DOI: 10.36347/sjavs.2018.v05i02.001

Pages: 51-57

This research examined the lipid profile, microbial load and specific gravity of stored eggs obtained from hen that were fed different commercial layers feeds. A total of 108 ISA brown laying hens were used for the study. The hens were assigned to three treatments (FT1 – FT3) which consisted of four replicates each in a completely randomized design. These replicates had nine hens each. Each commercial layer’s feed was fed to the hens in each treatment for 12 weeks. Twenty-one (21) eggs of similar weight were collected from each replicate within 72 hours at the end of the experiment. Three (3) of the freshly laid eggs from each replicate were analyzed on the day of collection while the remaining were stored for 42 days and analyzed weekly to study the cholesterol, triglyceride, outer and inner microbial load and the specific gravity. The cholesterol level and specific gravity decreased significantly (P > 0.05) in all the treatments as the storage period increased while the outer microbial load decreased (P > 0.05) up to day 28 and progressively increased thereafter. The inner microbial load gradually accumulated from day 14 in all the treatments and significantly increased (P < 0.05) as the duration of the of storage increased. It was also observed that the quality of the eggs obtained from FT1 and FT2 deteriorated after day 35 such that they could not be analyzed on day 42 while those from FT3 were still intact and were analyzed on day 42. It was concluded that all the three feeds were useful as layers feed since their consumption by the hens resulted in a good level of egg cholesterol up to day 28 of storage and uniform triglyceride level across the treatment groups. These may subsequently support high-density lipoprotein, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids on consumption and give useful information on nutrient/food intake.