Assessment of Egg Quality Parameters in Commercial Layer Flocks in Anambra State

This study assesses egg quality parameters in commercial layer flocks across different management systems in Anambra State, South East Nigeria. Egg quality is a critical determinant of market acceptability and consumer health, encompassing external characteristics such as shell integrity and cleanliness alongside internal parameters including albumen height, yolk colour, and Haugh unit. In Anambra State, where egg production is commercially significant for both domestic consumption and inter-state trade, quality documentation is lacking. This study collects 480 eggs from 12 commercial layer farms in Onitsha North, Awka North, and Njikoka local government areas, selecting four farms each from battery cage, deep litter, and free-range management systems. External quality parameters including shell weight, shell thickness, shell strength, and egg weight are measured. Internal quality parameters including Haugh unit score, yolk colour, yolk index, and albumen pH are assessed. ANOVA compares quality parameters across management systems. Findings reveal that battery cage-housed hens produce eggs with the highest Haugh unit scores and most uniform shell thickness, reflecting consistent nutritional management and disease control. Free-range eggs show significantly darker yolk colour scores (6.8 versus 4.2 on the Roche fan scale) and higher omega-3 fatty acid content attributed to pasture foraging. Shell defect rates are highest in deep litter systems at 8 percent of eggs collected. The study concludes that management system significantly affects egg quality profiles in Anambra State commercial farms. It recommends quality-differentiated marketing strategies that recognise the distinct quality attributes of each system.

Keywords: egg quality, commercial layers, Anambra State, management systems, Haugh unit.