The effect of laying period on egg quality traits and chemical composition of Lindovskaya (Linda) geese reared under breeder conditions

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine the effect of laying period on egg quality traits as well as the chemical composition of Lindovskaya geese. The egg quality traits were examined by randomly taking a total of 90 eggs on the 45th +/- 5, 60th +/- 5, and 75th +/- 5 days of the laying period from 3-year-old female Lindovskaya geese. It was determined that the effect of the laying period on external quality traits of eggs was statistically nonsignificant (P > 0.05). The effect of laying period on internal quality traits including height, diameter, and index of the yolk and albumen was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The eggs collected on the 45th +/- 5 day had higher values compared to eggs obtained on the other days in terms of yolk height, diameter, and index, as well as albumen length and albumen width. The effect of laying period on dry matter, protein, and ash ratio of the egg yolk and albumen was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Dry matter and protein ratios of the yolk and albumen reached their peaks on the 75th +/- 5 day of the laying period. These results are the first data for identification of egg quality traits in Turkish-reared Lindovskaya geese. It was concluded that the quality of eggs obtained on the 45th +/- 5 day of the laying period was higher than those obtained on the other two control days in terms of internal traits.