Characteristics of reared game pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)’s egg

Abstract

Chemical and physical characteristics of game pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)’s egg were studied and compared with domestic fowl (Gallus gallus domesticus)’s egg. The birds were housed in individual cages in a environmentally controlled room (T=18÷20°C; 16L:8D) and fed ad libitum standard breeder diet. A sample of thirty eggs was analysed for each phase of the laying period (beginning, peak and end). The following chemico-physical parameters: egg, albumen, yolk and shell weight; yolk colour; egg and shell dry matter (DM); shell thickness (blunt end, pointed end and middle part) were measured. The protein, lipid, and cholesterol content was evaluated; the fatty acid (FA) profile analysed. We observed: egg weight average of 34.5g ; a high proportion of yolk (37%) in the whole egg (Y/E), consequently, a high lipid content of 13.9%; a protein content DM of 44.3%; the fatty acid composition was similar to that of chicken egg and the oleic acid (36.4%) was the major proportion of the total fatty acids, as in the domestic fowl. The rearing pheasant’s egg has a high nutritive concentration, due to high ratio yolk/whole egg, with biological and nutritional characteristics similar to domestic fowl’s egg.