the effect of β-mannanase supplementation in laying hens fed a diet low in protein and energy. The team reported a short-term (8-week) increase in feed intake and then a drop in feed intake after 8 weeks, which they hypothesized was due to improved feed efficiency with the β-mannanase treatments. There were no overall effects on egg production or egg quality. However, eggshell thickness was reduced in eggs from hens on the low-density diet.

Scientists from Texas A&M University (Latham et al.) also tested β-mannanase on growth performance and illeal digestible energy values in broilers. They estimated a 55 kilocalorie per kilogram boost of digestible energy of the negative control diet due to β-mannanase supplementation and improved carbohydrate digestion.

Purdum et al., University of Nebraska, reported a second trial comparing xylanase enzyme products in low energy rations. They reported significantly reduced egg production during period 2 of the study, when the hens were 42-52 weeks of age, with the negative control ration (2,820 kilocalories per kilogram) which was overcome by the supplementation with either of two xylanase sources. In this study, the hens (Hyline-W36) did not increase intake adequately when fed low-energy diets without enzyme supplementation to overcome a nutrient deficit. There was not a strong dose response due to increased xylanase supplementation in this trial.

Fatty acid supplementation

One of the more novel product studies was presented by a European group - Nuscience, from Belgium. They added medium chain fatty acids (hexanoic, octanoic, decanoic, and dodecanoic) in laying hen rations and measured effects on egg production and shell quality. Their hypothesis was that the short-chain fatty acids would improve nutrient absorption in the small intestine due to more immediate energy availability. The data presented indicated improved egg quality, decreased broken and dirty eggs, and three more eggs during the test period for hens on the product, aptly named Shellbiotic. It would be good to see some U.S.-based data for this product.

Egg pigmentation

Researchers from Brazil, Ponsano et al., investigated the optimum combination of yellow and red xanthophylls in the diet to achieve a Roche color fan score of nine. They found that there is a significant synergy between red and yellow pigments to achieve the score of nine and recommended 1.5 milligrams per hen per day of yellow xanthophyll combined with 0.5 milligrams per hen per day of red xanthophyll. There were no benefits to supplementing higher levels of yellow or red pigments.

Egg-washing alternatives

Texas A&M University researchers have been conducting studies evaluating alternative technologies for shell egg disinfection and this year reported efficacy and sensory evaluation of different shell egg disinfectants. Al-Ajeelil et al. compared efficacy of chlorine, quaternary ammonium compounds (QAC), peracetic acid (PAA), PAA in combination with ultraviolet light, and hydrogen peroxide in combination with ultraviolet light to reduce plate counts on eggs and eggshells inoculated with Salmonella enteritidis by surface sponging.

The combination of hydrogen peroxide and ultraviolet light had the lowest average plate counts at days zero, seven and 14 of storage. All treatments reduced Salmonella enteritidis detection to a minimum after sponging with Salmonella enteritidis. The taste panel (sensory evaluation), revealed no differences in egg flavor due to sanitizer but a slight change in texture with chlorine use.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and have been busy testing Salmonella enteritidis serotyping techniques and detection kits, respectively. USDA researchers presented a poster on rapid serotyping methods by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Salmonella enterica subspecies Enterica Enteritidis using serotype-specific single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPS). They were able to distinguish between the S. enterica serotypes of Enteriditis, Typhi, Typhimurium/Heidelberg and Kentucky.

Researchers from the U.S. FDA, Zhang et al., presented a poster evaluating Taq Man Salmonella Detection Kits for shell eggs. All Salmonella Heidelberg serovar samples by culture methods were negative by the Taq Man Salmonella Enteritidis Detection kits. They suggested that addition of another target for the genus of Salmonella would make the kits better for detecting a variety of Salmonella species. Seems like our government agencies are very busy testing and refining Salmonella tests for current and or future regulations.

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