Lead concentrations in the blood and eggs of backyard laying hens

AIMS: To investigate the prevalence of lead exposure in hens and eggs from backyard poultry in a sample of Auckland households, the relationship between concentrations of lead in the blood of the hens and in the shells and yolks of eggs from the same household, and to examine associations with measures of hen health, environment and husbandry factors.

METHODS: Thirty households participated in the study from August to November 2016, each providing one adult hen for sampling, an egg from the household if available, and completing a questionnaire on hen husbandry. Concentrations of lead in blood were determined using a portable lead analyser. Eggs were analysed for concentrations of lead in the yolk and shell using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry after biological digestion with a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acid.

RESULTS: Twenty three of 30 hens (77%) showed evidence of lead exposure, with median concentrations of lead in blood of 0.77 (min?<0.16, max 8.02) μmol/L. All eggs showed evidence of lead exposure, with concentrations of lead in the yolk ranging from 0.003–1.07?mg/kg, and concentrations of lead in the eggshell ranging from <0.1–0.82?mg/kg. A positive correlation existed between concentrations of lead in the blood of a hen and concentrations of lead in egg yolk from the same hen (R²=0.97), and both the yolk (R²=0.58) and shell (R²=0.30) of an egg from her flock. No association was found between concentrations of lead in blood and hen health indices measured in this study. Concentrations of lead in blood were higher in hens from properties with homes built before 1941 than between 1941–1960 (p=0.03), and in hens from properties with weatherboard homes than brick homes (p=0.049).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: There was a high prevalence of lead exposure in this sample of Auckland backyard chickens, with the majority of hens being sub-clinically affected. Associations were found between concentrations of lead in the blood of the hens, and properties with homes built before 1941 and clad in weatherboard. Concentrations of lead in over half the egg yolks sampled were at levels sufficient to warrant human health concern. The assessment of concentrations of lead in backyard poultry and eggs intended for human consumption is recommended to protect human and bird health.     

A spatial factor influencing food consumption in laying hens

1. A reduction in the number of cages occupied by laying hens in a row of battery cages lead to a mean increase in food intake per bird of about 4% compared with birds housed in similar rows in which all the cages were occupied.     

Preferred food rewards for laying hens in behavioural experiments

1. Laying hens showed a clear preference for maggots over whole grain wheat, feed pellets and other food stuffs in a preference test. 2. Motivation to work for maggots in an operant conditioning task was high and unaffected by periods of food deprivation of up to 6h before testing. 3. By extrapolation, motivation to work for maggots was equivalent to the motivation of the hens to work for their normal ration after approximately 9 h food deprivation. 4. Food deprivation is a common prerequisite for laying hens in operant conditioning and other behavioural techniques but can be avoided if an attractive food, such as maggots, is used. The mild distress associated with the deprivation is thereby removed and, in the UK, the procedure would not require regulation under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.     

Variations in plasma growth hormone concentrations in laying hens.

1. Variations in plasma concentrations of growth hormone (GH) and luteinising hormone (LH) were measured by radioimmunoassay in blood samples taken during the ovulatory cycle of the domestic hen. 2. A peak in LH concentrationas observed 4 h prior to ovulation. 3. Plasma GH concentrations were quite variable but a significant increase was observed between 2 h before and 2 h after ovulation and the concentration remained elevated for about 4 h thereafter.     

Effects of sulphaquinoxaline on healthy laying birds

Extract

The application of sulphaquinoxa1ine to laying pullets in a number of outbreaks of intestinal coccidiosis and pasteurellosis was reported to be attended by a concomitant drop in water and food consumption and depression of egg yield. In view of the apparent value of this drug in treating the troublesome type of chronic coccidiosis commonly found in laying pullets in New Zea1and, these side effects would have constituted a serious drawback and a positive deterrent to recommending its use in outbreaks in the field.     

Energy balance of laying hens selected on residual food consumption

1. Energy balance of adult hens divergently selected for high (R + ) or low (R- ) residual food consumption was investigated using indirect calorimetry. Three experiments were conducted: feeding behaviour of individual hens, hens having free access to food or fasting and hens tube-fed at 70, 100 or 130% of the control intake of both lines. 2. R + hens ate significantly more than R- (+ 48%). This difference was maximum at the onset of the light (+ 120%) and not significant during the rest of the light period. Although both lines spent the same total time eating, R + hens exhibited more frequent but shorter meals than R- ones, suggesting a higher feeding activity in R + hens. 3. True metabolisable energy (TME) intake was 28% greater in R+ than in R- birds. Basal heat production did not differ significantly between genotypes. Heat increment of feeding (HI) or diet-induced thermogenesis was significantly enhanced in R + birds: + 23.9 vs 13.7 kJ/100 kJ TME intake in R- . 4. When tube-fed and placed in darkness, restricted-fed R + hens had the same HI as R- birds. When fed at 100% and 130% of control intake, R + hens demonstrated a regulatory thermogenesis, which allowed them to dissipate the excess of energy ingested compared to R- hens. 5. No significant modification was observed in plasma triglyceride, phospholipid, uric acid, glucose or insulin concentrations between lines, suggestive of the use of similar thermogenic pathways. While plasma triiodothyronine (T3) concentrations did not differ between genotypes, plasma thyroxine (T4) appeared higher in unfed R + birds and equal in fed conditions in both lines. 6. A regulatory part of HI allowed R + hens to get rid of their excessive energy intake. An increased turnover of lipids could be involved.     

Effect of water: food intake ratios in laying hens on food metabolisable energy

It has been hypothesised that a relatively high water intake results in a lower food digestibility. The influence of water:food ratios on the metabolisability of a diet was investigated. With ad libitum water and food the water:food ratios varied between 1.17 and 2.47 and showed a positive relationship with metabolisable energy. In groups of hens receiving 40 g food and water sufficient to provide water:food ratios of 1, 2, 3 and 4, the results showed a non-significant negative regression of apparent metabolisable energy with water:food ratios.     

Effects of food intake regulation on the energy metabolism of laying hens

1. The effects of dietary energy restriction on the energy metabolism of post‐peak‐of‐lay hens of two hybrid layer strains were studied by indirect calorimetry.

2. Starving and resting rates of heat production (SHP and RHP) were measured, over 1‐d periods, at intervals during a 25‐week period in which the experimental birds were individually restricted to 80% of their previous energy intake ad libitum.

3. In both strains mean RHP per bird was about 7% lower in the restricted birds than in controls fed ad libitum, but when RHP was expressed in terms of metabolic body size (kg^0.75) the two groups did not differ.

4. Mean SHP per bird was about 18% lower in the restricted birds of both strains than in the corresponding controls; the decrease in SHP per kg^0.75 was 12%.

5. Heat increment of feeding and calculated maintenance energy were higher, and net availability of metabolisable energy for maintenance and production was lower, in the restricted than in the control groups.

6. Gross efficiencies of egg production, in terms of both mass and energy, increased in the restricted birds.

7. Live‐weight and total carcass energy after 25 weeks of restriction were respectively about 15% and 30% lower in the restricted groups of both strains than in the groups fed ad libitum.     

The daily food consumption of laying hens in relation to egg formation

The voluntary food consumption of, respectively, 4 and 5 colostomised laying hens was studied in 2 experiments at both normal (20° C.) and high (30° C.) environmental temperatures over a total period of 60 days. Food consumption was greater during 24 hr periods when egg formation was in progress than when no egg was present in the oviduct. At high temperatures food intake was reduced less on egg‐forming than on non‐egg‐forming days.

In a further experiment lasting 24 days 12 normal pullets laying for long sequences with pauses of single days consumed 25 per cent more food in the 19 hr period 14.30–09.30 hr when eggs were being formed than when they were not. During the 5 hr period 09.30–14.30 hr food consumption was significantly greater when albumen was being secreted than when shell formation was in progress.

It is suggested that the requirements of the bird for albumen synthesis may regulate food intake during the period of egg formation.     

Plasma dispositions and concentrations of ivermectin in eggs following treatment of laying hens

AIMS: To determine the plasma disposition and concentrations of ivermectin (IVM) in eggs produced by laying hens following S/C, oral and I/V administration.

METHODS: Twenty-four laying hens, aged 37 weeks and weighing 1.73 (SD 0.12) kg were allocated to three groups of eight birds. The injectable formulation of IVM was administered either orally, S/C, or I/V, at a dose of 0.2?mg/kg liveweight, following dilution (1:5, v/v) with propylene glycol. Heparinised blood samples were collected at various times between 0.25 hours and 20 days after drug administration. Eggs produced by hens were also collected daily throughout the study period. Samples of plasma and homogenised egg were analysed using HPLC.

RESULTS: Maximum concentrations of IVM in plasma and mean residence time of IVM were lower after oral (10.2 (SD 7.2) ng/mL and 0.38 (SD 0.14) days, respectively) than after S/C (82.9 (SD 12.4) ng/mL and 1.05 (SD 0.24) days, respectively) administration (p<0.01). The time to maximum concentration and elimination half-life were shorter following oral (0.14 (SD 0.04) and 0.23 (SD 0.11) days, respectively) than S/C (0.25 (SD 0.00) and 1.45 (SD 0.45) days, respectively) administration (p<0.01). IVM was first detected in eggs 2 days after treatment in all groups and was detected until 8 days after oral and I/V administration, and until 15 days after S/C administration. Peak concentrations of IVM were 15.7, 23.3 and 1.9?µg/kg, observed 2, 5 and 4 days after I/V, S/C and oral administration, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The low plasma bioavailability of IVM observed after oral administration in laying hens could result in lower efficacy or subtherapeutic plasma concentrations, which may promote the development of parasitic drug resistance. Due to high IVM residues in eggs compared to the maximum residue limits for other food-producing animal species, a withdrawal period should be necessary for eggs after IVM treatment in laying hens.     

Interrelationships between dietary concentrations of sodium,potassium and chloride in laying hens

1. Twelve diets, representing the factorial combination of two concentrations of Cl‐ (0.8 and 1.4 g/kg), three concentrations of Na+ (0.5, 1.1 and 1.7 g/kg) and two concentrations of K+ (7 and 12 g/kg) were fed to groups of laying hens for 24 weeks and records taken of their productivity.

2. Different concentrations of Na+, K+ and Cl‐ showed highly significant interactions which were always similar. Thus, a deficiency of Na+ (0.5 g Na/kg) was aggravated by the restriction of Cl‐ (0.8 g/kg), but was partly compensated for by supplementing the diet with K+ (12 instead of 7 g/kg). Without a sodium deficiency other interactions occurred; for example, the higher concentration of K+ became unfavourable if the other two ions were also supplied at the higher concentrations.

3. These results show that, for the laying hen, the optimum concentrations of Na+, K+ and Cl‐ cannot be determined independently but depend upon the concentration of the two others in the diet.     

Effect of foraging material and food form on feather pecking in laying hens

1. The aim was to test whether provision of foraging material and food form influence feather pecking and feather damage in laying hens. 2. From week 19 of age, 16 groups of 11 hens (white Lohman Selected Leghorn hybrids) were kept in pens with or without access to long-cut straw as foraging material and fed on either mash or pellets. 3. Foraging behaviour was increased in hens with access to straw and time spent feeding was increased in hens fed on mash. In addition, hens fed on mash had longer feeding bouts and higher rates of pecking at the food during feeding than hens fed on pellets. 4. There were interaction effects of foraging material and food form on both feather pecking and feather damage. High rates of feather pecking and pronounced feather damage were only found in hens housed without access to straw and fed on pellets. In groups characterised by high rates of feather pecking the hens also showed more severe forms of this behaviour. 5. Differences in the time budgets of hens kept in different housing conditions suggested that birds fed on mash used the food not only for feeding but also as a substrate for foraging behaviour. 6. In order to avoid problems with feather pecking it is recommended that laying hens are provided with foraging material and fed on mash.     

家禽肠道疾病及其预防措施专栏(五) 产蛋母鸡的慢性肠炎

目前处理慢性肠炎的方法,是在不知病因的情况下通过增强母鸡的抵抗力和提高其康复率来控制疾病.这是荷兰两位家禽疾病研究人员的结论.     

蛋鸡产蛋后期的营养调控

蛋鸡产蛋后期精准的营养调控可延缓蛋鸡的衰老,延长产蛋期,提高经济效益.本文从能量、蛋白质、维生素、矿物元素的营养需要等方面对蛋鸡产蛋后期的营养调控进行总结,以期能够对产蛋鸡后期的营养调控提供参考.     

Effect of laying on food and water intake in dwarf and normal hens

1. Irrespective of whether the hen carried the dwarfing gene, dw, food intake on days when there was ovulation and oviposition was higher than on days when there was only oviposition.

2. The “ overconsumption “ in dw hens was greater than in the Dw hens.

3. Food intake and shell thickness were correlated, the relationship being particularly close in dw hens.

4. There was a consistent and positive correlation between food intake and weight of egg laid on the same day in both Dw and dw hens.     

Use of limited daily access to food in measuring the heat production associated with food intake in laying hens

1. Two experiments were carried out to determine the heat production associated with food intake in laying hens allowed access to food for one (experiment 2) or two hours (experiment 1) daily. 2. In experiment 1, heat production in the fed state was measured for two successive days after 46 h of food deprivation. The rate of heat production in the fasting state was measured from 47 to 69 h after feeding. 3. In experiment 2, heat production was measured at 4 fixed food intakes: 100, 70, 40 and 0 g/bird. Heat production associated with food intake, eating activity, net availability of ME and maintenance ME requirement was estimated. 4. Heat production after 46 h of food deprivation did not differ from that after 22 h of deprivation. In the hens receiving 100 g of food, heat production reached the pre-feeding level by 20 h after eating; the hens with lower food intakes reached the pre-feeding level more rapidly. It is suggested that the heat production associated with feeding had been eliminated by 22 h after eating. 5. Heat production associated with feeding was 16% of ME intake. Because the total energy cost of eating activity was only 0.8% of ME intake, the heat production associated with food intake in the limited-access hens came mainly from the effects of digestion, absorption and metabolism of the ingesta. 6. The net availability of ME was estimated to be 0.84. The estimated maintenance ME requirement was 569.6 kJ/kgW0.75 d.