Proceedings of 13th Annual conference of Animal Science Association of Nigeria Zaria 2008

Phenotypic Correlation between Some External and Internal Egg quality traits in the Muscovy Duck (Cairina moschata) Ogah ,D M. Dada A S, Abari M , Khadijat A. Y and Umaru J College of agriculture pmb33 Lafia,, Nasarawa State.
mosesdogah@yahoo.com

Abstract

210 indigenous muscovy duck eggs were collected from three locations and evaluated for external and internal characteristics .the experiment was carried out three times between April and July 2007. The mean value obtained were 66.680.45, 6.030.01, 4.55 0.01, 0.510.04, 9.990.10 for egg weight, egg length , egg width ,shell thickness and shell weight respectively. Internal characteristics were 7.030.05 ,5.030.05 ,5.600.01 ,27.08 0.35 ,4.950.01 ,1.920.01 and 28.670.28 for albumen length ,albumen width ,albumen height, yolk diameter , yolk height and yolk weight respectively. The result reveals that there is a positive correlation between the internal egg traits to egg weight except for albumen length also all the external traits were significantly and positively correlated with the egg weight . From this it is possible to use egg weight in determining shell weight shell thickness shell length and shell widths instead of using those traits that determine egg shell quality in duck eggs.

INTRODUCTION Indigenous Muscovy duck in Nigeria are reported to rank third among the poultry species reared by rural populace (Hassan and Mohammed 2003). They are also found in all agro logical zones of Nigeria. But are predominantly more in the humid savannah zone of the country. They are essential to many human societies and serves as sources of meat and egg. The egg productivity internal and external quality traits of the eggs are the significant factors for allowing the continuity of breeding as well as restricting the productivity trait of the future generation. These traits are significant thus affecting the hatchability of fertile egg, chick quality and growth of the chick (Narahari et al., 1988, Peebles and Marks 1991). Correlation between and within the egg quality traits have been studied in a number of research in precious years Narahari et al., 1988, Kul and

Proceedings of 13th Annual conference of Animal Science Association of Nigeria Zaria 2008

Seker (2004) for quails, Choprakarn et al. (1998) and Choi et al. (1983) for chicken. Suggesting possible relationship that exist between the traits. This study is aimed at determining Muscovy duck eggs as well as the phenotypic correlations

Materials and methods The research was carried out at the anatomy and physiology laboratory of the college of

agriculture Lafia, Nasarawa state, Nigeria. The materials consist of 210 Muscovy duck eggs obtain from indigenous stock in village of Shabu, Akurba and Lafia, reared under extensive management system. Eggs used were those laid for not more than 5 days and not from first layers. The work was carried three times between April and July 2007.

The egg weight was determined using laboratory scales made by medical. The egg length (long axis) and width (short axis) were measured with caliper. After that the eggs were broken ion table with a glass cover in order to measure the yolk length yolk diameter. Albumen length and height as adopted by (Kul and Seker 2004). The shells were washed under slightly flowing water so that the albumen remains are removed. The washed shells were left to dry in open air for 24 hours. Then they were balanced together with the shell membrane (Tyler, 1961). The phenotypic correlation values related to the external and internal quality trait of the egg are determined by Pearson correlation analysis (Snedecor and Cochran 1980). The estimation are made by using Minitab,( 2004 ).

Results and Discussion Mean values of the external and internal quality traits of indigenous duck eggs are presented in Table 1. The result obtained for egg weight in this study is similar with those reported by Leopold (1959) Wetmore (1967), and Derrell and Guy 1989 for same duck type in Mexico and Panama respectively , but significantly higher than what Ola 2000 reported for Muscovy duck from Western Nigeria. This variation could be influenced by genetic make up , environment , flock age and management conditions.

Proceedings of 13th Annual conference of Animal Science Association of Nigeria Zaria 2008

Statistical significant positive ( p< 0.001) correlation was recorded between egg weight , shell weight and shell thickness .This similar observation was reported by kul and Seker 2004 in quail eggs. Negative correlation between shell thickness and shell weight was recorded contrary to the findings of Kul and Seker 2005 There was an indirect relationship reported between albumen height and albumen length and width an indication that as the albumen height increases both albumen length and width decreases. In the phenotypic correlation between the external and internal egg traits there is a significant and positive correlation between egg weight and internal quality traits except for albumen length similarly for shell weight showing that almost all internal quality trait can change at significant level depending on the change that can occur in the egg weight .

Conclusion This result reveals that it is possible to use egg weight in determining other external quality traits of duck eggs, similarly it also show that internal quality traits of the eggs changes at statistically significant level with changes in egg weight. Table 1: Descriptive statistics of egg quality characteristic of muscovy duck External egg quality traits Egg weight (g) Egg length (cm) Egg width (cm) Shell thickness (mm) Shell weight (gm) Internal egg traits Albumen length (cm) Albumen width (cm) Albumen height (mm) Albumen weight (gm) Yolk diameter (cm) Yolk height (cm) Yolk weight (gm) XSE 66.68 0.45 6.03 0.01 4.55 0.01 0.51 0.04 9.99 0.10 7.03 0.05 5.03 0.05 5.60 0.01 27.08 0.35 4.93 0.03 1.92 0.01 28.67 0.28 Minimum 50.50 5.24 4.26 0.38 7.50 5.29 4.10 3.30 28.85 4.20 1.56 20.90 Maximum 79.4 6.49 4.89 0.69 13.5 8.58 7.55 7.80 45.60 6.56 2.24 38.90 CV % 10.75 3.74 3.14 14.36 15.78 10.76 14.36 18.41 20.88 8.80 8.60 15.46

Proceedings of 13th Annual conference of Animal Science Association of Nigeria Zaria 2008

Table 2: Phenotypic correlation between some external egg quality traits Egg weight Egg length Egg width Egg length (cm) Egg width (cm) Shell thickness (mm) Shell weight (gm) *p<0.05, * *p< 0.01, * * * 0.57*** 0.74*** 0.23*** 0.24*** p<0.001

Shell thickness

0.33*** 0.21** 0.37***

0.14* 0.14*

- 0.03

Table 3: Phenotypic correlation between some internal egg quality traits. Albumen Albumen Albumen Albumen length width height weight Albumen width 0.14* Albumen height -0.026 -0.02 Albumen weight 0.01 0.51*** 0.47*** Yolk diameter 0.01 0.19** 0.10 0.46 Yolk height 0.36*** -0.22*** 0.33 0.10 Yolk weight 0.25*** 0.22*** 0.37*** 0.46*** *p<0.05, * *p< 0.01, * * * p<0.001 Table 4: Correlation between external and internal quality traits of eggs.

Yolk diameter

Yolk height

0.10 0.08

0.23***

Egg weight Albumen length -0.14* Albumen width 0.38*** Albumen height 0.26*** Albumen weight 0.48*** Yolk diameter 0.40*** Yolk height 0.10 Yolk weight 0.27*** *p<0.05, * *p< 0.01, * * * p<0.001

Internal quality traits

External egg quality traits Egg Egg Shell length width thickness 0.06 -0.19** 0.24*** 0.28*** 0.26*** 0.30*** 0.28*** 0.18** -0.01 0.24*** 0.40*** 0.27*** 0.30*** 0.38*** 0.01 0.21** 0.08 -0.32*** 0.26*** 0.16* 0.23***

Shell weight 0.29*** 0.14* 0.33*** 0.20** 0.26*** 0.44*** 0.08

REFERENCES Choi J.H, W.J Kang, D.H Bark and H.J Park (1983) a study on some characteristics of fractions and shall quality of the chicken eggs. Korea J. Anim. Sci. 25: 651-655.

Proceedings of 13th Annual conference of Animal Science Association of Nigeria Zaria 2008

Choprakarn K, Salangam I. Tanaka K. (1998) laying performance egg characteristic and egg composition in the indigenous hen. J. Natl. Res. Council Thailand 30: 1-17 Derrel E.M and Guy A.B (1989). Breeding biology of muscovy duck using net boxes in Mexico. Wilson Bull 101 (4) 1988 621-626. Hassan W. A and Mohammed M.S. (2003). Ecotype of Muscovy duck in the north east Nigeria. Variation of body weight and bill length. In proceeding of 8th annual conf. of Anim. Sc. Association of Nig. ASAN 23-24. Kul S. and Seker I. (2004) phenotypic correlations between some external and internal egg quality traits in the Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) intern. Journal of poultry Sci. 3: 400-405. Leopold A.S (1959). Wildlife of Mexico University California Press Berkeley California. Minitab Statistical package version 14.0 ( 2004) Narahari D,K. Abdul-Mujev, A., Thangavel, N. Ramamurthy, S. Visunathan, B. Mohan, B., Murgananda and V. Sunrararosu (1988). Traits influencing the hatching performance of Japanese quail eggs Br. Poultry Science. 29: 101-112. Ola S.I (2000). Vital reproduction and production characteristics of the Nigerian Muscovy duck. In proc. of Nsap conf. 19-23 march 2000 Umudike. Peebles E.D., and H.L Marks (1991). Effect of selection for growth and selection diet on egg shell quality and embryonic development in Japanese quail. Poultry science 20: 1471-1480. Snedecor G.W and W.G Cochran (1980). Statistical method seventh edition. The lowa state university press Ames lowa USA. Stadelman W.J. (1986). The preservation of quality in shell eggs. In W.J Stadelman. O.J cotteni (eds) Egg science and technology. Avi publishing con. Inc. west port Connecticut USA. Tyler C. (1961). Shell strength, its measurement and its relationship to other factors. Br. Poultry science 2: 3-19. Wetmore A. (1965). The birds of the republic of panama Smithsonian Misc. Coll vol. 150