Державна дослідна станція птахівництва НААН

УДК: 636.082.474:543.95

Іn ovo feeding as a tool of influence on chicken egg incubation efficiency

Citation_date: 2022/10/7   View - 31    citation_pdf_url

 Shomina Nataliia

Candidate of Science in Agriculture, Senior Scientific Researcher,
Deputy Director for Research,

shominan @ukr.net

Baydevlatova Olga

Junior researcher,

State Poultry Research Station of NAAS, Birky, Kharkiv region, Ukraine

Keywords: In ovo technology, egg incubation, prenatal supplements, embryo development, hatching of chickens, intestinal embryo

In ovo technology is used to change the conditions inside the hatching egg by introducing nutrients, vaccines and other biologically active substances. The optimal period for delivery of bioactive substances in ovo is 17-18 days of egg incubation. During this period, the embryo is already fully developed, further, until hatching, it will only grow, using the yolk as a source of nutrients. The in ovo technology used during this period is aimed at mitigating the negative effects of "starvation" during the "breeding window". In addition, providing the embryo with exogenous nutrients allows the gastrointestinal tract to develop structures and functions for proper digestion and absorption of feed after hatching [1]. These nutrients, together with the reserves of the yolk sac, contribute not only to the maintenance of the functioning of already established systems and metabolic processes, but also to the continuation of growth and development of the chick [2]. There is an opinion that stimulation of early intestinal development is especially important for laying hens due to the long period of their rearing [3]. However, there is currently a lack of information on the effects of prenatal supplementation on chick yield, gut development and overall health and performance of laying hens. Therefore, the purpose of our work was to investigate the influence of in ovo feeding on the results of egg incubation and the chick quality.
Our research was conducted using 300 pcs. of hatching eggs from laying hens of Birkivska barvysta breed. After proper disinfection, the eggs were incubated at standard regime. On the 17th day of incubation, the eggs were weighed to form one control and two experimental groups. Next, according to the previously proven method, carbohydrates (dextrose 100 mg) were introduced into the eggs of experimental group 1, and probiotics (Lactococcus lactis, Lactobacillus casei, Saccharomyces cerevisiae 2-109 CFU) into the eggs of experimental group 2 by 1 ml per egg. For the uniform development of embryos in all groups, the eggs of the control group were left in the hatchery room for the period of manipulation with the experimental ones. Upon completion of the planned scope of work, incubation of eggs was continued.
The results of the chick yield and postmortem examination of incubation waste are presented below. In the control group, 92.0% of chickens were hatched from the selected eggs, in the second experimental group - 96.0%, in the third - 95.0%. The chick yield in the experimental groups was greater than in the control one. Pathological autopsy of eggs with dead embryos did not reveal the consequences of the negative effects of the manipulations, the distribution of embryos by the causes of death can be considered standard (see Table 1).
Table 1. The egg incubation results in control and experimental groups

An assessment of chick quality from the control and experimental groups was carried out (in accordance with the requirements of the Ukrainian standard DSTU 2021-2006). The quality was assessed visually by external characteristics in 16 hours after removing from the incubator. The first category included chicks that were mobile, stable on their feet, actively responded to sound, had a well-defined biting reflex, a fitted and soft belly with a tightly closed umbilical ring, a clean, pink cloaca, dry fluff, open shiny eyes, head, beak, joints, fingers without defects. Chicks with minor deviations from the norm were assigned to the II category. Chicks that did not meet the specified requirements were classified as weak ones. A greater number of chicks of the 1st category was found in the experimental groups, namely: in the 1st experimental group - by 10.3% more than in the control, in the 2nd experimental group - by 7.0%. It is also possible to note a smaller number of uncategorized chicks in the experimental groups (Table 2).
Table 2. Distribution of chicks by the categories

Conclusions. 1. A positive effect of in ovo feeding on the results of chick yield was established: in the 1st experimental group, the chick yield was higher than the control by 4.0%, in the 2nd experimental group - by 3.0%. 2. Evaluation of the chick quality showed that the quantity of I category in the control, the first and the second experimental groups was 79.3%, 89.6% and 86.3%, respectively.

References

1. Uni Z, Ferket P. Enhancement of development of oviparous species by in ovo feeding. United States patent. US 6592878 B2. 2003. https://patents.google.com/patent/US6592878B2/en

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