Effect of oxygen supplementation in the hatcher at high altitude on the incubation results of broiler eggs laid at low altitude

Abstract

1. The object of this research was to investigate the effects of high altitude with supplementary oxygen during the last stage of incubation of broiler eggs laid at low altitude and incubated at low and high altitude. We analysed thyroid hormones and haematological variables. 2. The treatment groups were: low altitude (LA), high altitude with oxygen supplementation in the hatcher (HA-OX) and high altitude non-oxygen-supplemented (HA-NOX). 3. High altitude affected relative egg weight loss and early embryonic mortality. The hatchability of fertile eggs was lower at high than at low altitude. 4. Oxygen supplementation into the hatcher cabinet during the last stage of incubation decreased late embryonic mortality ratio (LEM(1)) and improved survival rates of embryos incubated at high altitude. 5. Eggs incubated at low altitude had a higher hatched chick weight and relative chick weight than those incubated at high altitude. Hatched chick weight and relative chick weight did not change with oxygen supplementation at high altitude. 6. High altitude caused an increase in plasma T(3) and T(4) concentrations as well as in the ratio of T(3):T(4) in embryos. High altitude newly hatched chicks showed a higher T(3):T(4) ratio than low altitude chicks; this ratio decreased with oxygen supplementation at high altitude. Altitude and oxygen supplementation did not affect the mean plasma T(4). 7. Newly-hatched chicks incubated at high altitude showed a higher plasma haematocrit (PCV) than the newly-hatched chicks from eggs incubated at low altitude. High altitude without supplementation increased haemoglobin (Hb), while oxygen supplementation returned the value to low altitude values.

The highs and lows of programmed cardiovascular disease by developmental hypoxia: studies in the chicken embryo

“…Data adapted from Giussani et al (2007), Salinas et al (2010) and Itani et al (2016Itani et al ( , 2017Itani et al ( ). et al 2007Wei et al 2007;Lindgren & Altimiras, 2009;Van der Sterren et al 2009;Zoer et al 2009;Salinas et al 2010;Zoer et al 2010;Sahan et al 2011;Moonen et al 2012;Itani et al 2016;Itani et al 2017). Varying magnitudes of the reduction in embryo weight in these studies may reflect differences in the humidity, temperature, the length and timing of hypoxia as well as the breed of chicken used.…”

Identifying Candidate Genes for Hypoxia Adaptation of Tibet Chicken Embryos by Selection Signature Analyses and RNA Sequencing

“…Hypoxia was found to be the most important stimulating factor for chicken embryonic development in chicken embryos hatched in high altitude areas [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]. It reduced chicken hatchability [ 1 , 5 ] and retarded the growth of chickens after incubation [ 6 ]. When the partial pressure of oxygen in the incubator was maintained at the same level as the lowland level, the hatchability in the high-altitude area was similar to that in the lowland area [ 1 ].…”

Poultry Egg Incubation: Integrating and Optimizing Production Efficiency

“…However, at higher altitudes, the air has fewer oxygen molecules and lower partial pressure of O 2 (1.0% less for each 500m increase) due to the decrease in barometric partial pressure. Egg incubation in high altitude areas (over 600 meters above sea level) increases late embryonic mortality and reduces hatchability and hatchling weight due to reduced O 2 partial pressure (Schmidt-Nielsen, 2010;Sahan et al, 2011), which creates a hypoxic or a hypercarpnic environment (Coleman, 1986;Bagley & Christensen 1989;Mauldin & Buhr, 1991;Sahan et al, 2011.). Although the lower partial pressure (Tazawa;et al, 1971;Ruijtenbeek et al, 2000), these are not sufficient to restore normal embryonic and fetal development.…”