This study investigated the hatching distribution of eggs from broiler breeders of different ages in distinct periods of incubation. Eggs were incubated in a single-stage experimental incubator. A number of 3.510 eggs were distributed into 3 treatments with 13 replicates of 90 eggs each. Treatments corresponded to breeder age: young (34 weeks), intermediate-age (44 weeks) and old (72 weeks) breeders. Eggs were transferred to the hatcher at 432 incubation hours, hatching was first checked at 449 hours, after which the number of hatched chicks was counted every 6 hours up to 515 incubation hours. After each count, hatched chicks were removed from the hatcher. Data were submitted to analysis of variance using measures repeated. A significant interaction between breeder age and incubation time was found. The total period required to hatch all incubated fertile eggs was not influenced by breeder age, which, however, affected hatching distribution. Eggs from old breeders hatched later as compared to young and intermediate-age breeders. More than 71% of the eggs had already hatched at 485 incubation hours, and 94% at 491 hours. Eggs laid by old breeders presented higher infertility and total embryo mortality, resulting in lower hatching percentage

Primary Audience: Nutritionists, Broiler Breeder Personnel SUMMARYThis study evaluated the effects of sources and levels of Se in broiler breeder diets on egg production and Se concentration in eggs. Fifty Cobb 500 hens, 22 wk of age, were individually placed in steel cages and fed a basal diet without Se supplementation for 3 wk. Birds were then provided 5 dietary treatments with 10 replicates of 1 individual hen, which had dietary Se supplied from sodium selenite (inorganic; Na 2 SeO 3 , 45% Se) or from Zn-l-Se-methionine (organic; ZnSeMet, 0.1% Se) as follows: treatment 1, 0.15% Se from Na 2 SeO 3 ; treatment 2, 0.30% Se from Na 2 SeO 3 ; treatment 3, 0.15% Se from ZnSeMet; treatment 4, 0.30% Se from ZnSeMet; treatment 5, 0.15% Se from Na 2 SeO 3 + 0.15% Se from ZnSeMet. Evaluations were conducted in 2 periods of 4 wk each. Experimental diets were prepared through the supplementation of corn-soybean meal diets. Egg production and egg weight were recorded daily, whereas specific gravity was measured twice a week from 25 to 32 wk. In the first period, the hens fed 0.30 ppm of organic Se produced more eggs (P < 0.05), whereas no difference (P > 0.05) in egg production was found in the second period. Period evaluations showed that egg weight was not different (P > 0.05), whereas specific gravity decreased (P < 0.05) and Se concentration in eggs increased (P < 0.05) in the second period, regardless of Se source. A comparison between treatments with single Se sources demonstrated that the concentration of Se in eggs followed the increased levels in the feeds when ZnSeMet was used (P < 0.05). However, the supplementation of a combination of sources (Na 2 SeO 3 and ZnSeMet) produced similar egg Se concentrations.

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Primary Audience: Field Management Personnel, Nutritionists, Poultry Scientists, Processing Plant Personnel SUMMARYThe purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of drinking water supplementation with graded increases of Na and K salts on the performance and gut contents of broilers before processing. Birds had no water, tap water, or water supplemented with sodium bicarbonate or potassium chloride in the concentrations of 0.15, 0.30, and 0.45% in the last 12 and 24 h before processing. The last 12 h coincided with preslaughter feed withdrawal. Cobb × Cobb 500 male broilers (46 d old) were set in a completely randomized experimental design with 8 treatments and 9 replications of 9 birds each. Birds were individually processed within a period of 12 h of feed withdrawal every 2 h. Individual weighing was followed with electrical stunning and removal of intestinal contents of the upper (crop through the gizzard) and lower segment (duodenum through cloaca). Water intake increased linearly with greater salt concentrations in the water (P < 0.05). Body weight loss increased linearly through the feed withdrawal; however, it was greater with birds without water access (P < 0.0001). There were no effects of treatments on the yields of carcass and cuts as well as on the intestinal contents at all evaluated times. Intestinal contents from upper and lower segments were decreased with time, but responses to the water treatments were not observed (P > 0.05). It is concluded that increasing water intake through the use of Na and K salts did not affect the rate of gut emptying before processing.