Effect of Storage Period on Egg Quality Traits of Quails Reared Under Cage and Floor Systems

This study was conducted to determine the effect of storage period on internal and external quality traits of quail eggs produced under cage and floor management systems. A total of 200 fresh quail eggs were collected from birds reared in cage and floor systems (100 eggs per system) and stored for 0, 10, 20, and 30 days at room temperature. Egg quality parameters evaluated included egg weight, egg length, egg width, albumen height, albumen width, albumen weight, yolk height, yolk width, yolk weight, shell thickness, and shell weight. Results revealed that at day 0, albumen width, yolk height, yolk width, yolk weight, and shell thickness differed significantly (P<0.05) between cage and floor systems. At day 10, egg length, egg width, and shell weight showed significant differences (P<0.05). At days 20 and 30, only yolk height remained significantly different (P<0.05) between the two management systems. Storage duration significantly affected most egg quality parameters, with progressive deterioration observed as storage period increased. This study demonstrated that both management system and storage duration significantly influenced quail egg quality traits, with floor-reared birds producing eggs with better yolk characteristics while cage-reared birds produced eggs with better albumen quality at day 0.