Received: 20.02.2021 Accepted: 19.03.2021 Published:15.12.2021 Journal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences ISSN (Print): 0971-0701, (Online): 2582-0605 ReseaRch aRticle Open Access Copyright: © 2021 Devavratha et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Citation: Devavratha, S., Binoj Chacko, Anitha, P., Harikrishnan, S. and Ramnath, V. 2021. Egg quality and fatty acid profle of yolk in eggs from Athulya, native and IWN x native crossbred layers under backyard system. J. Vet. Anim. Sci. 52(4): 362-366 DOI: https://doi.org/10.51966/jvas.2021.52.4.362-366 https://doi.org/10.51966/jvas.2021.52.4.362-366 # Part of MVSc thesis submitted to Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Pookode, Wayanad, Kerala 1. MVSc Scholar and *Corresponding author:email-mplyprasad@gmail.com, Ph: 9744020837 2. Assistant Professor and Head, University Poultry and Duck Farm 3. Professor and Head 4. Assistant Professor 5. Professor and Head, Department of Veterinary Physiology Egg quality and fatty acid profle of yolk in eggs from Athulya, native and IWN x native crossbred layers under backyard system # S. Devavratha 1 , Binoj Chacko 2 , P. Anitha 3 , S. Harikrishnan 4 and V. Ramnath 5 Department of Poultry Science, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala 680651 Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, India. 362 Egg quality and fatty acid profle of yolk _______________________________________________________ J. Vet. Anim. Sci. 2021. 52 (4) : 362-366 Abstract Backyard poultry production forms the basis for transforming the rural poultry sector from subsistence to a more economically productive base. The current study was conducted to evaluate the egg quality of eggs produced by Athulya, native and IWN x Native crossbred layers under backyard system. At 36 weeks of age, one egg from each group of birds was collected for fatty acid estimation of egg yolk and 20 eggs from each group was collected at 40 weeks of age for assessing the haugh unit score, yolk colour, shell thickness and shell colour. The benefcial polyunsaturated fatty acid content was higher in native bird eggs. The eggs from Athulya and native chicken had better internal quality in terms of haugh unit and yolk colour score. The shell thickness of eggs was similar among three groups. The egg shell colour was white in Athulya, tinted to brown in native and tinted in IWN x Native crossbreds and the shell colour in native and crossbreds exhibits more consumer preference. Keywords: Backyard, fatty acid profle, egg quality Running title: Egg quality and fatty acid profle of yolk Rural backyard poultry provides nutritional supplements in the form of valuable nutrients through eggs. In a free-range chicken system, grass, herbs, insects that live in soil and plants