Dr. Amy Moss is aware of there is much more to generating the optimal egg than meets the attention
31 August 2022
3 minute learn
Cracking open an egg with a difficult shell and an ideal golden yolk may appear adore it’s simply the success of the draw, however UNE poultry nutritionist, Dr Amy Moss, says there’s much more that is going into generating the optimal egg than meets the attention.
“The volume of protein and calcium {that a} rooster is fed can very much have an effect on the standard of an egg, whilst analysis presentations the time of day those vitamins are fed on too can make a large distinction,” she says.
“For instance, research have proven that it’s advisable to feed hens two diets; one within the morning that has extra protein whilst the rooster is ovulating the egg yolk, and some other within the night time that accommodates extra calcium whilst they’re laying down the eggshell.”
Alternatively, with feed already the most expensive expense for Australian egg manufacturers, offering a double vitamin isn’t sensible, as it might require farmers to put money into construction further feed silos.
Dr Moss is discovering a method to this downside, and it’s an concept that has noticed her win the $22,000 Australian Eggs Award within the 2022 Science and Innovation Awards for Younger Other people in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
“I’m going to trial the efficacy of giving hens extra calcium within the night time thru their water, fairly than feed, which can come at no further value to manufacturers as they may be able to use present infrastructure,” she says.
Over the ten weeks we’ll be measuring feed and water consumption, egg manufacturing and high quality, the feather situation of the hens, their bone energy and well being, and the calcium standing of the hens.
“Maximum manufacturers have already got dosing methods that may give drugs in the course of the water, so necessarily, they might simply upload the liquid mineral to the dosing device to mechanically deliver it to the entire hens within the night time.”
If a hit, no longer handiest would this system be value efficient, however Dr Moss says it would give a contribution to making improvements to the well being of laying hens.
“If chickens don’t get sufficient calcium, they take it out in their bones,” she says.
“This negatively affects the well being of the rooster, in addition to the egg high quality, so discovering some way to ensure we’re feeding them the correct amount of calcium on the proper time is essential.”
The trial will contain 360 hens, and is about to run over a 10-week duration at UNE’s unfastened vary laying rooster analysis facility.
“Over the ten weeks we’ll be measuring feed and water consumption, egg manufacturing and high quality, the feather situation of the hens, their bone energy and well being, and the calcium standing of the hens,” says Dr Moss.
“This may occasionally give us an general image of the birds’ well being, and if their manufacturing and well being has progressed with the larger calcium given over the night time.”
Learn extra concerning the 2022 Science and Innovation Awards right here.