Research Note: A Comparison of the Influence of Nesting Materials on Breakage and Shell Cleanliness of Eggs from Large- and Small-Bodied Lines of Turkeys

A 3-yr experiment was conducted to study the effect of nesting materials on cleanliness and breakage of eggs produced by large and small lines of turkeys. Eggshell cleanliness was evaluated using a subjective scoring system with lower values representing greater shell cleanliness. In Trial 1, wood shavings were found to be superior to both shredded newspaper, which resulted in increased shell score (dirtier eggs), and cotton seed hulls, which increased the incidence of egg breakage. In Trial 2, wheat straw and AstroTurf® resulted in lower egg cleanliness scores than those observed for pine shavings. In Trial 3, soybean hulls produced higher shell cleanliness scores than either pine shavings or wheat straw. Egg breakage did not differ between nesting treatments for Trials 2 or 3. Large-bodied turkeys had a higher incidence of egg breakage than small-bodied birds.