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Kafkas Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Dergisi
Early View
Comparative Evaluation of Table Egg Quality of Local and Pure Breed Laying Hens in Response to Storage Period Length
1Bursa Uludag University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Animal Science, TR-16059 Bursa - TÜRKİYE
DOI :
10.9775/kvfd.2024.32798
This study was made to investigate the fresh and stored egg quality characteristics of local
and pure-breed layer chickens. The eggs were randomly collected from a commercial
farm that raised different free-range layer flocks such as local Atak-S, commercial Nick
Brown, pure-breed Sussex laying hen, and a local cross-breed hen, all of 50 weeks of
age. In total, 240 eggs, 60 eggs from each genotype, were further divided into three
groups as: fresh eggs, 15 and 28-day storage period, and were stored at 14-16°C and 45-
50% humidity conditions. The eggs were analyzed on the basis of internal and external
quality, such as egg length, egg width, color characteristics, yolk height, albumin height,
yolk color, and Haugh unit. Genotype had a significant effect on shell weight (P<0.001),
shell thickness (P<0.001), albumen index (P<0.001), yolk index (P<0.001), and HU
value (P<0.003). The effects of the storage period on albumen index, yolk index, and HU
value were found to be significant, respectively (P<0.001, P<0.001, P<0.001). Significant
differences existed for the shape index, L*, a*, b*, E, and C* values among the genotype
groups (P<0.001). In conclusion, eggs of the local, pure-breed, and cross-breed layer
chickens showed differences from the eggs of commercial hybrid hens both for external
and internal quality. Eggs of commercial Nick Brown and Sussex breed seems slightly
better in longer storage conditions.
Keywords :
Atak-S, Sussex, Free-range, Storage period, Egg quality