Effect of Flock Age and Postemergent Holding in the Hatcher on Broiler Live Performance and Further-Processing Yield

Effect of Incubator Type and Broiler Breeder Age on Hatchability and Chick Quality

“…These results agree with the findings of Joseph & Moran Jr. (2005) and Riccardi et al (2009), who determined higher yolk sac weight in hatchlings from older hens. The higher residual yolk weight of the chicks from older breeders is due to the higher volume of lipoproteins and minerals deposited in the yolk.…”

Effect of Hatching Time on Yolk Sac Percentage and Broiler Live Performance

“…Additionally, Løtvedt & Jensen (2014) reported that early male hatched chicks displayed a higher response to novelty, as well as a tendency of lower passivity. In this study for the overall period at 35 d, there were no significant differences in feed consumption in a manner similar to previous studies (Casteel et al, 1994;Joseph & Moran, 2005;El Sabry et al, 2013;Lamot et al, 2014). Further, the Early chicks exhibited an improved (p≤0.05) FCR at 21 d of age but not thereafter (Table 3).…”

“…Further, the Early chicks exhibited an improved (p≤0.05) FCR at 21 d of age but not thereafter (Table 3). Effects on FCR due to hatch time have also not been apparent at market age in other studies (Casteel et al, 1994;Joseph & Moran, 2005;El Sabry et al, 2013). Joseph & Moran (2005) reported that the mean incubation length of early hatching chicks was 497 h (480-504 h) compared with 509 h (506-512 h) for late hatching chicks resulting in an average postemergent holding duration of 15 h versus 3 h in the hatcher, respectively.…”

“…Therefore, posthatch BW loss may not be exclusively the result of dehydration. Dehydration as a result of extended post-hatch holding has been associated with poor post-hatch performance (Joseph & Moran 2005;Almeida et al, 2008). It has been reported that chick BW at pull time was significantly influenced by time of emergence from the shell as chicks that hatched early lost BW while waiting to be pulled and subsequently weighed less than later hatching chicks at pull time (Reis et al, 1997;Sklan et al, 2000;Joseph & Moran, 2005;El Sabry et al, 2013).…”

“…Work with respect to hatch time and post-hatch holding has often differed in that chicks were placed as much or more than 24 h apart, but weighed on the same day subsequently in some experiments (Pinchasov et al, 1993;Vieira & Moran, 1999) or on the basis of days on feed in other studies (Almeida et al, 2006;Lamot et al, 2014;Dişa et al, 2015). Furthermore, holding chicks in the hatcher for 24 h has been reported to not clinically dehydrate chicks or affect live performance (Casteel et al, 1994;Joseph & Moran, 2005;Almeida et al, 2006;Lamot et al, 2014). In fact, the percentage BW gain during the first 7 d was 76.6%, 76.2%, and 74.1% for early, middle, and late hatching groups, respectively, so that the differences in initial hatching BW disappeared and all groups exhibited a similar BW, feed intake, and mortality at 41 d of age (Almeida et al, 2006).…”