Egg traits in Japanese quails

The objective of this study was to compare some internal and external egg quality traits between two meat lines of Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica). Line 8 was the result of selection for high adult live body mass (three generations). Line 9 was the control. Birds were housed in four-stage cage technology at the NAFC-Research Institute for Animal Production Nitra. Feed mixture contained 11.7 MJ ME and 200.0 g crude protein. Feed and water were given ad libitum. Females of both lines had the same age. Egg-laying traits were observed daily during 5-day period. Eggs were analysed in the laboratory of the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra. The egg weight was significantly higher (P≤0.001) in selected line 8: 13.259 g vs. 12.203 g. The egg shell weight, egg width, length and shape index were also higher (P≤0.001) in selected line 8. The shell thickness on egg sharp region differed significantly (P≤0.01) between lines 8 and 9. However, the difference in overall shell thickness was insignificant. Eggshell percentages were 9.128 and 9.200 % in lines 8 and 9. Significant differences (from P≤0.001 to P≤0.05) were found in yolk weight, yolk width, yolk height and yolk percentage. In general, selected line 8 was of higher yolk values, except for yolk percentage - 29.358 % vs. 30.292 %. Significant differences in albumen weight (P≤0.001), albumen width (P≤0.01) and albumen height (P≤0.05) were found. There was no significant (P>0.05) difference in Haugh Unit (89.297 vs. 88.893)

Effect of breed on some parameters of egg quality in laying hens

DOI: 10.15414/afz.2015.18.01.20–24Received 24. September2014 ǀ Accepted 16. March 2015 ǀ Available online 31. March 2015The objective of this study was to compare some internal and external quality parameters of eggs between Oravka and Rhode Island Red laying hens. The flocks kept in National Agriculture and Food Centre - Research Institute of Animal Production Nitra (RIAP Nitra) were involved in the experiment. The females of both breeds were of the same age (11 months, 5th month of lay). Eggs were collected during three days consecutively (10 eggs per breed and day) and were analysed in the laboratory of Department of Poultry Science and Small Animal Husbandry at the Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources of Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra. There were 11 females in each group and a total of 30 eggs in each group were analysed. The females were housed in outdoor unheated roofed wooden chicken coop with free range available; fed standard feed ad libitum. The average egg weight was significantly (P≤0.01) affected by breed. Females of Oravka breed were of heavier eggs (60.96 ± 0.56 g) than females of Rhode Island Red (57.60 ±0.76 g). The significant differences were also found in egg width and egg length, however, no significant differences were found in egg shape index. The egg shell thickness significantly differed (P≤0.01) between Oravka and Rhode Island Red (367.78 ±3.12 μm vs. 379.33 ±2.49 μm). The albumen weight was significantly higher in Oravka breed (34.96 ±0.58 g) than in Rhode Island Red breed (32.78 ±0.73 g). No statistical differences were found in the remaining albumen characteristics. However, the slight difference (P≤0.10) was found in Haugh Unit (71.46 ± 1.64 HU for Oravka vs. 74.45 ±1.53 HU for Rhode Island Red). With yolk characteristics, yolk weight and yolk colour significantly differed (P ≤ 0.01) between Oravka breed (19.93 ±0.23 g and 10.60 ±0.09 oHLR) and Rhode Island Red breed (18.61 ±0.20 g and 11.10 ±0.20 oHLR). No statistical differences were found in the remaining yolk characteristics, except for a slight difference (P ≤ 0.10) in yolk index (42.14 ±0.50 % for Oravka and 40.31 ±1.00 % for Rhode Island Red). Keywords: females, Oravka, Rhode Island Red, eg