A Guide to Egg Quality pt. 1 Flashcards
How many times do you candle an egg?
At least 4 times a day. In hot climates, as many times as possible
What are the 4 key areas of producing good quality chicks?
- Egg handling and selection
- Egg disinfection
- Egg storage
- Egg quality
T/F: Collect nest eggs separately from floor eggs and distinguish clearly.
True
T/F: Avoid adjusting conveyor belt.
False, adjust belt to prevent inclines or ledges where eggs can accumulate and cause cracks.
Why should you wash and clean equipment daily or more frequently?
To avoid mold spores
What type of mold can be transmitted to the egg?
Aspergillus
What is the weight of the ideal hatching egg?
Between 50-68 grams
What characteristics do a good-quality hatching egg have?
- Clearly defined round & pointed ends
- Good colour
- Clean and undamaged shell
- Oval shape with large end (air cell end)
- A clearly recognizable sharp end
How does an egg receives its particular shape?
This is because it is being pushed through the oviduct.
T/F: Too round eggs or eggs that are oblong are considered for hatching using large scale incubators.
False, they are not considered for hatching using large scale incubators. In smaller capacity incubator these type of eggs are considered as long as they are not abnormally developed eggs.
What are the bad egg conditions?
- Dirty eggs
- Cracked eggs
- Mis-shaped eggs
- Double-yolk
- Upside-down eggs
What could be the effect of dirty and cracked eggs?
Reduced hatchability and higher risk of contamination. (Ophalitis and Aspergillus)
Can a double-yolk egg hatch?
No, it is a reject egg, no hatchability.
What is the temperature of the egg after laying?
41 Celsius
T/F: The shell is composed of thousands of tiny pores.
True
Should you conduct disinfection and treatment as soon laying? and why?
Yes, to prevent bacteria from penetrating the egg
What should details should you mark the eggs in incubator trays or in boxes?
- Flock code
- Date of lay
- House number
- Egg grader initials
What are the key points in disinfecting hatching eggs?
- Minimizing the time between the egg being laid and disinfection.
- The method of treatment.
- Disinfecting being used.
Identify the disinfection method:
Buffing eggs. Danger is blocking the pores and damaging cuticles.
Dry cleaning
Identify the disinfection method:
Manually in solution. Risk of removing the cuticle and contamination from the solution after batches of eggs.
Washing eggs
Identify the disinfection method:
Automated machines. Risk of removing the cuticle and contamination from the solution after batches of eggs.
Hot water sanitizing
Identify the disinfection method:
Some are lined to the sanitizing unit. Need to make sure the bulbs are routinely changed for effective microbial destruction.
UV light exposure
Identify the disinfection method:
Smoke/misting equipment. Need to prevent droplets from the machine which can wet the surface of the egg.
Dry fogging
Identify the disinfection method:
Exposure to formaldehyde gas. Banned in some countries.
Fumigation
T/F: The hatching potential of an egg can be improved.
False, it can only be maintained and not be improved.
How many differentiated cells does a hatching egg contain at the moment of oviposition?
40,000 - 60,000 differentiated cells.
T/F: From the time the egg is laid until storage, the temperature should be constant.
False, it should be āVā shaped
T/F: The hatchery should have the lowest storage temperature.
True
T/F: Eggs need to be kept above 24 C after laying.
False, they should be kept below 24 C (Physical Zero Temperature), it is the temperature at which embryo development does not advance.
What temperature in storage does an embryo development not advance.
24 C below
