title: Inﬂuence of particle size and calcium source on production performance, egg quality, and bone parameters in laying ducks.
abstract: The inﬂuence of calcium source (limestone and oyster shell) and particle size (<0.1 mm; 0.85 to 2 mm) on laying performance, egg quality, and bone properties were examined in laying ducks by a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Longyan females (288) with similar BW at 24 wk of age were randomly allotted into 4 treatments, each with 6 replicates of 12 individually caged birds and studied over the following 12 wk. Particle size affected egg weight and feed conversion (P < 0.05). Large particle size increased shell breaking strength, albumen height, Haugh unit, and shell content of phosphorus and magnesium (P < 0.05), but had no effect on egg shape, yolk color, shell thickness, or the weight proportion of shell. There were no effects of particle size on tibial properties: dry defatted weight, calcium content, or breaking strength. Limestone increased albumen height, shell content of calcium and phosphorus, and the breaking strength of tibia (P < 0.05). It is concluded that limestone with a large particle size provided for superior productive performance, egg quality, and bone characteristics and is more suitable than oyster shell for practical applications.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in South China, Ministry of Agriculture Guangdong Public Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition Guangdong, Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in South China, Ministry of Agriculture Guangdong Public Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition Guangdong, Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in South China, Ministry of Agriculture Guangdong Public Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition Guangdong, Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: H X
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in South China, Ministry of Agriculture Guangdong Public Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition Guangdong, Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ruan
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in South China, Ministry of Agriculture Guangdong Public Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition Guangdong, Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition Guangzhou 510640, China lyc0123@tom.com.
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D004372:Ducks / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D010125:Ostreidae / Q000737:chemistry; D010063:Ovum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010316:Particle Size; D011897:Random Allocation; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D013977:Tibia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D002119:Calcium Carbonate
keywords: calcium source; egg quality; particle size; productive performance