Quality characteristics of quail eggs

Abstract 1. An experiment was carried out with laying Japanese quail to study the influence of age on their egg quality. 2. Egg, yolk, albumen and shell plus membrane weights increased, whereas the egg shape, specific gravity and shell thickness decreased between 49 and 154 days of age. 3. Yolk, albumen and shell plus membrane comprised 32–59%, 53–57% and 7–80%, respectively of the total egg weight. 4. Regression between the quail's age and the characteristics of eggs were derived and correlation coefficients ranged from —0–42 to — 0–86. The albumen weight was more highly correlated with egg weight than yolk weight. 5. Relationships were also derived between egg shape and specific gravity, and egg shape and albumen weight. 6. It was concluded that the eggs’ characteristics were modified as the quails aged, and the best criterion of the shell's strength was the egg shape.