FOOD. Science. Technology. Quality

Food. SCIENCE. Technology. Quality

Food. Science. TECHNOLOGY. Quality

Food. Science. Technology. QUALITY

Authors

ZOFIA SOKOŁOWICZ, JÓZEFA KRAWCZYK, EUGENIUSZ HERBUT

Title

Quality of eggs from organically reared laying hens during their first and second year of production

Abstract

The objective of the research study was to determine the effect of layers’ age on the development of quality traits of eggs from native Greenleg Partridge [Z-11] hens reared under the organic breeding conditions. The quality of consumption eggs from layers aged 36, 50, and 80 weeks was investigated. It was found that the layers’ age had an effect on the increased egg and yolk weight as well as on the increased content of egg yolk and the decreased content of egg albumen in the eggs analyzed. The intensity of yolk colour increased with age of the layers. In the egg yolks from older hens, the content of vitamins A and E was higher than in the egg yolk from the younger layers. The physical features of egg shells from older layers indicated their good quality. The age was found to have no effect on the profile of fatty acids in the egg yolks. The good quality of eggs from the older Greenleg Partridge layers proves that it is reasonably and practically to utilize them in the organic breeding system during a period of two years.

Keywords

native breed of Greenleg Partridge hens, age of hens, organic breeding, egg quality

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