Okonkwo JC1,*, Samuel K1, Nwankwo CA1, Okonkwo IF2, Ezenyilimba BN1 and Okafor EC1
1Department of Animal Science and Technology, 2Department of Microbiology and Brewing Science, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria
*Corresponding author: jc.okonkwo@unizik.edu.ng
The experiment aimed at studying the effect of length of storage and chicken strain on the internal egg qualities of chickens. Eggs from 51-week-old Isa-brown, Isa-white, and Lohmann brown were analyzed using a 4 x 3 factorial arrangement for their internal egg qualities. The strain was studied under three levels and storage duration under four levels. A total of three hundred and sixty (360) eggs (120 from each strain) were collected from the hens, labeled according to the strain, and 30 eggs from each strain were analyzed for their internal quality traits at the point of lay (day 1), day 7, day 14 and day 21. Data collected were subjected to two-way analysis of variance, and differences between treatments means were separated using LSD. Most studied traits showed no differences between the Isa-brown, Isa-white and Lohmann brown chickens. However, the eggs laid by Lohmann brown strain were superior to those laid by Isa strains in egg weight, albumen weight, and yolk weight. A prolonged holding period affected some egg quality traits such as albumen weight and height, Haugh unit, and yolk weight. Hence, the study displayed that the longer the egg is stored, the lesser the nutritive value of the egg and eggs from some strains of poultry may stay longer than that of others without deleterious effects on their internal egg qualities.