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To evaluate the effect of the inclusion of L-carnitine on productivity and egg quality of laying hens, a total of 200 Hy-Line Brown® hens of 85 weeks old were randomly distributed into two treatments, with 20 repetitions/treatment and five hens/repetition for 10 experimental weeks. Dietary treatments consisted of a control diet and the inclusion of 24 mg/kg of L-carnitine. The inclusion of L-carnitine did not change (P> 0.05) laying intensity, food intake, mass conversion and percentage of dirty eggs. However, this experimental treatment (L-carnitine) increased egg weight (63.35 vs. 65.68 g) in relation to control diet (P <0.05). In addition, the inclusion of L-carnitine did not modify (P> 0.05) albumen height, Haugh unit, eggshell strength and yolk color at week 90. However, L-carnitine increased (P <0.05) eggshell thickness with respect to control treatment. At week 95, L-carnitine did not modify (P> 0.05) any indicator of egg external and internal quality. The inclusion of L-carnitine in diets for Hy-Line Brown® laying hens increases egg weight and eggshell thickness at week 90, without significant changes in the other egg quality and productive indicators at week 95 of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 240 Dekalb White® hens, 100 weeks old, were randomly distributed into two treatments for 20 weeks, with four repetitions per treatment and 30 animals per repetition, to evaluate the effect of palm kernel meal on productivity, egg quality and economic feasibility of old laying hens. The experimental treatments consisted on a control diet and the inclusion of 20 % of palm kernel meal. Laying intensity (5.19%) improved (P < 0.05) with palm kernel meal, as well as food intake (5 g/hens/day) and mass conversion (from 2.45 to 2.40 kg/kg). In addition, the percentage of dirty eggs was reduced (2.2%), although without notable changes for egg weight, live weight and mortality of hens (P > 0.05). At week 115, yolk color (4) became more intense (P < 0.05) with the inclusion of 20% of palm kernel. Also, at week 120, the diet with palm kernel meal improved (P <0.05) the resistance to shell rupture, its thickness and yolk color. The inclusion of 20% of meal reduced (P <0.05) costs of feed (80.43 USD), of consumed feed (2.87%) and the cost of producing an egg (0.01 USD). The inclusion of 20% of palm kernel meal in diets for old laying hens is recommended as a way to increase egg production, improve their external and internal quality, and increase the economic profitability of poultry industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of the slight, semi-rustic (Turquino) and heavy reproducers was evaluated, as to the use of non capable eggs because of its weight or shape in the incubation and the weight of the chickens at the first day. The design was totally random, with three treatments (slight, Turquinas and heavy reproducers). Three types of eggs were incubated (small and normal ovoid, rounded normal) classified by its weight and shape, in eight incubations with 16 478 eggs. All of them were checked at the 21st day and the born chickens were weighed. Analysis of simple variance and the test of multiple comparison of stockings of Tukey were made, by means of the program SPSS, version 18.0. The weight of the born chicken at the first day presented significant difference (p<0,05) among reproducers; the greatest weights of heavy lines (ovoid and rounded normal) and (ovoid small) in the slight ones, are inferior what is regulated (stated, normed) for their industrial exploitation in Cuba. The obtained incubability is falls into the established range for each purpose in Cuba. The results were esteemed for 1 000 eggs of each studied type in slight reproducers, obtaining 4.65 rounded normal, 4.28 ovoid small and 4.55 ovoid normal weekly, very close among them. This results demonstrate that the non capable eggs are usable in the incubation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]