Influence of age of broiler breeders and storage duration on egg quality and blastoderm of Marshall broiler breeders

The aim of the study was to examine the effects of age of broiler breeders and storage duration on quality traits and blastoderm of eggs obtained from Marshall broiler breeders. A total of 320 eggs were collected from 2 flocks, 43 wk and 65 wk of age. Eggs were sampled immediately after collection and subjected to a storage duration of 0 (control), 4, 7, and 10 D at 16°C and 80% RH. Extended storage of eggs until 10 D from 65-wk-old breeders resulted in significant deterioration of egg quality traits. Egg weights decreased, whereas egg weight loss increased with storage duration for both breeder ages. Egg traits such as yolk diameter increased with interaction effects, whereas yolk heights declined. However, yolk weight and yolk percentage were observed to increase with age of breeders during egg storage. With a storage of 10 D, albumen diameter, albumen weight, and albumen percentage were higher with 43-wk-old breeders. Albumen pH rapidly turned alkaline from 4 D of storage period for both breeder ages and increased until about 9.85 at 10 D of storage. Haugh units declined with age and storage effects and were higher for eggs from 43-wk-old breeders. Blastoderm diameter was also affected as it decreased with storage for 65-wk-old breeders especially at day 7 of eggs storage. The results suggest that breeder's age and storage duration significantly influenced important egg quality traits and blastoderm expansion of Marshall broiler breeder eggs especially from older breeders.