Effects of Commercial In-ovo Injection of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol on Hatchability and Hatching Chick Quality of Broilers

In-ovo injection of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol may be effective in alleviating the reduction in hatchability in eggs that sometimes occurs after in-ovo injection of commercial diluent, according to recent research in the US.
calendar icon 16 November 2013
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The effects of the in-ovo injection of commercial diluent containing various levels of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol [25(OH)D3] on hatchability and hatching chick quality variables in Ross × Ross 708 broilers were examined in two trials by researchers at Mississippi State University and Clemson University.

In a paper published in Poultry Science, first author, A. Bello, explains that all treatment groups, each containing 21 and 40 eggs in trials 1 and 2, respectively, were randomly represented on each of 10 replicate tray levels of a single-stage incubator.

On day 18 of incubation (doi), eggs were subjected to one of six treatments using a commercial multi-egg injector. Treatments included non-injected and diluent-injected controls, along with those that received diluent containing 0.15, 0.30, 0.60 or 1.20µg of 25(OH)D3 in trial 1 and 0.20, 0.60, 1.80 or 5.4µg of 25(OH)D3 in trial 2.

Hatchability of injected eggs was recorded on 20.5, 21.0 and 21.5 doi, and embryonic mortalities through 21.5 doi were determined. On 21.0 doi in each trial, the bodyweight, body length and weights and moisture concentrations of the livers and yolk sacs of male and female chicks in each replicate group were determined.

In a preliminary trial, the in-ovo injection of 0.60µg of 25(OH)D3 on 18 doi significantly elevated its serum level concentrations in embryos on 19.25 doi.

In both trials, the hatchability of non-injected controls through 21.0 doi was higher than that of diluent-injected controls. In trial 1, the hatchability of eggs on 21.0 doi after being injected with 0.30, 0.60 or 1.20µg of 25(OH)D3 was higher than that of diluent-injected controls, and in trial 2, the hatchability of eggs on 21.0 and 21.5 doi after being injected with 0.60µg of 25(OH)D3 was higher than that of diluent-injected controls.

Bello and co-authors concluded that the in-ovo injection of 0.60µg of 25(OH)D3 may be used to alleviate depressions in hatchability in Ross×Ross 708 broiler hatching eggs that can occur in response to the in-ovo injection of commercial diluent.

Reference

Bello A., W. Zhai, P.D. Gerard and E.D. Peebles. 2013. Effects of the commercial in ovo injection of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol on the hatchability and hatching chick quality of broilers. Poult. Sci. 92(10):2551-2559. doi: 10.3382/ps.2013-03086

Further Reading

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November 2013

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