EFFECT OF REARING SYSTEM OF LAYING HENS ON SOME QUALITY PHISICAL INDICATORS FOR CONSUMPTION EGGS

Lucia Iuliana Nistor (Cotfas), Andreea Cătălina Nistor, M.G. Usturoi

Abstract
   Egg quality is a characteristic responsable for acceptability of a food by consumers. This paper aims to assess physical quality indicators for eggs obtained in two exploitation systems: (battery and free range), considering egg weight, format index, albumen index, yolk color and index. Physical measurements were performed by specific methods, on the 270 eggs in each system analyzed from hybrid Lohmann Brown hens, on three stages of productive life (beginning of laying, its peak lay and end of it). Statistical analysis of the data obtained indicated significant differences between mean values of white index (10.23 vs. 11.13), the yolk index (43.00 vs. 43.99) and format index (77.16 vs. 75.64), significant differences were recorded for egg weight (67.32 vs. 68.73g) and yolk color. The values obtained for weight of eggs from free range system were comparatively higher than ones gathered from batteries (68.61 vs. 69.18 g). Instead format index had higher values for eggs from battery face to the ones from free range (76.46 vs. 76.33).    Physical quality indicators were significantly better at eggs from free range system comparison with those specific for battery rearing, thanks to the beneficial influence of external atmospheric factors on reproductive functioning and metabolism of calcium.

Key words: egg, battery, free range, physical quality, consumer