A simulation-based insight into the interrelationships between density and other physical parameters of the egg

Abstract

A bird's egg has a variety of distinct physical characteristics that assure its functionality as a naturally engineered ‘packaging’ for the growing embryo. It also contains essential nutrients for human food. Egg density (D) is one such crucial physical parameter frequently involved in studies pertaining to its interrelationship with the quality of both table and hatching eggs. In this investigation, we conducted more in-depth experiments based on theoretical research and simulation modelling methods. This specifically involved the possible use of D to predict the values of other egg parameters. The theoretically derived equation for D enabled us to reduce a number of parameters that affect the value of D. Herewith, we suggested that it would be more suitable for planning experiments and promising for studying eggs of various bird species to use parameter ratios rather than their original values. On the basis of simulation methods, we generated and analyzed an extensive database of ‘virtual’ chicken eggs that included all possible variations of the parameters from the proposed D equation. We established that the most influential factor on D is the density of egg interior (Di) and the most predictable parameter by the D value is the shell thickness (T). Approximation of the obtained data on the dependence of T on D led to a prediction accuracy of R = 0.68. We also demonstrated that the ratio Di/D was more dependent on the ratio of shell volume to whole egg volume and can be a very promising criterion for developing a new avenue of research on pre-incubational sorting of eggs. To refine the accuracy of prediction using this criterion, a further development of more efficient and precise methods for non-destructive measurement of T and Ds will be required.