Upgrading the indigenous poultry of Uganda III. Shell and egg interior quality

Abstract

Albumen quality, shell thickness and incidence of blood and meat spots in eggs from the progeny of indigenous poultry of Uganda crossed with four imported breeds were compared with results from the pure imported Rhode Island Red breed and discussed relative to figures previously obtained from indigenous poultry. The measurements were taken for a 5-day period during the 12th month of age of the birds when maintained under a high environmental temperature in Uganda.The albumen quality of all four cross-breeds, as measured by Haugh units, was significantly higher than that of the Rhode Island Red breed.All four cross-breeds produced eggs with shells significantly thicker than the Rhode Island Red, only slightly below the generally accepted figure of 0·013 in.The incidence of both blood and meat spots was lower in all four cross-breeds than in the Rhode Island Red, in the case of blood spots significantly lower in one cross-breed and in the case of meat spots significantly lower in three cross-breeds.