ABSTRACT
Food function is nowadays not merely limited to nourishment supplying; consumers' interest is oriented to food healthiness and nutritional value, animal welfare, environmental impact of animal productions, and products' traceability. The objective of the present work is to compare physical parameters and fatty acids profiles of market eggs produced from hens housed in four different systems. In addition, the effects of the presence of an outdoor space allowance (IND = no outdoor space allowance, OUT = outdoor space allowance) on the same parameters have been investigated. Sixty-nine market eggs from four different production systems labelled as Alternative (ALT), Enriched Cage (ECA), Litter Floor (LIF), and Organic (ORG) have been analysed. Physical parameters and fatty acid concentrations were measured. An ANOVA analysis was performed with production system and outdoor space allowance as sources of variation, two Principal Component Analyses (PCA) were carried out with physical parameters and fatty acid parameters as variables. The effects of the complex interactions occurring among production system, hen welfare, and eggs quality have been analysed in marketed eggs leading to the conclusion that eggs from different production systems available on the market are characterized by differences in fatty acid profile and physical parameters. In physical parameters the differences among systems were influenced by the whole egg weight, albumen weight and yolk weight. In fatty acids parameters the determining variables are the content in polyunsatured fatty acids (PUFA), linoleic acid concentration, and n6/n3 ratio.
ABSTRACT
The aim of the present study is to investigate the physical parameters and fatty acid composition and related nutritional parameters of market-procured table eggs from Milanino, Mericanel della Brianza and Valdarnese Bianca hens compared to two commercial hybrid strains' eggs to determine characterizing quality traits for traditional breeds conservation and valorization through high quality niche products. Fifty-four market eggs by three traditional breeds (Mericanel della Brianza-MRC; Milanino-MLN; and Valdarnese Bianca-VLD) and two commercial hybrid strains (Commercial Hybrid Brown-CHB; Commercial Hybrid White-CHW) have been analyzed-physical parameters, fatty acids profile and atherogenic and thrombogenic indexes were investigated. A General Linear Model-GLM was applied to data analysis with breed and genetic origin (traditional breed-TRD; commercial hybrid-HYB) as sources of variation. Two Principal Component Analyses (PCA) were carried out with physical parameters and fatty acid parameters as variables. Eggs produced by traditional breeds MRC MLN and VLD differentiate from eggs produced by commercial hybrids CHB and CHW in physical and chemical parameters (fatty acids parameters). The nutritional value of the traditional eggs has been demonstrated to be higher considering the yolk content, the PUFA fraction, the more favorable n6/n3 ratio and the atherogenic and thrombogenic indexes. Commercial layers' eggs revealed their higher commercial value based on weight, albumen content and percentage of edible content.
ABSTRACT
The aim of the study was to standardize the pellet cryopreservation procedure for chicken semen. Mericanel della Brianza male chicken breeders (Italian breed) were used. Pooled semen samples were processed according to the following conditions: (1) dilution in prefreezing extender to 1 versus 1.5 bill cells/mL sperm working concentration (SWC); (2) 6% versus 9% dimethyl acetamide (DMA) concentration (DMAco); (3) 1 versus 30 minutes DMA equilibration (DMAeq) at 4 °C. Sperm viability and motility were assessed in semen (four replicates/treatment) soon after collection (time 0), after DMAeq (time D), and after freezing/thawing (time FT). The recovery rates (%) of viable and motile sperm after freezing/thawing were also calculated. The low SWC (1 bill/mL) and the low DMAco (6%) indicated a positive significant effect on the proportion of motile sperm (1 bill/mL = 53% vs. 1.5 bill/mL = 48%; 6% DMA = 55% vs. 9% DMA = 47%). Very short DMAeq (1 minute) did not significantly change sperm viability during processing (from time 0 to time D) before freezing whatever the DMAco, and, in contrast, the longer DMAeq showed a significant negative effect on sperm viability. The highest proportion of motile sperm was recorded in semen samples diluted to 1 bill/mL and added with 6% DMA; in this condition, DMAeq had no effect (57% 1 minute and 61% 30 minutes). Increasing SWC to 1.5 bill/mL and adding again 6% DMA, a significant effect of DMAeq was observed, and the higher proportion of motile sperm (58% vs. 43%) was recorded after 1 minute DMAeq. A general decrease in sperm motility was shown in semen samples with 9% DMA (47% vs. 55%), and different conditions in SWC and DMAeq were not effective in the prevention of such decrease.
