The effect of increasing levels of organic minerals on the external and internal quality of eggs and tibia bone strength of brown-egg laying hens was studied. A total of 256, 30-week old was equally distributed in 64 cages in a total of four birds per cage in a completely randomized experimental design. The dietary treatments consisted of inorganic or increasing levels of organic minerals in the diets of laying hens, resulting in four treatments. Egg weight (g), specific gravity, shell weight and thickness (mm), albumen height (mm), Haugh unit, yolk weight and albumen (g) and bone strength (kg) were evaluated. A significant difference (P<0.05) among treatment means for egg weight and albumen was found. Intermediate inclusion levels of organic minerals resulted in the production of heavier eggs, with higher albumen weight and maintenance of the other characteristics of internal and external quality of eggs and bone strength.
laying hen; albumen weight; egg weight
