Effects of inverting the position of layers eggs during storage on hatchery performance parameters

Storing hatchable eggs is a common practice in commercial hatcheries. However, storage time may negative effects on several performance parameters. An experiment was carried out to evaluate inverting egg position during storage of eggs laid by young and old layer breeders. Fertile eggs of 32 and 58-...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: JCS de Lima, PL Silva, LR Coelho, MS Borges, AG de Freitas, BB Fonseca
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Fundação APINCO de Ciência e Tecnologia Avícolas 2012-12-01
Series:Brazilian Journal of Poultry Science
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-635X2012000400003
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Summary:Storing hatchable eggs is a common practice in commercial hatcheries. However, storage time may negative effects on several performance parameters. An experiment was carried out to evaluate inverting egg position during storage of eggs laid by young and old layer breeders. Fertile eggs of 32 and 58-week-old breeders were stored for seven, 14, and 21 days at 18ºC ± 2ºC and 80% ± 10% relative humidity (RU). The following parameters were evaluated: egg weight loss, hatchability and hatchling weight, and embryodiagnosis results. Eggs stored with the small end up lost less weight during storage compared with the control eggs. Storing eggs for 14 days with the small end up reduced early embryo mortality, improving hatchability. In addition, hatchling weight increased. These results show that the detrimental effects of long storage periods may be alleviated when eggs are stored with the small end up to 14 days of storage.
ISSN:1516-635X
1806-9061