Table 3. Results of the meta-analysis of the role of dietary carotenoids on egg quality

No	Parameter	N	SMD/d+(RE 95% CI)	p-value	I2(%)	p-value	Kendall’s τ	p-value
1	Egg weight	115	0.29 (0.09, 0.50)	0.005	98.27	<0.05	0.129	0.042
2	Shell thickness	95	–0.02 (–0.20, 0.17)	0.870	97.96	<0.05	0.035	0.624
3	Egg yolk color intensity	95	2.11 (1.71, 2.51)	<0.001	98.93	<0.05	0.037	0.600
4	Haugh unit	102	0.26 (0.11, 0.42)	0.001	96.82	<0.05	0.149	0.027
5	Egg yolk cholesterol	27	–0.38 (–0.59, –0.16)	<0.001	97.85	<0.05	–0.217	0.117
6	Egg yolk carotenoid	26	1.17 (0.59, 1.75)	<0.001	99.40	<0.05	0.430	0.002

N, number of databases; SMD/d+(RE 95% CI), standardized mean difference (true effect size) by random-effects model with 95% confidence interval; I², inconsistency (%).