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This study assessed the husbandry practices, egg production performances, egg quality traits, and constraints and opportunities for chicken production in Baka Dawula district. Six kebeles were selected based on production practices and availability of different chicken breeds. A total of 168 respondent households were interviewed and 108 eggs (36 from each breed) were evaluated based on their internal and external qualities. The majority of respondent households (86.9%) practiced scavenging type of feeding with maize, wheat and sunflower supplementation. All the respondent households provided free water access to their chickens. The majority (66%) of respondents kept their chickens in separate houses. The health care practiced was mainly traditional using plants extracts. The main purpose for chicken keeping was income generation followed by stock replacement. The average ages at first-egg laying for local and exotic (Sasso and Bovans brown) breeds were 7 and 5 months, respectively. The total number of eggs produced per hen per year was 206.79, 192.35 and 55.75 for Sasso, Bovans brown, and local breeds respectively. Most external and internal egg quality traits varied significantly (P

The methods used to maintain the quality of eggs during the storage period are mainly based on inactivating microorganisms and preventing mass exchanges. In order to investigate the effect of water washing and shell coating using active nanocomposite coating based on 2% carboxymethyl cellulose containing 3.5% nanoclay and 2% marjoram extract on internal quality and egg shell, an experiment with 4 treatments including control (unwashed and uncoated), washed and uncoated, unwashed and coated, washed and coated and 3 replicates during a 4-week storage period at ambient temperature (25±2oC) with weekly evaluation the studied parameters were performed. At the end of the storage period, the highest values of HU (49.71±0.15), YI (0.32±0.00) and the lowest values of WL percentage (3.07±0.02), albumen pH (8.59±0.02), TBARS (0.125±0.03 mg MDA/Kg) and TVC (2.75±0.05 log cfu/ml) were observed in coated eggs (P<0.05). In the evaluation of yolk color indices, coated eggs had significantly (P<0.05) higher values of b* (57.24), a* (-7.72) and lower value of L* (45/51). Regardless of the coating, egg washing had no significant effect on the evaluated parameters. Therefore, the use of active nanocomposite coating of carboxymethyl cellulose - nano montmorillonite - marjoram extract with barrier, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties is recommended to increase the shelf life of eggs at ambient temperature for 4 weeks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Jornal of Al-Muthanna for Agricultural Sciences is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Jornal of Al-Muthanna for Agricultural Sciences is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)