LPM 211-Avian Production Management (1+1)

EXTERNAL CHARACTERISTICS AND

GRADING OF SHELL EGGS

TANUVAS, 2011
 INTRODUCTION:

A normal chicken egg is ovate in shape

Wide variation in shape may lead to breakages during

handling and transport

If shape and size are abnormal, the eggs are liable to break.
Similarly, thin shell and weak shell egg or shell less eggs are
liable to break and are unfit for transportation

Shell colour and other external characteristics will determine

the market acceptability

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 EXTERNAL CHARACTERISTICS OF EGGS:
The external characteristics of the egg will be assessed by the
following methods:
Egg size/ weight

Shape

Shell colour & Texture

Cleanliness

Volume

Specific gravity

Surface area

TANUVAS, 2011
 EGG SIZE OR WEIGHT:
Each species of bird has its own standard egg weight. Similarly
the egg weight vary between breed and age of the bird

A normal chicken egg weighs 55-60gm depending upon the

breed and age

The chicken egg will be about 1/30th of the hen's body weight.

Japanese quail eggs will weigh around 10gm, which will be

about 1/15th of its adult body weight.

When compared to body size, Japanese quail lay heavier egg

than other species

TANUVAS, 2011
 Egg size Contd
Turkey egg will weigh 65-70g, ad it is only about 1/60th of its
body weight

In all species of birds, older birds lay heavier eggs than

younger birds

Egg size will be extremely small or large as in the case of yolk

less/ double yolked eggs which are difficult to transport
because they will break during transit. They are sold in the
farm itself.

TANUVAS, 2011
 SHAPE:
The usual egg shape is "ovate". The shape of the egg plays a
major role in packing and transport. Too small or too large eggs
are discarded in the farm itself
The normal shape of an egg can be marred due to diseases like
Ranikhet and Infectious Bronchitis

Egg shape is expressed as "Shape index'

Process is to measure the maximum length of the egg using a

vernier caliper and also the average width of the egg measured
in two places

TANUVAS, 2011
 SHAPE INDEX:

Shape is measured to an accuracy of 1mm and the shape index

is arrived at by using the formula.
Shape Index =Avg width/Avg length X 100

A normal egg will have a shape index of 72 (Range 70-74)

Egg which is spherical in shape will have a shape index of 75

and above; such of those eggs which are elongated/ elliptical
will have lesser shape index of 70

The eggs which do not fall into the normal range of the shape
index cannot be used for hatching

TANUVAS, 2011
 SHELL COLOUR AND TEXTURE:

It indicates smoothness and roughness of shell surface and

also indicates shell quality

Shell colour is due to the presence of pigments

Ooporphyrin gives brownish colour to the egg shell

The pigments Oocyan causes blue colour in eggs seen in

eggs laid by the breed Aracauna

TANUVAS, 2011
 CLEANLINESS:

Essential for consumer satisfaction and also to improve and

maintain the keeping quality

A dirty egg may harbour harmful microbes which will spoil

the egg and render it unfit for consumption

Eggs collected from deep litter will be more dirtier than

caged eggs, obviously due to dirty wet litter and delayed
collection of eggs

TANUVAS, 2011
 VOLUME:

Volume is also one of the indicators of egg size

Egg volume is directly proportional to the egg size

Egg volume of different species will be around 90-95% of their

fresh egg weight

To measure the volume of the egg, fill a measuring cylinder of

500 ml/ 1 litre capacity with a known quantity of water
After noting the lower meniscus of the water, gently slant the
measuring cylinder and slide the egg carefully into the
measuring cylinder and note the final reading of the water,
the difference in value will give the volume of egg in cm3

TANUVAS, 2011
 SPECIFIC GRAVITY:

It indicates of the egg shell quality, as well as its freshness

Fresh eggs will have higher specific gravity than old and long
stored eggs, because there will be a loss of moisture in the old
eggs which inturn replaced by air. So the air cell will become
bigger as the egg is stored for a longer time

Similarly, eggs having stronger shell will have higher specific

gravity than thin shelled eggs

Specific gravity=Weight of the egg (gm)/Volume(cc)

TANUVAS, 2011
 Specific gravity Methods

The measure of specific gravity can be made by several methods

By measuring the egg weight and then weighing the egg in
water, to find the weight loss in water
By dipping the eggs in a salt solution having several
concentration of salt dissolved in it; having a specific gravity
ranging from 1.0-1.1 with an interval of 0.02
A normal egg will have a specific gravity of 1.06. Any value
less than this may indicate that the egg is old or the eggs are
thin shelled; irrespective of other criteria, smaller eggs will
have high specific gravity due to more uniform shell
By knowing the egg weight and volume

TANUVAS, 2011
 SURFACE AREA:

It is calculated by using the formula

Surface area in (cm2) =12.6x (length + width)2

4
Where, 12.6 is a constant.

Surface area of an egg is directly proportional to egg

size

The surface area will be more for elongated eggs than

for spherical eggs

TANUVAS, 2011
 AIRCELL DEPTH

AIRCELL DEPTH:
A fresh egg will have an air cell depth of less than
3mm (0.3cm). As the egg ages, the depth of the air cell
increases.

AIRCELL DEPTH FOR DIFFERENT USDA GRADES

USDA Grade Maximum depth

AA 0.3cm (1/8th inch)

A 0.5cm (3/16th inch)
B 0.8cm (3/8th inch or less)
C Over 0.8cm (3/8th inch)

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 BUREAU OF INDIAN STANDARDS (ISI GRADES)
SPECIFICATIONS FOR EGGS
Grade Weight/ Shell Air cell White Yolk
egg
A. Extra 60 and Clear Uniform Clean Fairly well
large above unbroken upto 4 mm reasonab centered
A. Large 53-59 and sound depth. ly Practically
Shape is Perfectly Firm free from
defects
A. Medium 45-52 Regular -do-
A. Small 38-44 Outline
indistinct
B. Extra 60 and Clean 8 mm Clear May be
large above moderately depth May may by slightly off
B. Large 53-59 stained. be free slightly centered
Shape is from and weak outline slight
slightly slightly over
B. Medium 45-52 abnormal bubbly - do -
TANUVAS, 2011 B. Small 38-44 - do -
 LPM 211-Avian Production Management (1+1)

THANK YOU

TANUVAS, 2011