In recent years, there have been very dynamic changes in both pork production and pig breeding technology around the world. The general trend of increasing the efficiency of pig production, with reduced employment, requires optimisation and a comprehensive approach to herd management. One of the most important elements on the way to achieving this goal is to maintain animal welfare and health. The health of the pigs on the farm is also a key aspect in production economics. The need to maintain a high health status of pig herds by eliminating the frequency of different disease units and reducing the need for antimicrobial substances is part of a broadly understood high potential herd management strategy. Thanks to the use of sensors (cameras, microphones, accelerometers, or radio-frequency identification transponders), the images, sounds, movements, and vital signs of animals are combined through algorithms and analysed for non-invasive monitoring of animals, which allows for early detection of diseases, improves their welfare, and increases the productivity of breeding. Automated, innovative early warning systems based on continuous monitoring of specific physiological (e.g., body temperature) and behavioural parameters can provide an alternative to direct diagnosis and visual assessment by the veterinarian or the herd keeper.

All nutrients including proteins, lipids, vitamins, minerals and growth factors required by the developing embryo, as well as a number of defense factors, can be found in avian eggs. Eggs are also a source of other substances with biological functions and activities inter alia immune proteins and enzymes. Although chicken egg consumption is currently at the highest level, eggs from other species are also becoming popular. Since our knowledge about Japanese quail eggs is still limited, the aim of this review was to shed light on characteristics of egg parts, chemical composition and nutritive value of quail eggs.

The aim of the investigation was to ascertain the influence of different doses of vitamin C injected at selected dates of incubation into the eggs of broiler breeders and Pekin ducks on hatchability. The injected vitamin C doses were administered into the air cell on the 13^th, 15^thand 17^th days (3 and 6 mg – chickens) and on the 12^th and 20^th days (4 and 8 mg – ducks) of incubation. In the case of chickens, no significant differences were recorded between the control and experimental groups with regard to hatchability, although the highest value of hatchability from fertilized eggs was determined in the group injected with 6 mg of vitamin C on the 15^th day of incubation. On the other hand, in ducks, significant differences were found between the control and experimental groups (4 mg of vitamin C administered on days 12 and 20 and 8 mg of vitamin C injected on day 20 of incubation) regarding hatchability. The value of this trait was higher in the group of eggs injected with ascorbic acid in comparison with the eggs which were not treated. On average, the difference amounted to 32.5 percentage points. Similarly, in the case of the number of dead embryos and unhatched chicks, better results were observed in the above-mentioned experimental groups. In summary, vitamin C injected into chicken eggs failed to influence hatchability. In the case of duck eggs, it was demonstrated that their injection on the 20^th day of incubation with selected doses of vitamin C (4 and 8 mg/egg) improved hatchability by decreasing the proportions of dead and unhatched embryos.

The aim of the study was to analyse egg quality changes of Japanese quail during the reproductive season and after several days of storage. A significantly higher egg weight was recorded in week 9 than in week 25 and week 31 of age of birds. The egg specific gravity value of eggs also decreased with the age of quails. The smallest yolk weight and its percentage proportion in egg mass were observed in week 25. Eggs laid in weeks 9 and 25 were characterised by similar and lower (P ≤ 0.05) white weight in comparison to those examined on the last date. The highest white proportion in egg weight was recorded during the 25^th week. The value of this trait was similar or smaller on the remaining dates. Similar and lower values of the white index and Haugh units, in comparison with the first date, were determined in eggs laid on weeks 25 and 31, whereas similar and greater eggshell thickness than in the 9^th week of age was recorded on the last two dates of examination. Lower (P ≤ 0.05) egg weight was observed after 5 and 8 than after 0 (measured on the day of laying) days of storage. Likewise, smaller egg specific gravity was recorded after three consecutive periods of storage in comparison with the eggs examined on the day of laying. Eggs examined after 3, 5 and 8 days of storage, in comparison with those stored for 0 days, were characterised by lower yolk index. Significantly smaller weight and white index than after 0 days were determined in eggs stored, respectively, for 5 and 8 as well as for 3, 5 and 8 days. Similarly, smaller numbers of Haugh units were determined after 3 consecutive storage periods in comparison with the eggs examined on the day of laying. Eggs stored for 0 and 3 days were characterised by a greater eggshell weight than those examined after 5 and 8 days. The weight of Japanese quail eggs decreased significantly from day 5 onwards, whereas the egg specific gravity – from the 3^rd day of storage. Yolk and white quality began to deteriorate already after 3 days of egg storage. It appears, therefore, that egg storage of Japanese quails before hatching lasting more than 3 days in the analysed conditions deteriorated the eggshell quality and internal egg traits.

The aim of the study was to determine the usefulness of two protein concentrates composed of rapeseed meal and new cultivars of narrow-leaved and yellow lupine, peas in laying hen diets and their influence on birds’ performance and egg characteristics. The experiment was conducted with 180 layers kept in individual cages. The birds were randomly assigned to three treatments, with 60 hens in each and during the period of 17 weeks, they were fed diets: I - containing soybean meal as a protein source, II - containing protein concentrates composed of mixture of lupines, peas (19.48% of diet) and rapeseed meal, III - containing protein concentrates composed of a mixture of lupines and peas (27.68% of diet). The body weight, laying rate, egg weight, feed intake and feed conversion ratio (FCR) and egg characteristics were registered. After 9 weeks of experiment, a decrease of laying rate was recorded in treatment III. The mean value of laying rate for 17 weeks amounted to 82.7 (I), 82.5 (II) and 75.9% (III) (P<0.01). The egg weight was diversified already after 4 weeks of egg production and averaged 57.9 (I), 55.9 (II) and 54.9 g (III) (P<0.05). Feed intake amounted to 108 (I), 111 (II) and 104 g per hen/day (III), and FCR was 2.05, 3.17 and 2.23 kg/kg egg weight, respectively. As to egg characteristics, increases of white index (P<0.05), Haugh unit score and yolk colour in treatment III were observed but egg shell thickness was found significantly reduced. In conclusion, the use of about 27.68% of legume seed in laying hen diet affected negatively performance results but about 19.48% of these seeds and 8% rapeseed meal in diets could be accepted as a soybean meal substitute.

The transfer of hatchability results obtained under experimental conditions to the commercial ground with a positive financial effect proves the value and usefulness of these data. On the other hand, finding results on commercial processes of broiler breeders' egg incubation in the literature is challenging. The presented study aimed to determine the effects of egg weight and storage time on the physical, biochemical characteristics of hatching eggs, embryogenesis and hatchability in Ross 308 broiler breeders. On the laying day, the eggs were divided into four weight groups: S - small eggs (57-61 g), M - medium eggs (62-66 g), L - large eggs (67-71 g), and XL - extra-large eggs (72-76 g). The eggs were then stored for 3, 7, 14, and 21 days under controlled conditions. As the egg storage time increased, a decrease in the yolk quality (lower index) was observed. The highest Haugh units were found in eggs from the S and M groups. The cholesterol content of the M, L, and XL groups was lower on days 7, 14, and 21 as compared to that of eggs only stored for 3 days. Egg weight loss during incubation decreased with an increase in the egg weight. An extension of the egg storage time caused an increase in the loss of egg weight. On the 14th and 18th days of hatching, an increase in the eggshell temperature was noted with an increase in the weight of the egg. The eggs stored for 7 days were characterised by the highest shell temperature on each day. The highest hatchability percentage was recorded for the M group. The hatchability rate decreased with the prolongation of the storage time, while the number of crippled chicks after hatching increased. The results confirmed that the increased weight of the eggs and prolonged storage time (14 and 21 days) increased the weight and decreased the length of the newly hatched chicks, respectively. Chicks from the heaviest eggs and those stored for 14 and 21 days showed poor results on the Pasgar score® test. The observations indicate the need to adopt various (of those available) methods to assess the quality of newly hatched chicks in hatcheries in order to produce high-quality broiler chickens. The results also indicate that prolonged egg storing beyond 14 days may affect the thyroid hormone economy during the hatching of chicks, especially in the XL group.