Evaluation of Egg Quality Traits of Indigenous Geese of Assam: An Unexplored Biodiversity

Abstract

Assam, a state of north eastern India, treasures in its lap an indigenous germplasm of geese which are distributed throughout Assam. It can be regarded as a unique bio diversity of North Eastern India. Geese eggs are large in size and nutrient dense. It is a known fact that the egg quality traits are foremost selection standard in poultry breeding. Poor egg quality leads to economic losses at all production stages. A study was undertaken to observe the internal quality of eggs to assess the egg quality traits of indigenous geese egg. Data for egg quality traits were generated from a total of 32 numbers of geese eggs. Laboratory work pertaining to egg quality traits were carried out by following standard techniques. The mean and their standard errors for shape index, shell weight, shell thickness, specific gravity, albumen index, Haugh unit and yolk index were found to be 70.476 ± 1.120, 16.756 ± 0.282 g, 0.560 ± 0.009 mm, 1.285 ± 0.017, 0.075 ± 0.001, 64.662 ±1.201 and 0.362 ± 0.006 respectively. The range for shape index, shell weight, shell thickness, specific gravity, albumen index, Haugh unit and yolk index were recorded to be 61.45 to 93.56, 13.64 to 20.95 g, 0.490 to 0.700 mm, 1.150 to 1.570, 0.065 to 0.091, 48.990 to 77.740 and 0.298 to 0.417 respectively. The yolk colour was mostly observed to be yellow in colour and sometimes it looked to be orange in colour. Egg shell colour was mostly observed to be white in colour and sometimes it appeared as cloudy white. The baseline information on egg quality traits of indigenous geese of Assam can be used as breed descriptor and further improvement as well as conservation of the germplasm.