Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Hygiene and Preventive Medicine Dept.,` Fac. of Vet. Med., Tanta University.
2
Hygiene and Animal Husbandry Dept., Fac. of Vet. Med., Zagazig University, Egypt
Abstract
This work was carried out on a number of 800 broiler breeder fertile eggs from a commercial broiler strain (Lohmann) which reared on a deep litter system at Menoufia Governorate, Egypt. This experiment was begun in September 1, 2003. All selectable eggs were divided into 20 groups (40 each). The first nine groups were stored for different periods (0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 and 24 days). The groups from 10 to 13 were stored for 6 days and differ only in the number of egg turning during the storage (0, 3, 6 and 12 times / day) period. The groups 14, 15 and 16 were selected on the basis of egg weight (35 to 45, 46 to 55 and 56 to 65g). While, the groups from 17 to 20 were selected from different flock ages 34, 44,54 and 64weeks. This work was conducted to study the effect of flock age, egg weight, duration of egg storage and number of egg turning during pre-incubation storage on fertility, hatchability, incubation period, post-hatching chick weight and chick weight at 7 days old in addition, egg weight loss during different storage periods.
Eggweightlossincreasedwitheachthreedays increasing in the storage period.The incubation period,post–hatching weight and chick weight after 7 days old were increased by increasing the flock age and egg weight while, the fertility percent and hatchability of fertile eggs were decreased. Also, the fertility percent, hatchability of fertile eggs, post- hatching weight and chick weight after 7 days old were decreased by increasing the duration of storage but, the incubation period was increased.Increasingthe numberof eggsturning during pre- incubation storage led to decrease in the hatching time and increase in the fertility percent, hatchability of fertile eggs, post- hatching weight and chick weight after 7 days old.
From this work, we conclude that, the hatchability of fertile eggs and chicks weight can be improved by good selection of broiler hatching eggs on the bases of; flock age ranging from34 to 44 weeks, their eggs weight ranging from 46 to 55 g, pre-incubation storage not more than 9 days and egg turning during pre-incubation storage not less than three times daily.
Keywords
Main Subjects
)
View on SCiNiTO