The relationship of egg cholesterol to serum cholesterol, serum calcium, feed consumption, and dietary cholecalciferol.
Hy-Line W36 hens, 20 wk of age, were randomly assigned to one of three dietary treatments consisting of cholecalciferol at (0, 550, or 2,750 IU/kg of finished feed). Serum calcium and cholesterol, yolk cholesterol, and egg specific gravity were measured. Feed consumption, egg production, and egg weight measurements were also recorded. Feed consumption, egg production, and egg weights were initially reduced when cholecalciferol was omitted from the diet. These effects disappeared by the beginning of the fourth 28-d period. Egg cholesterol concentrations among treatments followed no consistent pattern. A positive correlation was noted between serum calcium and serum cholesterol.
Sloan
D R
DR
Department of Poultry Science, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611-0930.
Harms
R H
RH
Russell
G B
GB
Smith
W G
WG
D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D002645:Chickens / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D004531:Eggs / Q000032:analysis / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D010058:Oviposition / Q000187:drug effects; D011897:Random Allocation
D002762:Cholecalciferol; D002784:Cholesterol; D002118:Calcium