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Egg Weight May Influence Albumen Height
RESEARCH NOTES
1249
EGG WEIGHT MAY INFLUENCE ALBUMEN HEIGHT K. E. NESTOR AND R. G. JAAP Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station, Columbus 10, Ohio (Received for publication May 3, 1963)
egg weight was statistically significant in only one sample of Leghorn eggs, PMS at 190 days of age (Table 1). In contrast, albumen height in the broiler strains was significantly influenced by egg weight in 3 out of the 7 samples at 190 and 220 days of age. The broiler strains began to lay at a slightly younger age; however, it is doubtful whether sexual maturity had any influence. All of the regressions of albumen height on egg weight at older ages (Table 1) were positive and several of them significant in the Leghorn strains. Significant differences (P<.01) were observed between lines (November, 1961, February and September, 1962) and between ages of the same line (November, 1961 vs. February, 1962 for the Leghorns). There was evidence of a line-housing interaction (Table 1). In spite of the wide ranges in egg weights (45.2-58.0 gm.) and albumen heights (6.14-9.93 mm.) neither egg weight nor albumen height of the samples appeared to affect the size of the regressionof albumen height on egg weight. The variance of egg weight (
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at New York University on May 24, 2015
Albumen height should be greater in larger eggs, if all parts of the egg increase proportionally. If albumen height does change with changes in egg weight, it would be necessary to compare albumen heights at a constant egg weight. Eisen and Bohren (1963) and Eisen, Bohren and McKean (1962) have shown that a simple linear regression is sufficient to remove effects of egg weight on albumen height and that this regression might vary with genetic and age differences among the hens involved. Random samples of eggs were obtained from hens of various lines at different ages. The samples, with the exception of those taken in December, 1962, were obtained in such a manner that one hen could contribute only one egg to the sample. In the sample taken in December, 1962, a hen could contribute two eggs to the sample. Albumen height was measured in a manner similar to that used by Eisen and Bohren (1963). The Leghorn lines were developed from the Regional Randombreds (RR) by selection for increased response to gonadotroph^ (PMS), and for increased (HTP) and decreased (LTP) response to testosterone propionate. The broiler-type lines (G, A, GRL and RG) were developed by selection for increased body weight at 8 weeks of age and WG2 was the corresponding randombred control. The bursa line was developed by selection for increased weight of the bursa of Fabricius in day-old chicks. At 190 and 220 days of age when pullets were in cages and in floor pens, respectively, the regression of albumen height on
1250
RESEARCH NOTES
TABLE 1.—Regression coe_,
of albumen height {mm) on egg weight (gm) (b) of lines maintained in cages and floor pens Cages
Lines
September, 1962 (age =190 days) No. eggs
b
72 85 58 66
-0.024 0.027 0.024 -0.012
Broiler Lines WG2 GRL RG
55 70 72
-0.029 0.070* 0.146**
No. eggs
b
132 137 105 119
0.008 0.028 0.032 0.010
Floor pens November, 1961 (age = 224 days)
White Leghorns PMS RR Broiler Lines WG2 G A Bursa
February, 1962 (age = 329 days)
No. eggs
b
No. eggs
180 223
0.070** -0.015
153 205
50 50 50 50
0.032 0.136** 0.053 0.009
b 0.107** 0.034*
July, 1962 (age=482 days) No. eggs 149 197
b 0.051** 0.026
* Value of b significant at 5% level. ** Value of b significant at 1% level. REFERENCES Eisen, E. J., and B. B. Bohren, 1963. Some problems in the evaluation of egg albumen quality. Poultry Sci. 42: 74-83.
Eisen, E. J., B. B. Bohren and H. E. McKean, 1962. The Haugh unit as a measure of egg albumen quality. Poultry Sci. 41: 1461-1468.
NEWS AND NOTES {Continued from page 1246) Dunnville, Ont.; Secretary-Manager—G. K. Samis, St. Thomas, Ont.; and E. Wolfe, North Surrey, B.C.; J. E. Enarson, New Norway, Alta.; H. Perrault, Grand Coulee, Sask.; B. L. Reimer, Steinbach, Man.; H. Beaty, Thamesford, Ont.; F. Labbe, St. George's Quest, Que.; G. Wade, Kentville, N. S. A.P.H.F. AND N.E.C. NOTES The American Poultry and Hatchery Federation and the National Egg Council are sponsoring research at Purdue University to determine the amount of pesticides in poultry feeds that a hen will
tolerate before residues start appearing in the tissues and eggs. The work will be confined to pesticides that find their way to poultry farms as residues on feeds. The research will be under the direction of Dr. W. J. Stadelman and his co-worker will be Dr. B. J. Liska. AAAS NOTES The 129th meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science was held December 26-30, 1962 at Philadelphia, with 6,700 persons attending. Alan T. Waterman is the new President, Law-
{Continued on page 1321)
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at New York University on May 24, 2015
White Leghorns PMS RR HTP LTP
December, 1962 (age=280 days)
1249
EGG WEIGHT MAY INFLUENCE ALBUMEN HEIGHT K. E. NESTOR AND R. G. JAAP Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station, Columbus 10, Ohio (Received for publication May 3, 1963)
egg weight was statistically significant in only one sample of Leghorn eggs, PMS at 190 days of age (Table 1). In contrast, albumen height in the broiler strains was significantly influenced by egg weight in 3 out of the 7 samples at 190 and 220 days of age. The broiler strains began to lay at a slightly younger age; however, it is doubtful whether sexual maturity had any influence. All of the regressions of albumen height on egg weight at older ages (Table 1) were positive and several of them significant in the Leghorn strains. Significant differences (P<.01) were observed between lines (November, 1961, February and September, 1962) and between ages of the same line (November, 1961 vs. February, 1962 for the Leghorns). There was evidence of a line-housing interaction (Table 1). In spite of the wide ranges in egg weights (45.2-58.0 gm.) and albumen heights (6.14-9.93 mm.) neither egg weight nor albumen height of the samples appeared to affect the size of the regressionof albumen height on egg weight. The variance of egg weight (
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at New York University on May 24, 2015
Albumen height should be greater in larger eggs, if all parts of the egg increase proportionally. If albumen height does change with changes in egg weight, it would be necessary to compare albumen heights at a constant egg weight. Eisen and Bohren (1963) and Eisen, Bohren and McKean (1962) have shown that a simple linear regression is sufficient to remove effects of egg weight on albumen height and that this regression might vary with genetic and age differences among the hens involved. Random samples of eggs were obtained from hens of various lines at different ages. The samples, with the exception of those taken in December, 1962, were obtained in such a manner that one hen could contribute only one egg to the sample. In the sample taken in December, 1962, a hen could contribute two eggs to the sample. Albumen height was measured in a manner similar to that used by Eisen and Bohren (1963). The Leghorn lines were developed from the Regional Randombreds (RR) by selection for increased response to gonadotroph^ (PMS), and for increased (HTP) and decreased (LTP) response to testosterone propionate. The broiler-type lines (G, A, GRL and RG) were developed by selection for increased body weight at 8 weeks of age and WG2 was the corresponding randombred control. The bursa line was developed by selection for increased weight of the bursa of Fabricius in day-old chicks. At 190 and 220 days of age when pullets were in cages and in floor pens, respectively, the regression of albumen height on
1250
RESEARCH NOTES
TABLE 1.—Regression coe_,
of albumen height {mm) on egg weight (gm) (b) of lines maintained in cages and floor pens Cages
Lines
September, 1962 (age =190 days) No. eggs
b
72 85 58 66
-0.024 0.027 0.024 -0.012
Broiler Lines WG2 GRL RG
55 70 72
-0.029 0.070* 0.146**
No. eggs
b
132 137 105 119
0.008 0.028 0.032 0.010
Floor pens November, 1961 (age = 224 days)
White Leghorns PMS RR Broiler Lines WG2 G A Bursa
February, 1962 (age = 329 days)
No. eggs
b
No. eggs
180 223
0.070** -0.015
153 205
50 50 50 50
0.032 0.136** 0.053 0.009
b 0.107** 0.034*
July, 1962 (age=482 days) No. eggs 149 197
b 0.051** 0.026
* Value of b significant at 5% level. ** Value of b significant at 1% level. REFERENCES Eisen, E. J., and B. B. Bohren, 1963. Some problems in the evaluation of egg albumen quality. Poultry Sci. 42: 74-83.
Eisen, E. J., B. B. Bohren and H. E. McKean, 1962. The Haugh unit as a measure of egg albumen quality. Poultry Sci. 41: 1461-1468.
NEWS AND NOTES {Continued from page 1246) Dunnville, Ont.; Secretary-Manager—G. K. Samis, St. Thomas, Ont.; and E. Wolfe, North Surrey, B.C.; J. E. Enarson, New Norway, Alta.; H. Perrault, Grand Coulee, Sask.; B. L. Reimer, Steinbach, Man.; H. Beaty, Thamesford, Ont.; F. Labbe, St. George's Quest, Que.; G. Wade, Kentville, N. S. A.P.H.F. AND N.E.C. NOTES The American Poultry and Hatchery Federation and the National Egg Council are sponsoring research at Purdue University to determine the amount of pesticides in poultry feeds that a hen will
tolerate before residues start appearing in the tissues and eggs. The work will be confined to pesticides that find their way to poultry farms as residues on feeds. The research will be under the direction of Dr. W. J. Stadelman and his co-worker will be Dr. B. J. Liska. AAAS NOTES The 129th meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science was held December 26-30, 1962 at Philadelphia, with 6,700 persons attending. Alan T. Waterman is the new President, Law-
{Continued on page 1321)
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at New York University on May 24, 2015
White Leghorns PMS RR HTP LTP
December, 1962 (age=280 days)