Blood and Meat Spots in Chicken Eggs

INTRODUCTION IN A RECENT paper Nalbandov and Card (1944a) reviewed the literature on blood and meat spots in chicken eggs. The proposed that “hemorrhages causing the formation of blood clots in eggs occur before ovulation” and that “meat spots result from the transformation of blood clots, under the influence of changes in pH and high environmental temperatures, either prior to ovulation or during egg formation, or even after the egg is laid.” Observations at the New Jersey Station during 1943–1944 on eggs from four breeds of chickens have supplied evidence which confirms this theory of the formation of meat spots. PROCEDURE All eggs laid by 166 pullets, hatched in late May or mid-June, were broken out and observed for the presence or absence of blood and meat spots. The observational period extended from November 1 through August 31. Forty of the pullets were Rhode Island Reds kept under so-called . . .