The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) has blamed the altered composition of eggs on poor feed materials and egg storage.
The association’s chairperson in Lagos State, Mojeed Iyiola, disclosed this in an interview with journalists in Lagos on Tuesday.
In his words: “The feed materials and storage facilities are affecting the composition of eggs nowadays.
“The longer the egg stays in the crate, the smaller the albumen becomes because the eggshell is perforated.
“There is usually an inflow of air into the eggs and as the air flows in, it decreases the content of the eggs.
“Most likely, it is the storage of the eggs that affects their composition.”
Mr Iyiola further emphasised the importance of standard feed to enable the birds to produce quality eggs.
“Another factor that affects the composition of eggs in recent times is the feed ingredients that the birds are being fed.
“Due to the high cost of feed, a lot of farmers have watered down the feed components of the birds, hence the nature of eggs they lay.
“Some farmers are using substandard feed or just anything they can manage to feed their flock with.
“Due to these alterations in the feed compositions, the birds produce almost substandard eggs.
“Some of the birds are very sensitive – by the time you give them what is not, some will even stop laying completely.
“It will take some days before the birds can be revived,” he said.
He, therefore, advised poultry farmers to give their birds what they needed at the right time.