Topics:
Animal Refresher, Poultry Science
Optimum Egg-Shell Thickness
Optimum egg-shell thickness should be:
- 0.30–0.50 mm — Correct Answer
- 0.10–0.20 mm
- 0.30 µm
- 0.50 nm
Explanation:
Correct Answer: 0.30–0.50 mm
The optimum egg-shell thickness for a standard chicken egg is 0.30–0.50 mm. Shell thickness is directly proportional to shell strength and is measured using a Screw gauge.
Egg Shell Composition
- Eggshell contributes 11% of total egg weight (along with shell membranes).
- Inorganic matter: 96% (94% CaCO₃ + 1% MgCO₃ + 1% Ca₃(PO₄)₂)
- Organic matter: 4%
Shell Thickness vs. Shell Strength
- Shell strength is directly proportional to shell thickness.
- Thin shells result from calcium deficiency in the feed, leading to soft-shelled eggs.
- For best hatching results, optimum shell thickness should be 0.33 mm.
Why Other Options Are Wrong
- 0.10–0.20 mm → too thin; would represent a very fragile, deficient shell.
- 0.30 µm → micrometres are 1000× smaller than mm; this would be microscopically thin and impossible.
- 0.50 nm → nanometres are 1,000,000× smaller than mm; biologically meaningless for shell thickness.
📚 About this Topic — Animal Refresher
This multiple choice question is from Animal Refresher, Poultry Science. It has 4 options with a detailed explanation of the correct answer. Practice more MCQs from Animal Refresher to strengthen your preparation.
