The level of defective eggs among three strains of commercial egg-type chickens and its economic implications

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine the number of rejected eggs, causes and economic implica-tions among three egg-type strains in a commercial poultry farm. A total of eight thousand layers were used for the on-farm study. Total eggs for each strain were determined by recording and counting each day’s production. The defective eggs were sorted out and the totals were recorded. Percentage for the defective eggs were then calculated. Data were taken four times a day at partic-ular time intervals. Strains 1 and 2 were 47 weeks and strain 3 was 82 weeks old at the start of the study. Data collected were analysed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with the aid of Genstat, Fifteenth Edition (2012) and the treatment means were separated using the Tukey’s Stu-dentized Range Test. Strain 2 produced the highest number of eggs (p<0.05) but recorded the low-est percentage of defective eggs (p<0.05). Strain 3 produced the lowest number of eggs (p<0.05) and yet recorded the highest percentage of defective eggs (p<0.05). The number of eggs collected and the percentage of defective eggs were significantly different (p<0.0) among the strains. The total economic loss as a result of defective was GH¢17, 106.43 with strain 3 recording the highest economic loss (GH¢8, 304. 77) followed by strain 1 (GH¢6, 022.76) which also recorded a higher economic than strain 2 (GH¢2, 778.90). It can be concluded that all other factors being equal, strain and age influence the percentage of defective eggs with the type of strain used either in-creasing or decreasing the number of defective eggs; and with older birds producing more defec-tive eggs than younger ones irrespective of the strain. Eggs with defect result in huge economic losses which would eventually affects profitability.