The Effect of Color Pigments Detected in Commercial Layer Diet on Egg Yolk Pigment Level

Abstract

In this study, egg samples and feed samples were taken from 32-week-old Novagen, 44-week-old Tinted, 45 and 58-week-old Lohman laying hens reared in commercial egg farms in Muş and Van provinces for three months with 1-month intervals. Total carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin canthaxanthin, apoester and beta-carotene as an individual carotene, vitamin A (retinol) and vitamin E content of egg yolk and feed samples were determined by HPLC. In this study, the roche scale and Minolta L*, a * and b * values of egg yolk were determined on the base of breed and periods. Egg yolk roche pigment scale results showed that except Tinted breed chickens in the second period, in general Lohman breed chickens were significantly higher in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd periods than Novagen and Tinted breeds egg yolk. Minolta a * values showed that generally egg yolks of Lohman chickens were darker red than Novagen egg yolks. While, minolta b* values were not statistically different among breeders in the second period, it has been observed that Novagen and Tinted breed hens egg yolks were significantly yellower than Lohman hen egg yolk in the first period, but the opposite was observed in the third period. While egg yolk total carotene contents were found to be lowest in Tinted breed eggs in the first period, no difference was found in the second period and the lowest total carotene content was found in Novagen breed chicken eggs in the third period. The results of this study concluded that the pigment and vitamin content of each egg in the market may vary as a reflection of consumed feeds. © 2021, Centenary University. All rights reserved.