1. Poultry Judging Interior Egg Quality
Created by Connie Page
Emanuel County Extension Agent
P.O. Box 770
129 N. Anderson Drive
Swainsboro, GA
FAX
April, 2009

2. Interior Quality – Candling
On Egg Farms
In 4-H Judging Contest
Hold only ONE egg at the time

3. Candling Hold small end of egg with thumb, index, and middle fingers
Put large end of egg against candler at a 45 degree angle
Carefully rotate egg
Look for blood / meat spots
Check size of air cell, yolk shadow

4. Interior Egg Quality Graded as AA, A, B, and inedible
Size of Air Cell is generally most important when there is no blood/meat spot
Yolk Shadow Outline – determined by albumen thickness
Size and Shape of Yolk

5. Interior Quality – Air Cell
Smaller = Higher Quality

6. AA - Air Cell is 1/8 inch deep (bottom left)
A - Air Cell is 3/16 inch deep (bottom center)
B - Air Cell is 3/8 inch deep (bottom right)

7. Interior Quality – Yolk Shadow
If the albumen is thick, the shadow of the yolk will be harder to see.
AA Quality = Outline slightly defined
A Quality = Outline fairly well defined
B Quality = Outline plainly visible

8. AA Quality
Air Cell = 1/8 inch
Yolk Shadow = Slightly defined

9. A Quality
Air Cell = 3/16 inch
Yolk Shadow = Fairly-well defined

10. B Quality
Air Cell = 3/8 inch
Yolk Shadow = Plainly Visible

11. Side by Side ComparisonAA A

12. Interior Quality – Scorecard
Egg numbers run vertically

13. Interior Quality – Scorecard
Find the correct quality grade across from the number

14. Interior Quality – Scorecard
Fill in the circle underneath the grade you choose
Be sure that every number has one answer & you do not have two answers in the same row 

15. Practice
# 1
Grade = Inedible

16. Practice
# 2
Grade = AA

17. Practice
# 3
Grade = AA

18. Practice
# 4
Grade = A

19. Practice
# 5
Grade = Inedible

20. Practice
# 6
Grade = B

21. Practice
# 7
Grade = Inedible

22. Practice
# 8
Grade = A

23. Practice
# 9
Grade = B

24. Practice
# 10
Grade = AA

25. Practice
# 11
Grade = AA

26. Practice
# 12
Grade = B

27. Interior Quality – Scorecard
Compare your scorecard with the official placing

28. Practice Website www.animal.ufl.edu Click on Youth Poultry Judging
Click on Youth Poultry Judging
Click on Show Me How
Click on Go to Main Practice Menu
Click on Interior Egg Quality (candling)