Reducing egg breakage is a critical goal for every commercial layer’s farm. In the bustling world of egg production, where efficiency and quality go hand in hand, minimizing breakage rates is paramount.
Egg breakage in commercial layer farming can occur at various stages of production, from the hen’s nesting box to the packing process. Also read: How to Reduce Heat Stress in Poultry
There are many reasons why it can happen, such as improper handling, poor housing conditions, nutritional imbalances, or even external forces during transportation.
Addressing these factors and implementing effective strategies can significantly reduce egg breakage and contribute to a thriving and sustainable farm.
What are the Reasons for egg breakage?
Egg breakage happens for several reasons, but the shell quality and the force of impact are crucial factors. Some reasons for egg breakage are
Level of nutrition.
The quality of the feed is particularly important for the health of the chickens. For a strong eggshell, it is important to have the right levels of phosphorus, ascorbic acid, vitamin D3, manganese, zinc, and magnesium in the diet.
Eggs produced from hens fed on high-protein diets are less susceptible to being cracked
compared to the ones fed on low-protein diets.
Environmental Temperature and Humidity
The higher the environmental temperature, the higher the breakage level of eggs. More eggs are being cracked during the hot season.
Make sure to store your eggs in a dry place. Exposing them to high temperatures or humid environments can cause the eggs to crack or break, risking their freshness and quality.
Management Factors
Chickens that experience environmental problems such as lack of space, overpopulation, or
improper handling of eggs is more likely to have cracks in their shells.
Cracks in an eggshell can prevent it from sealing properly, causing moisture to be absorbed and a loss of food value. Be sure to keep your eggs away from hard surfaces such as walls or shelves.
Disease
Another reason is a disease. A layer can also develop the disease, which also causes the breakage of eggs. This can be bacterial, fungal, viral, or even parasitic.
The most common diseases are salmonella, coccidiosis, avian influenza and infectious bronchitis.
Age of the chicken
The age of the chicken also affects the health of the birds, and as a result, their eggshells.
As a farmer, you need to understand that the older the chicken is, the higher the risk of egg breakage.
Stress factor
When a chicken is under stress, it suppresses its immune system. This makes the eggshell
weaker and it cracks.
Transportation
The transportation process can cause cracks in eggs. If there is too much of a temperature change when moving from one storage place to another, they can crack.
Methods of reducing egg breakage
To reduce egg breakage, focus on these key methods.
1. Store the egg at a cool temperature.
You should lower the temperature of the egg storage. You can reduce the rate of breakage if you store eggs at a lower temperature than the storage temperature. The ideal storage temperature is between 15 – 20 C.
2. Avoid collecting eggs in baskets or buckets
3. Use of modern technology.
Modern technology, such as automatic egg collection systems, can prevent eggs from breaking during transport in commercial layer farms. This is done by using electronic egg counting systems.
4. Improve the laying facilities.
You can improve the facilities by creating better cages and nesting boxes for the birds.
It goes a long way to reduce cracks and breakages.
5. Provide a balanced and quality diet
The number one cause of broken eggs is poor nutrition. If you want to keep eggs from breaking, you should feed them a balanced and quality diet.
A balanced diet includes all the essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals in the right proportions.
A diet rich in fibre not only supports a healthy body but also enhances shell quality. Make sure that you’re eating a healthy and balanced diet.
6. Create awareness.
Host seminars and workshops to educate workers about the issue of broken eggs to raise awareness. In addition, you can write articles and put up posters that give information on what causes egg breakage.
7. Reduce the workload.
One of the most effective ways to reduce egg breakage is to keep the workload as low as
possible using modern technology to automate tasks.
Decreasing the workload will motivate employees to perform their jobs better, which will reduce the amount of egg breakage.
8. Reduce the stress of birds.
It is important not to stress the birds. If the birds are stressed, it may lead to pecking each other and eggs.
You can increase profitability by giving chickens a calm, quiet, and comfortable living environment, which reduces stress and anxiety, leading to fewer broken eggs.
Conclusion
Commercial layer farmers face a significant challenge of revenue loss due to egg breakage caused by harsh conditions, making it extremely difficult for the eggs to survive.
However, there are ways to reduce egg breakage and increase profitability. For instance, you can refrigerate your eggs, improve the egg collection system, improve the facilities and create awareness.
