Evaluation of egg quality characteristics of two strains of local turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) in Zaria, Kaduna State

Abstract

The study was conducted to investigate the external and internal egg quality characteristics of two local strains of turkey during their early reproductive age. A total of 96 freshly laid eggs were sampled from two local turkey strains having black and white plumages. The turkeys were 33weeks of age with two months into lay. Data were collected weekly for three weeks on egg weight, egg length, egg diameter, shell thickness, shell weight, shell index, albumen weight, yolk weight, albumen: yolk ratio, albumen length, yolk length, albumen diameter, yolk diameter, albumen height, yolk height, yolk index and Haugh unit and analyzed using the statistical package of SAS. The results revealed that highly significant (p<0.01) differences in the external traits occurred in egg weight, egg length and shell weight with the white turkey strain been superior. Also, the internal traits recorded highly significant (p<0.01) differences in albumen weight, yolk weight, albumen: yolk ratio, albumen length, yolk length and yolk diameter with the white strain performing better than the black strain. Highly significant correlations (p>0.01) exits in most of the correlated traits with the except for Haugh unit that had no significantly (p<0.01) correlations. Thus, since significant variations exits between the two strains, selection activities are recommended to improve these economic traits in egg weight using it has an index in selection and in possible prediction of the quality of poults to be hatched. Also, economically, it may be used to know the consumers' preference on the quality of turkey eggs consumed. L'étude a été menée pour étudier les caractéristiques de qualité externe et interne des œufs de deux souches locales de dinde au début de leur âge de reproduction. Un total de 96 œufs fraîchement pondus ont été échantillonnés à partir de deux souches de dinde locales présentant des plumages noirs et blancs. Les dindes étaient âgées de 33 semaines avec deux mois de ponte. Des données ont été collectées chaque semaine pendant trois semaines sur le poids de l'œuf, la longueur de l'œuf, le diamètre de l'œuf, l'épaisseur de la coquille, le poids de la coquille, l'indice de la coquille, le poids de l'albumine, le poids du jaune, le rapport albumine: jaune, la longueur de l'albumen, la longueur du jaune, le diamètre de l'albumen, le diamètre du jaune, l'albumine hauteur, hauteur du jaune, indice de jaune et unité Haugh et analysés à l'aide du progiciel statistique de 'SAS'. Les résultats ont révélé que des différences très significatives (p = 0,01) dans les caractères externes se produisaient dans le poids des œufs, la longueur des œufs et le poids de la coquille avec la souche de dinde blanche supérieure. En outre, les traits internes ont enregistré des différences très significatives (p = 0,01) dans le poids de l'albumine, le poids du jaune, le rapport albumine : jaune, la longueur de l'albumine, la longueur du jaune et le diamètre du jaune, la souche blanche fonctionnant mieux que la souche noire. Des corrélations hautement significatives (p?0,01) existent dans la plupart des traits corrélés avec l'unité à l'exception de Haugh qui n'avait pas de corrélations significatives (p?0,01). Ainsi, étant donné que des variations importantes existent entre les deux souches, des activités de sélection sont recommandées pour améliorer ces caractères économiques en poids de l'œuf en utilisant un indice de sélection et de prédiction éventuelle de la qualité des dindonneaux à éclore. Aussi, économiquement, il peut être utilisé pour connaître la préférence des consommateurs sur la qualité des œufs de dinde consommés.

Effect of Plumage Colour on The Productive and Physiological Performance of Two Lines of Turkey During Egg Production Period

“…Nevertheless, at 33 weeks of age and two months into laying, the White turkey strain showed a highly significant superiority over the black turkey strain in terms of egg length, albumen weight, yolk weight, shell weight, and yolk diameter (p < 0.01). These results were consistent with the findings of a prior study (Yahaya et al, 2021). The shape index range of the turkey eggs (70-76%) fell within the normal range, according to the results of this study regarding the shape index of the eggs.…”

“…This suggested that the egg weights fell into the category of very large eggs, which may be explained by the selection that these breeds underwent, wherein the egg weight was one of the selection criteria. Yahaya et al (2021) discovered that the egg weights (72.63 g) of White turkeys were higher (p ˂ 0.05) than that of black turkeys (69.12 g), indicating that the egg weights of both turkeys fell into the small to medium category. This indicated that although the standard coefficient of variation for the egg weight was roughly 6 -7%, it could be as high as 8 -9% during the first week of laying.…”

“…The plumage colour did not significantly affect the egg weight or egg mass, although the BR line had numerically higher values of both (Table 2) than the BBB line. According to research, the egg weight varies greatly among genetic groups, suggesting that it is a highly heritable trait (Yahaya et al, 2021). Additionally, during the egg production period, the BR line outperformed the BBB line in terms of the hen day egg production (%) by a marginal significance (p < 0.05).…”

“…As a result, selection is heavily focused on egg quantity (Adikari et al, 2016). Due to the variations in the plumage colour of different turkey varieties, the egg production period, egg weight, and egg quality results of previous studies vary (Anandh et al, 2012;Amao et al, 2016;Yenice et al, 2016;Pogodaev et al, 2020;Yahaya et al, 2021). In addition to the lack of information about its genetic potential for egg production and the expansion of projects aimed at producing meat rather than eggs, raising various local turkey lines, such as the Black, BBB, BR, and White turkeys, did not spread widely at the commercial or domestic levels in Iraq (Al-Janabi et al, 2019).…”