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Measuring Table Egg Shell Quality with One Specific Gravity Salt Solution

Department of Animal & Poultry Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 0W0, Canada; Phone: (306) 966-6597; FAX: (306) 966-4151

Correspondence: Carlylr D. Bennett

Specific gravity measurement is a common method of estimating egg shell thickness. In Trial 1, alt solutions with specific gravities of 1.075, 1.080, and 1.085 were used to estimate the average specific gravity of eggs from 45 commercial Leghorn flocks. A strong linear relationship (R²=98.8) existed between average specific gravity and the percentage of eggs that would float in a single salt solution with specific gravity of 1.080. In Trial 2, shell thickness was estimated by floating eggs from 24 flocks in a salt solution with 1.080 specific gravity. At 37, 55, and 67 weeks of age, the eggs floating in that solution had three times as many cracks as those not floating. In both young and old flocks, a single salt solution could be used to identify eggs with a low specific gravity and high likelihood of cracking.

Key Words: Cracked eggs • shell thickness • specific gravity • table eggs