Interaction between oviposition time, age, and environmental temperature and egg quality traits in laying hens and broiler breeders
2012
E. Tůmová | R.M. Gous
An experiment with laying hens and broiler breeders of two ages (young 22 vs. 36 weeks, old 83 vs. 64 weeks) and at temperatures of 20 and 28°C was carried out to evaluate the interactions between oviposition time (7:30; 11:30, and 15:30 h), age, and temperature on the one hand and egg quality on the other. A significant interaction (P ≤ 0.011) was determined in oviposition time. The highest number (25.8%) of eggs was laid at 7:30 h by young laying hens kept at 20°C and the lowest (3.7%) by young layers at 15:30 h kept in the same temperature. Time of oviposition was delayed by age and a higher temperature. Egg weight was significantly influenced by production type (P ≤ 0.001; 60.5 vs. 68.1 g), age (P ≤ 0.001; 59.4 vs. 69.3 g), oviposition (P ≤ 0.001; 66.5, 63.7, 62.8 g), and temperature (P ≤ 0.022; 65.1 vs. 63.6 g). The significant three-way interaction of age, oviposition, and temperature in Haugh unit score (P ≤ 0.013) and four-way interaction of production type, age, oviposition, and temperature (P ≤ 0.05) in specific gravity show that rather than by a single factor the valuable characteristics of egg quality are considerably affected by a combination of factors.
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