Abstract
A study was undertaken to predict the correlation between egg weight and egg characteristics in quail. Data was collected on 102 eggs collected from female quails at 28 weeks. Eggs were numbered, weighed and classified into six egg weight groups: below 9.0g, 9.0-9.5g, 9.6-10.0g, 10.1-10.5g, 10.6-11.0g, and above 11g group. There were 17 eggs per egg weight group. Data was collected on egg weight, shell weight, shell ratio, albumen height, albumen weight, albumen ratio, albumen index, yolk height, yolk diameter, yolk weight, yolk ratio and Haugh Unit. Data collected were analysed using the General Linear Model (GLM) procedure of the Genstat edition 11. The correlation between the various characteristics of egg were determined. The result shows that Albumen diameter, albumen length and albumen width were influenced by size of egg (<i>p</i><0.05). Albumen diameter and albumen length increases with increasing egg size. There was a positive correlation between egg length and albumen (0.448), albumen diameter (0.463), shell surface area (<i>p</i><0.01). Egg width, height, shape index, shell ratio and shell surface area were significantly (<i>p</i>>0.05) influenced by the sizes of quail eggs. The egg sizes of above 11g had the best egg length followed by 10.6g-11.0g, 10.1g-10.5g, 9.6g-10.5g, 9.0g-9.5g and below 9.0 g had the least egg length indicating a direct relationship between egg length and egg weight. The positive correlations between the internal and external egg quality traits indicated that the traits can be improved through selection.
Highlights
Quails are highly prolific with shorter generation interval, require less space, feed and capital to start with, have greater resistance to diseases and they can be reared under wide range of climate and farm conditions compared to other species of poultry
External egg quality traits such egg weight, shell weight, shell thickness as well as internal egg quality traits such as albumen and yolk characteristics are very important for the consumers and the egg product industry [1]
There was a positive correlation between egg length and albumen (0.448), albumen diameter (0.463), shell surface area (p
Summary
Quails are highly prolific with shorter generation interval, require less space, feed and capital to start with, have greater resistance to diseases and they can be reared under wide range of climate and farm conditions compared to other species of poultry. Egg production is an important economic trait in poultry breeding that determines the efficiency of chick production for further rearing for meat. It is influenced by several factors such as nutrition, management, environment etc. A research conducted by Narushin and Romanov [2] revealed that the egg quality traits of an egg is highly influenced by the genotype of the birds, breeding systems, management, nutrition and egg weight. Most poultry breeders and farmers consider weight of the egg very important in determining their choice of birds [3] as it can affect both egg quality and grading [4]. Additional conclusions were reported by Sekeroglu and Altuntas [6] with positive
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