Influence of Ammonia on Egg White Quality

Abstract

Shell eggs may come into contact with ammonia in the laying house where a “built-up” deep litter program is in effect or where manure is permitted to accumulate in the droppings pits for long periods of time. Cotterill and Winter (1953) found concentrations of ammonia in the atmosphere of a laying house as high as 28 mcg. (NH3) per liter of air where this system of management was used. Treating the litter and manure with superphosphate markedly reduced the amount of ammonia in the air.Almquist et al. (1934) observed that storing egg albumen in the presence of ammonia gas caused a marked increase in the transmission of light. The transmission of light was correlated with the percentage of mucin in the albumen and varied with the temperature and pH, which affected the physical condition of the mucin. The changes in the transmission of light due to these factors caused . . .