The poultry sector in Ecuador represents 23% of the agricultural GDP and 3% of the national GDP and is especially developed in the rural areas of the country.

The annual gross value for 2021 has been 3,700 million dollars and has generated more than 300,000 jobs.

Regarding egg production in Ecuador, in 2021, a production of 3.5 billion eggs produced by 13.7 million existing laying hens in a total of 310 farms was estimated. According to official data, an Ecuadorian consumes approximately 230 eggs a year.

Although egg production has grown by 3% in 2021, compared to 2020, according to the National Corporation of Poultry Farmers of Ecuador (Conave), production has not reached the level before the pandemic.

The leading provinces in egg production are Tungurahua (45%), followed by Cotopaxi (21%), Manabí (15%) and Pichincha (14%).

In Ecuador, in the last 4 years, the ‘National Table Egg Day’ has been celebrated on March 18 with the aim of recognizing the importance of the poultry sector in the national economy.

Egg properties

Considered one of the most nutritious foods, the egg provides vitamins, minerals and other essential substances for human health. It has 13 vitamins, among which vitamin A, D, E, B12, it is rich in proteins, it provides a large amount of minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium and has many benefits for the body, reducing the risk of some diseases, helping combat excess weight and even stimulates brain development.

In addition, the egg is an accessible food, without preservatives or additives, available all year round throughout the world, with an excellent cost-benefit ratio.

Factors influencing egg quality

There are many factors that influence egg laying, including aging, lighting, stress, disease, and poor diet.

The quality of the eggshell and minimizing the appearance of dirty eggs are key aspects for its sale. In addition, the size of the egg, the cleanliness and color, the egg white and the pigmentation of the yolk are essential in determining the quality of the egg.

A large number of physiological, hormonal and metabolic processes participate in the process of egg formation. Shell formation is the last stage of this process and occurs in utero. The shell formation process is the stage that takes the longest time in the entire development of the egg, lasting approximately 20 hours.

For the formation of the shell, the hen uses the calcium from the bones and the calcium obtained from its diet. In the case of calcium deficiency, bone breakage problems (cage fatigue) and an increase in poor quality or broken eggs may appear. That is why it is very important to supplement the diet with vitamins and minerals and ensure optimal intestinal transit to improve the absorption of nutrients.

How to improve egg quality

To improve the welfare of hens and prevent changes in the eggshell, Biovet SA has developed a wide range of products for laying hens, such as:

– Alquerfeed Ovoponedoras – supplement of minerals and vitamins that allows to improve the eggshell. This product is recommended in high temperature conditions that can cause thermal stress to layers, such as in the case of Ecuador.

– Alquerfeed Layers – is a supplement for laying birds indicated to improve the absorption of minerals and the quality of the shell. It is composed of conditioner pronutrients of the mineral metabolism, which act by increasing the absorption of minerals in the digestive tract. This product is also recommended to avoid deficiencies in shell quality and bone problems, especially in periods of heat stress.

– Alquernat Nebsui – contains intestinal conditioner pronutrients and is ideal for promoting the regeneration of enterocytes in laying birds. This improves the absorption of nutrients and optimizes the essential digestive processes for the formation of the egg.

In conclusion, to improve egg quality in tropical countries, such as Ecuador, prevention strategies for shell alterations are necessary. By using natural feed supplements and pronutrient-based products that improve the intestinal welfare of laying hens, better quality eggs can be obtained, with fewer dirty, broken or coltsfoot eggs.