Strain Difference and Initial Quality Relationships to Rate of Interior Egg Quality Decline

Abstract

JOHNSON and Merritt (1955) suggested that, to be economically sound, selection for improved egg quality should have no adverse effects on the egg producing ability of the strain. The reverse is likewise true; yet these two criteria have received major emphasis in both the breeding and advertising of commerical strains of hens. It has been well confirmed that negative genetic correlations exist between albumen quality and egg production (Goodman and Godfrey, 1955; Johnson and Merritt, 1955; and King et al., 1961). This appears to be verified in the industry as it is accepted that there are strain differences in rate of production and in egg quality. A strain that is lower than average in one criterion tends to be higher than average in the other. A recent important area of research is that of the relationship of initial interior quality to the rate of quality decline during storage. Also important…