Feed for laying poultry

Abstract

To provide a feed for laying poultry and a method for producing poultry eggs capable of producing poultry eggs containing a high level of docosahexaenoic acid while maintaining rearing performance.SOLUTION: A feed for laying poultry containing docosahexaenoic acid ethyl ester and 200 ppm or more of vitamin E.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a feed for egg-laying poultry to be fed to egg-laying hens and other egg-laying poultry, a method for producing poultry eggs, and eggs with a high DHA content. [Background technology]

[0002] Poultry eggs, such as chicken eggs, are highly nutritious and are a particularly good source of animal protein. While egg composition is generally consistent, in recent years, in response to diversifying consumer needs and in order to differentiate from other products, enriched eggs containing nutrients such as vitamins, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5), and iodine have been released onto the market. A known method for obtaining nutritionally enriched eggs is to add desired nutrients to feed and allow them to be transferred to laid eggs in the bodies of laying hens. For example, DHA and EPA are found in large amounts in fish oil, and it is known that when fish oil is added to feed and fed to laying hens, DHA and EPA are transferred to the lipid portion of the egg yolk of the eggs (e.g., Patent Documents 1 and 2). The amount of DHA per 100 g of edible portion of the eggs in Patent Documents 1 and 2 is in the upper 200 mg to 400 mg range.

[0003] On the other hand, docosahexaenoic acid ethyl ester is a compound that is separated and purified from fish oil, etc., along with eicosapentaenoic acid ethyl ester, which is used as an active ingredient in prescription drugs. To date, there has been no disclosure of feed for laying poultry containing docosahexaenoic acid ethyl ester. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-323295 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-65002 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present inventors attempted to use docosahexaenoic acid ethyl ester to obtain eggs that are further enriched with DHA, and found that when docosahexaenoic acid ethyl ester is fed to laying hens, DHA is transferred to the eggs, increasing the DHA content in the eggs, but problems such as a decrease in egg production rate, decrease in individual egg weight, decrease in feed intake, and deterioration in feed conversion rate occur. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide feed for laying poultry and a method for producing poultry eggs that can produce poultry eggs with a high content of docosahexaenoic acid without reducing rearing performance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] As a result of extensive research to solve this problem, the present inventors discovered that eggs with a high docosahexaenoic acid content can be obtained without reducing rearing performance by incorporating a combination of docosahexaenoic acid ethyl ester and a specified antioxidant into the feed given to laying hens, and thus completed the present invention.

[0007] That is, the present invention provides a feed for laying poultry, which is characterized by containing docosahexaenoic acid ethyl ester and 200 ppm or more of vitamin E. The present invention also provides a method for producing poultry eggs, which comprises feeding the feed for egg-laying poultry to egg-laying poultry. The present invention also provides eggs with a high docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) content, containing 500 mg or more of DHA per 100 g of edible whole egg. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] By feeding egg-laying poultry the feed of the present invention and raising egg-laying poultry, it is possible to suppress a decrease in egg production rate, a decrease in individual egg weight, a decrease in food intake, and a deterioration in feed conversion rate, thereby maintaining rearing performance and obtaining poultry eggs enriched with docosahexaenoic acid. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The feed for laying poultry of the present invention contains docosahexaenoic acid ethyl ester (hereinafter also referred to as DHA-E). Docosahexaenoic acid ethyl ester can be obtained, for example, by hydrolyzing a raw material oil to convert it into an ethyl ester, followed by fractionation and purification by vacuum distillation, urea addition method, liquid chromatography, or the like. The raw material oil may be one containing docosahexaenoic acid, such as fish oil derived from fish or crustaceans, such as anchovies or sardines, or microbial oil derived from microorganisms, such as algae. Concentrated fish oil, which has been subjected to a process to increase the concentration of specific fatty acids, may also be used. In the present invention, docosahexaenoic acid ethyl ester may be purified, or may be used in the form of an oil or fat containing docosahexaenoic acid ethyl ester (hereinafter also referred to as high DHA-E oil). For example, it may contain an ethyl ester of an ω3 unsaturated fatty acid other than docosahexaenoic acid ethyl ester. Examples of ω3 unsaturated fatty acids include docosahexaenoic acid, α-linolenic acid (C18:3), eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5, EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (C22:5), etc. A preferred ω3 unsaturated fatty acid other than docosahexaenoic acid is eicosapentaenoic acid. The content of docosahexaenoic acid ethyl ester in the high DHA-E oil is not particularly limited as long as it is a content that can exert the desired effect, but is preferably 60% by mass or more. Furthermore, the content of ω3 unsaturated fatty acid ethyl esters in the high DHA-E oil is preferably 85% by mass or more. The high DHA-E oil may be commercially available or may be produced by known methods.

[0010] The high DHA-E oil preferably contains an antioxidant to suppress oxidation in feed after the high DHA-E oil is incorporated into the feed. Examples of antioxidants include ascorbyl palmitate, ascorbyl stearate, dibutylhydroxytoluene (BHT), and butylhydroxyanisole (BHA). Dibutylhydroxytoluene (BHT) is preferred. From the same viewpoint, the content of the antioxidant in the DHA-E rich oil is preferably 200 to 2500 ppm (parts per million by mass), more preferably 1000 to 2500 ppm. In the present invention, the DHA-E oil preferably does not contain d-α-tocopherol or its esters (e.g., acetate ester, succinate ester, etc.) from the viewpoint of suppressing excessive oxidation in feed after the DHA-E oil is incorporated into the feed. If it does contain d-α-tocopherol or its esters, the amount is preferably 0.1% by mass or less, more preferably 0.05% by mass or less, and even more preferably substantially 0% by mass, i.e., substantially no d-α-tocopherol or its esters are contained.

[0011] The content of docosahexaenoic acid ethyl ester in feed for laying poultry is preferably 0.2 to 6% by mass, more preferably 0.5 to 6% by mass, and even more preferably 1 to 6% by mass, from the viewpoint of enriching the DHA in eggs and the physical properties of the feed. The composition of docosahexaenoic acid ethyl ester and DHA-E rich oil in the feed can be analyzed by gas chromatography (GC), and can be requested from, for example, the Japan Food Research Laboratories.

[0012] The feed for laying poultry of the present invention contains vitamin E. The vitamin E is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include one or more of natural vitamin E d-type α-, β-, γ-, and δ-tocopherols, tocotrienols, their synthetic dl-type forms, and esters thereof (e.g., acetate ester, succinate ester, etc.). Among these, dl-type α-tocopherol or its ester is preferred. These vitamin E compounds are known compounds, and commercially available products may be used, or they can be produced by known methods.

[0013] The vitamin E content in feed for laying poultry is 200 ppm (parts per million by mass) or more, preferably 200 to 1500 ppm, more preferably 300 to 1200 ppm, and even more preferably 700 to 1000 ppm or more, from the viewpoint of maintaining rearing performance and enhancing DHA in eggs. The vitamin E concentration in feed can be measured by "high performance liquid chromatography" in accordance with the analytical method listed in the Feed Analysis Standards.

[0014] Furthermore, the feed for laying poultry of the present invention preferably contains at least one selected from vitamin C, selenium, canthaxanthin, and organic minerals. By combining these with vitamin E, DHA in eggs can be enriched while further suppressing a decline in rearing performance. Among these, it is preferable to further contain at least two selected from vitamin C, selenium, canthaxanthin, and organic minerals, more preferably to further contain at least three selected from vitamin C, selenium, canthaxanthin, and organic minerals, and even more preferably to further contain vitamin C, selenium, canthaxanthin, and organic minerals.

[0015] Examples of vitamin C include L-ascorbic acid and salts thereof (for example, alkali metal salts such as sodium salt and potassium salt, and alkaline earth metal salts such as calcium salt). The vitamin C content in feed for laying poultry is preferably 50 to 250 ppm, more preferably 100 to 200 ppm, from the viewpoint of maintaining rearing performance and enhancing DHA in eggs.

[0016] Selenium is a metalloid element belonging to the oxygen group and has atomic number 34. It is not particularly limited, and inorganic selenium such as selenite and selenite, selenium-containing amino acids such as selenomethionine and selenocysteine, and organic selenium such as selenium yeast can be used. Among these, from the viewpoints of maintaining breeding performance, enhancing DHA in eggs, and complying with the Feed Safety Act, organic selenium is preferred, and selenium yeast is more preferred. Inorganic selenium and organic selenium are known compounds, and commercially available products can be used. The selenium content in feed for laying poultry is preferably 0.1 to 0.5 ppm, and more preferably 0.2 to 0.3 ppm, from the viewpoint of maintaining rearing performance and enhancing DHA in eggs.

[0017] Canthaxanthin has the molecular formula C 40 H 52 It is a compound of O2 and a type of carotenoid. The canthaxanthin content in feed for laying poultry is preferably 1 to 8 ppm, and more preferably 2 to 6 ppm, from the viewpoint of maintaining rearing performance and enhancing DHA in eggs.

[0018] The following three types of organic minerals are known as feed ingredients. A preferred mixture is an organic manganese compound, an organic zinc compound, and an organic copper compound. 1) Minerals bound to 2-deamino-2-hydroxymethionine *2 methionine and 1 mineral bond (i) 2-deamino-2-hydroxymethionine zinc (ii) 2-deamino-2-hydroxymethionine copper (iii) 2-deamino-2-hydroxymethionine manganese 2) Minerals bound to peptides Generally, soybean meal is treated with enzymes to produce minerals bound to peptides. *Combination of one or more amino acids with one mineral (i) Peptide zinc (ii) Peptide copper (iii) peptide manganese (iv) Peptide iron 3) Minerals bound to methionine A mineral bound to methionine by reacting DL-methionine with zinc sulfate. *1 methionine bound to 1 mineral (i) Zinc methionine sulfate

[0019] The organic minerals preferably contain 10 to 80 ppm of manganese, 20 to 70 ppm of zinc, and 3 to 20 ppm of copper. From the viewpoint of maintaining rearing performance and enhancing DHA in eggs, the organic mineral contents in feed for laying poultry are preferably 20 to 60 ppm for manganese, 30 to 50 ppm for zinc, and 4 to 15 ppm for copper, and more preferably 25 to 50 ppm for manganese, 35 to 50 ppm for zinc, and 5 to 15 ppm for copper. The concentrations of vitamin C, selenium, canthaxanthin, and organic minerals (manganese, zinc, copper) in feed can be analyzed according to the analytical methods listed in the Feed Analysis Standards or by requesting the Japan Food Research Laboratories.

[0020] The feed ingredients (basal feed) used in the feed for laying poultry of the present invention are not particularly limited, and examples thereof include grains such as corn, milo, wheat, barley, oats, rye, brown rice, buckwheat, foxtail millet, millet, and barnyard millet; bran products such as rice bran, corn bran, and corn germ; vegetable oils such as soybean meal, soybean flour, linseed meal, palm kernel meal, sesame meal, sunflower meal, and rapeseed meal; animal feed ingredients such as fish meal, fish soluble, meat meal, meat and bone meal, blood meal, skim milk powder, casein, and dried whey; fats and oils such as soybean oil, peanut oil, coconut oil, palm oil, tallow, and lard; amino acids such as lysine, glycine, glutamic acid, tryptophan, and arginine; pigment materials such as paprika extract; various vitamins, minerals, and organic acids. In addition to the above, various vitamins include vitamin B1, vitamin B2, folic acid, and vitamin B 12 , biotin, pantothenic acid, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin K, etc.

[0021] The feed for laying poultry of the present invention can be prepared by a conventional method by blending docosahexaenoic acid ethyl ester, vitamin E, and, if necessary, any optional ingredients. The feed form is not particularly limited, and can be, for example, a mashed form, a crumbled form, a crumble and mashed form, etc.

[0022] In order to produce the desired poultry eggs, it is desirable to feed the feed for layering poultry of the present invention to layering poultry continuously for at least 14 days, preferably at least 21 days.

[0023] As will be shown in the Examples below, poultry eggs obtained by feeding the laying poultry feed of the present invention contain a high concentration of docosahexaenoic acid, and therefore the poultry eggs of the present invention are useful as eggs with a high DHA content, and are expected to exhibit high DHA functions. The content of docosahexaenoic acid in the poultry eggs of the present invention is preferably 500 mg or more, more preferably 550 to 700 mg, per 100 g of edible whole egg. The content of docosahexaenoic acid in egg yolk is preferably 1750 mg or more, more preferably 2000 to 2400 mg, per 100 g of egg yolk. Furthermore, the content of eicosapentaenoic acid in the poultry eggs of the present invention is preferably 60 mg or more, more preferably 100 to 170 mg, per 100 g of edible whole egg. The content of eicosapentaenoic acid in egg yolk is preferably 200 mg or more, more preferably 300 to 600 mg, per 100 g of egg yolk.

[0024] The type of egg-laying poultry to be fed with the egg-laying poultry feed of the present invention is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include poultry such as chickens, ducks, and quails, with chickens being preferred. [Example]

[0025] The present invention will be specifically explained below by way of examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples in any way.

[0026] Test Example 1: High DHA-E oil feeding test 1) Test chickens: 330-day-old laying hens "Julia" (5 chickens in each group x 5 groups, total 25 chickens)

[0027] 2) Test area: Group 1: Control group (high DHA-E oil 0% by mass, feed oil (YG, manufactured by Nikko Oil & Fats Co., Ltd.) 1.3% by mass) Group 2: Test group (high DHA-E oil 0.5% by mass, YG 1.4% by mass) Group 3: Test group (high DHA-E oil 1.0% by mass, YG 0.9% by mass) Group 4: Test group (high DHA-E oil 2.0% by mass) 5th group: Test group (high DHA-E oil 4.0% by mass)

[0028] 3) High DHA-E oil: DHA-E 60% or more by mass, ω3 unsaturated fatty acid ethyl ester 85% or more by mass, d-α-tocopherol 1000 ppm. Acid value 5 mg KOH / g or less, peroxide value 5 mg Eq / kg or less. The fatty acid composition is shown in Table 6.

[0029] 4) Test period: 3 weeks of feeding from 338 days to 358 days of age

[0030] 5) Feed composition: The nutritional components of the feed were 14.5% by mass of protein, 2750-2780 kcal / kg of metabolizable energy (ME), and 8 ppm of dl-α-tocopherol acetate.

[0031] 6) Test results: The results are shown in Table 1. Up to Group 3, which contained 1% by mass of high DHA-E oil, there were no differences in egg production rate, daily egg mass, food intake, or feed conversion rate compared to the control Group 1. However, Group 4, which contained 2.0% by mass of high DHA-E oil, and Group 5, which contained 4.0% by mass, showed a decrease in food intake from the first week of feeding, and Group 4 showed a decrease in egg production rate and daily egg mass from the second week. The effect was particularly severe in Group 5, with food intake falling to 56% of Group 1 by the second week and egg production dropping significantly to 8.6% by the third week.

[0032] [Table 1]

[0033] Test Example 2: Effect of adding 200 ppm of vitamin E on egg production 1) Test chickens: 445-day-old laying hens "Julia" (12 chickens in each group x 4 groups, total 48 chickens)

[0034] 2) Test area: Section 1: Symmetrical section (high DHA-E oil 0% by mass, YG 1.5% by mass) Group 2: Test group (high DHA-E oil 1.5% by mass) Group 3: Test group (high DHA-E oil 3.0% by mass) Group 4: Test group (high DHA-E oil 4.5% by mass)

[0035] 3) High DHA-E oil: DHA-E 60% or more by mass, ω3 unsaturated fatty acid ethyl ester 85% or more by mass, d-α-tocopherol 1000 ppm. Acid value 5 mg KOH / g or less, peroxide value 5 mg Eq / kg or less. The fatty acid composition is shown in Table 6.

[0036] 4) Test period: 4 weeks of feeding from 453 days to 480 days of age

[0037] 5) Feed composition: The nutritional components of the feed were 14.3% protein by mass, 2740 kcal / kg metabolizable energy (ME), and 8 ppm dl-α-tocopheryl acetate. 2 to 4 groups were further supplemented with 200 ppm dl-α-tocopheryl acetate.

[0038] 6) Test results The results are shown in Table 2. In Group 2, which contained 1.5% high DHA-E oil by weight, egg production, and daily egg intake were similar to those of Group 1 (control). In Group 3, which contained 3.0% high DHA-E oil by weight, egg intake was not affected, but egg production and daily egg intake decreased from the second week onward. Group 4, which contained 4.5% high DHA-E oil by weight, also experienced a decrease in each parameter from the second week onward, but the effect was greater. These results confirmed that adding 200 ppm (actually 208 ppm) of dl-α-tocopherol acetate to the diet resulted in comparable egg production performance compared to the control group up to 1.5% high DHA-E oil by weight. Because egg production decreased at high DHA-E oil levels above 3.0% by weight, a high DHA-E oil concentration of less than 3.0% by weight was considered preferable for this dl-α-tocopherol acetate concentration.

[0039] [Table 2]

[0040] Test Example 3: Effect of dl-α-tocopherol acetate addition to a 3.0% by mass high DHA-E oil formulation on egg production 1) Test chickens: 448-day-old laying hens "Julia" (15 chickens in each group x 5 groups, total 75 chickens)

[0041] 2) Test area District 1: Symmetrical district (high DHA-E oil 0% by mass, YG3.0% by mass) Group 2: Test group (high DHA-E oil 3% by mass, dl-α-tocopherol acetate 300 ppm) Group 3: Test group (high DHA-E oil 3% by mass, dl-α-tocopherol acetate 500 ppm) Group 4: Test group (high DHA-E oil 3% by mass, dl-α-tocopherol acetate 700 ppm) Group 5: Test group (high DHA-E oil 3% by mass, dl-α-tocopherol acetate 1000 ppm)

[0042] 3) High DHA-E oil: DHA-E 60% or more by mass, ω3 unsaturated fatty acid ethyl ester 85% or more by mass, BHT 2000 ppm, acid value 5 mg KOH / g or less, peroxide value 5 mg Eq / kg or less. The fatty acid composition is shown in Table 6. [Stability test of high DHA-E oil with added antioxidants] Diets containing 4.5% high-DHA-E oil were supplemented with either no supplement, 3000 ppm d-α-tocopherol acetate, 1000 ppm BHT, or 2000 ppm BHT. After storing each diet at room temperature for 14 days, the extracted fat was analyzed. While the acid value of the extracted fat was unchanged, the peroxide value (POV) decreased in the following order: d-α-tocopherol acetate > no supplement, 1000 ppm BHT, and 2000 ppm BHT. The addition of d-α-tocopherol, in particular, was thought to promote autoxidation, resulting in deterioration of the high-DHA-E oil (increased peroxide value). Therefore, BHT is considered desirable for high-DHA-E oil in diets containing high-DHA-E oil, and 2000 ppm BHT was added in this study.

[0043] 4) Test period: 6 weeks of feeding from 463 days to 504 days of age

[0044] 5) Feed composition: The nutritional components of the feed were protein 14.5% by mass, metabolizable energy (ME) 2740 kcal / kg, and dl-α-tocopheryl acetate 8 ppm.

[0045] 6) Test results The results are shown in Table 3. The results showed that the intake of chickens in Group 2, which contained 3.0% by mass of high DHA-E oil, was no different from that of Group 1 (control). Egg production rate, daily egg yield, and feed conversion rate were slightly lower than those of the control group, but tended to improve with increasing amounts of vitamin E added. Based on each item of egg production performance, a dl-α-tocopherol acetate concentration of 700 ppm or higher was considered preferable when the high DHA-E oil was 3.0% by mass or higher.

[0046] [Table 3]

[0047] Test Example 4: Effect of adding a combination of antioxidants, vitamin E, vitamin C, and selenium, to a high DHA-E oil formulation on egg production 1) Test chickens: 434-day-old laying hens "Julia" (10 chickens in each group x 5 groups, total 50 chickens)

[0048] 2) Test area: Section 1: Symmetrical section (high DHA-E0 mass%, YG2.5 mass%) Group 2: Test group (high DHA-E 1.0% by mass) District 3: Test district (high DHA-E2.0 mass%) District 4: Test district (high DHA-E2.5% by mass) 5th group: Test group (high DHA-E 3.0% by mass)

[0049] 3) High DHA-E oil: DHA-E 60% or more by mass, ω3 unsaturated fatty acid ethyl ester 85% or more by mass, BHT 2000 ppm, acid value 5 mg KOH / g or less, peroxide value 5 mg Eq / kg or less. The fatty acid composition is shown in Table 6.

[0050] 4) Test period: 4 weeks of feeding from 441 to 468 days of age

[0051] 5) Feed composition: The nutritional components of the feed were 14.5% protein by mass, 2740 kcal / kg metabolizable energy (ME), and 8 ppm dl-α-tocopheryl acetate. Groups 2 to 5 were further supplemented with 700 ppm dl-α-tocopheryl acetate, 250 ppm vitamin C (calcium ascorbate), and 0.3 ppm selenium (selenium-containing baker's yeast).

[0052] Test results: The results are shown in Table 4. Up to Group 3, which contained 2.0% by mass of high DHA-E oil, there was no difference in egg production rate, daily egg mass, food intake, or feed conversion rate compared to Group 1 (control). In Group 4, which contained 2.5% by mass of high DHA-E oil, and Group 5, which contained 3.0% by mass, egg production rate, daily egg mass, and food intake decreased significantly from the third week of feeding. On the other hand, when the test results for Group 3, which contained 3.0% by mass of high DHA-E oil in Test Example 2, were compared with Group 5 in this test, Group 5 in this test showed better feed conversion rate.

[0053] [Table 4]

[0054] Test Example 5: Effect of adding a combination of various antioxidants to a diet containing 2.5% by mass of high DHA-E oil on egg production 1) Test chickens: 364-day-old laying hens "Julia" (10 chickens in each group x 5 groups, total 50 chickens)

[0055] 2) Test area: Section 1: Symmetrical section (high DHA-E oil 0% by mass, YG 2.5% by mass) Group 2: Test group (high DHA-E oil 2.5% by mass) Group 3: Test group (high DHA-E oil 2.5% by mass, dl-α-tocopherol acetate 700 ppm + vitamin C 250 ppm + selenium 0.3 ppm) Group 4: Test group (high DHA-E oil 2.5% by mass, dl-α-tocopherol acetate 700 ppm + vitamin C 250 ppm + selenium 0.3 ppm + canthaxanthin 8 ppm) Group 5: Test group (high DHA-E oil 2.5% by mass, dl-α-tocopherol acetate 700 ppm + vitamin C 250 ppm + selenium 0.3 ppm + canthaxanthin 8 ppm + three organic minerals (W chelate PP, a mixture of 2-deamino-2-hydroxymethionine zinc, 2-deamino-2-hydroxymethionine copper, and 2-deamino-2-hydroxymethionine manganese, manganese 39 ppm, zinc 48 ppm, copper 15 ppm, manufactured by Novus)

[0056] 3) High DHA-E oil: DHA-E 60% or more by mass, ω3 unsaturated fatty acid ethyl ester 85% or more by mass, BHT 2000 ppm, acid value 5 mg KOH / g or less, peroxide value 5 mg Eq / kg or less. The fatty acid composition is shown in Table 6.

[0057] 4) Test period: 6 weeks of feeding from 371 to 412 days of age

[0058] 5) Feed composition: The nutritional components of the feed were 14.5% protein by mass, metabolizable energy (ME) 2740 kcal / kg, and 8 ppm dl-α-tocopherol acetate.

[0059] 6) Test results: The results are shown in Table 5. In Group 2, which contained 2.5% by mass of high DHA-E oil, egg production rate, daily egg mass, and food intake all declined significantly from the first week, with egg production dropping abnormally to single digits from the fourth week onwards. All of these parameters were significantly improved in Groups 3 to 5. Furthermore, the addition of canthaxanthin to Group 4 and the addition of canthaxanthin and organic minerals to Group 5 improved egg production rate and daily egg mass more than Group 3. These findings reaffirm that the addition of 2.5% by mass of high DHA-E oil significantly affects egg production performance, but egg production performance was also significantly improved by the addition of vitamin E, vitamin C, and selenium, and further improvement was confirmed by the addition of canthaxanthin and organic minerals.

[0060] [Table 5]

[0061] [Table 6]

[0062] The analytical results of the eggs obtained in Test Examples 1 to 5 are shown in Table 7.

[0063] [Table 7]

[0064] As is clear from Table 7, it was confirmed that eggs with a high DHA content can be produced by feeding chickens feed containing DHA-E. Commercially available DHA-containing eggs contain approximately 250 to 350 mg of DHA per 100 g of edible whole egg, but the present invention provides value-added eggs with a high DHA content.

Claims

1. A feed for laying poultry, comprising docosahexaenoic acid ethyl ester and 200 ppm or more of vitamin E.

2. 2. The feed for laying poultry according to claim 1, wherein the vitamin E is dl-α-tocopherol or an ester thereof.

3. 3. The feed for laying poultry according to claim 1, further comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of vitamin C, selenium, canthaxanthin and organic minerals.

4. A method for producing poultry eggs, comprising feeding laying poultry feed containing docosahexaenoic acid ethyl ester and 200 ppm or more of vitamin E to laying poultry.

5. High-DHA eggs contain 500 mg or more of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) per 100 g of edible whole egg.

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