Correlation Analysis between Yolk Cholesterol and Egg Quality, Serum Lipids in Wenchang Chicken

Purpose The egg yolk cholesterol content affects chicken embryo development, this study was to explore the relationship between egg yolk cholesterol content, egg quality and blood lipids.

Method Wenchang chickens at 42 weeks of age with complete pedigree records were used in this experiment for egg quality, cholesterol content, blood lipid content determination in male and female chickens (1♂:10♀).

Result Egg quality within female chickens exhibited no significant changes (P>0.05). However, egg quality significantly changed among female birds and sire families (P<0.05). Egg weight increase was associated with yolk weight, in egg weight, egg shape, shell strength, shell thickness, yolk weight, yolk color and egg shape significantly increasing among female birds and sire families (P<0.05). Yolk cholesterol increase was not associated with egg quality increase or decrease in females, however, it was associated with yolk weight, decrease in sire families (P<0.05). The increase of yolk cholesterol content was associated with increase of serum triglyceride and serum LPL in female Wenchang chickens (P<0.05).

Conclusion Total cholesterol content in egg yolk does not affect egg quality in female chickens. Sire family selection might be more accurate for yolk cholesterol content. Plasma LDL-C can be used as an indirect indicator for cholesterol content selection.