Pre-cecal calcium digestibility of eggshell products in broilers

A broiler study was performed to determine the pre-cecal digestibility of Ca (pcdCa) of 4 eggshell products in comparison to a fine particle limestone source. Two eggshell products consisted of hatchery egg shells (HE) and 2 eggshell products consisted of consumption egg products (CE). One HE produc...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: J. van Harn, J.W. Spek, P. Bikker
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Poultry Science
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579125003293
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850233415220068352
author J. van Harn
J.W. Spek
P. Bikker
author_facet J. van Harn
J.W. Spek
P. Bikker
author_sort J. van Harn
collection DOAJ
description A broiler study was performed to determine the pre-cecal digestibility of Ca (pcdCa) of 4 eggshell products in comparison to a fine particle limestone source. Two eggshell products consisted of hatchery egg shells (HE) and 2 eggshell products consisted of consumption egg products (CE). One HE product consisted of fine particles (HE_fine) and the other HE product consisted of coarse particles (HE_coarse), while the two CE products consisted of coarse particles, with one product treated with a press (CE_press) and the other product treated with a centrifuge (CE_cen) to remove remaining egg yolk and egg white. During the first 14 d, birds received a commercial starter diet. At d 15, 360 broilers were randomly assigned to 36 pens (10 birds/pen), 6 pens per treatment. From d 15, 6 experimental diets were provided; a basal diet, a limestone supplemented diet and 4 diets containing the eggshell products. At d 23 birds were killed, after which the content of the terminal part of the ileum was sampled and pooled per pen. From three birds per pen the left tibia bone was collected for analysis of ash, P and Ca content. The pcdCa was calculated according to the World's Poultry Science Association (WPSA) protocol for determination of pre-cecal phosphorus digestibility, in this study adapted for Ca. Diets with coarse eggshell products did not differ among each other in performance, tibia characteristics and pcdCa (P > 0.05), but these characteristics were higher than for the low-Ca basal diet (P < 0.001). Pre-cecal Ca digestibility of limestone, HE_fine, HE_coarse, CE_press and CE_cen was 105, 103, 97, 95, and 96 %, respectively. The high digestibility of the supplemented Ca sources was likely due to the metabolic regulation of Ca and P absorption from the basal diet and the test products. It was concluded that pcdCa of HE is similar to CE and pcdCa of fine particle egg shells in broiler diets is similar to limestone. Use of egg shells as Ca source contributes to the circularity of food production. Furthermore, it is recommended to develop a standard protocol for determination of pcdCa.
format Article
id doaj-art-f4aaa6abcf154fc39b34effa6a447c8c
institution OA Journals
issn 0032-5791
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Poultry Science
spelling doaj-art-f4aaa6abcf154fc39b34effa6a447c8c2025-08-20T02:02:55ZengElsevierPoultry Science0032-57912025-06-01104610509010.1016/j.psj.2025.105090Pre-cecal calcium digestibility of eggshell products in broilersJ. van Harn0J.W. Spek1P. Bikker2Wageningen University &amp; Research, Wageningen Livestock Research. PO Box 338 6700 AH Wageningen, The NetherlandsWageningen University &amp; Research, Wageningen Livestock Research. PO Box 338 6700 AH Wageningen, The NetherlandsCorresponding author.; Wageningen University &amp; Research, Wageningen Livestock Research. PO Box 338 6700 AH Wageningen, The NetherlandsA broiler study was performed to determine the pre-cecal digestibility of Ca (pcdCa) of 4 eggshell products in comparison to a fine particle limestone source. Two eggshell products consisted of hatchery egg shells (HE) and 2 eggshell products consisted of consumption egg products (CE). One HE product consisted of fine particles (HE_fine) and the other HE product consisted of coarse particles (HE_coarse), while the two CE products consisted of coarse particles, with one product treated with a press (CE_press) and the other product treated with a centrifuge (CE_cen) to remove remaining egg yolk and egg white. During the first 14 d, birds received a commercial starter diet. At d 15, 360 broilers were randomly assigned to 36 pens (10 birds/pen), 6 pens per treatment. From d 15, 6 experimental diets were provided; a basal diet, a limestone supplemented diet and 4 diets containing the eggshell products. At d 23 birds were killed, after which the content of the terminal part of the ileum was sampled and pooled per pen. From three birds per pen the left tibia bone was collected for analysis of ash, P and Ca content. The pcdCa was calculated according to the World's Poultry Science Association (WPSA) protocol for determination of pre-cecal phosphorus digestibility, in this study adapted for Ca. Diets with coarse eggshell products did not differ among each other in performance, tibia characteristics and pcdCa (P > 0.05), but these characteristics were higher than for the low-Ca basal diet (P < 0.001). Pre-cecal Ca digestibility of limestone, HE_fine, HE_coarse, CE_press and CE_cen was 105, 103, 97, 95, and 96 %, respectively. The high digestibility of the supplemented Ca sources was likely due to the metabolic regulation of Ca and P absorption from the basal diet and the test products. It was concluded that pcdCa of HE is similar to CE and pcdCa of fine particle egg shells in broiler diets is similar to limestone. Use of egg shells as Ca source contributes to the circularity of food production. Furthermore, it is recommended to develop a standard protocol for determination of pcdCa.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579125003293BroilerCalcium digestibilityConsumption eggsEgg shellsHatchery eggs
spellingShingle J. van Harn
J.W. Spek
P. Bikker
Pre-cecal calcium digestibility of eggshell products in broilers
Poultry Science
Broiler
Calcium digestibility
Consumption eggs
Egg shells
Hatchery eggs
title Pre-cecal calcium digestibility of eggshell products in broilers
title_full Pre-cecal calcium digestibility of eggshell products in broilers
title_fullStr Pre-cecal calcium digestibility of eggshell products in broilers
title_full_unstemmed Pre-cecal calcium digestibility of eggshell products in broilers
title_short Pre-cecal calcium digestibility of eggshell products in broilers
title_sort pre cecal calcium digestibility of eggshell products in broilers
topic Broiler
Calcium digestibility
Consumption eggs
Egg shells
Hatchery eggs
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579125003293
work_keys_str_mv AT jvanharn prececalcalciumdigestibilityofeggshellproductsinbroilers
AT jwspek prececalcalciumdigestibilityofeggshellproductsinbroilers
AT pbikker prececalcalciumdigestibilityofeggshellproductsinbroilers