Effects of in ovo feeding with glycerol for broilers

Abstract

The objective was to evaluate the effect of in ovo feeding with glycerol on post-hatch development in broiler chicks. A total of 408 fertile eggs were divided into six experimental groups consisting of five 0.9% saline solutions containing various concentrations of glycerol (12.5, 25.0, 37.5 and 50.0 nmol/ml), and a placebo group (inoculation with saline only) and a control group (without inoculation). Inoculations were performed at 17 days of incubation for the evaluation of hatchability, embryo mortality, body and viscera weights, intestinal epithelium morphometry, blood glucose and liver glycerol kinase activity of chicks at hatching. Inoculation of solutions containing glycerol did not influence body weight at hatching and relative weights of liver, pancreas, intestine and breast. There was a quadratic effect of glycerol levels on the weights of yolk residue and gizzard and on blood glucose, and an increasing linear effect on spleen and heart weights. Higher duodenum and ileum villous height and deeper jejunum and ileum crypts were obtained with 50.0 nmol/ml of glycerol. A linear increasing effect was also observed in liver glycerol kinase activity; however, lower blood glucose was observed with 37.5 and 50 nmol/ml of glycerol. It is therefore concluded that glycerol may be used at doses of 25 nmol/ml as a substrate in in ovo feeding of broiler chickens. However, further studies must be conducted not only to establish an optimal dose but also to evaluate the combination of this substrate with other nutrients used in the in ovo feeding.

Glycerol in ovo feeding as an energy substrate improves performance of broilers from young breeders

“…These results suggest that glycerol could be used as an IOF ingredient up to 12 mg/ml, with no deleterious effects on incubation or hatching parameters. However, the results obtained in the present study are not consistent with the findings of Neves et al (), who observed reduced HF and higher embryo mortality when eggs were injected with 2.3 and 4.6 μg glycerol/ml; however, it should be noted that these doses were much lower than those tested in the present study. In addition, the present study did not include a non‐injected group, which would allow evaluating the effect of the IOF technique.…”

“…In the present study, hatchling RYSW was used as an indication of transference of yolk sac nutrients; however, glycerol IOF did not decrease yolk sac absorption in neither of the experiments. This result was unexpected, considering literature reports, such the lower yolk sac utilization observed by Zhai, Gerard, Pulikanti, and Peebles (), when broiler breeder eggs received IOF of different simple carbohydrates, and the heavier yolk sacs of hatchlings inoculated in ovo with glycerol by Neves et al (). Nevertheless, according to Uni, Yadgary, and Yair (), fresh yolk sac weight may provide an inaccurate indication of yolk sac utilization, because there may be an influx of water and protein from the albumen to the yolk sac.…”

“…As these metabolic pathways are more active after glycerol was injected in the egg in the present study (on E17), the substrate may have been used to increase hepatic glycogen reserves. In the study of Neves et al (), the in ovo administration of increasing glycerol levels linearly increased the activity of the enzyme glycerol kinase in the liver of chicken embryos, indicating that chicken embryos are able to metabolize glycerol. On the other hand, 7‐day‐old chicks from 60‐week‐old breeders (Exp.…”

“…Kornasio, Halevy, Kedar, and Uni () also observed higher weight gain in 0‐ to 7‐day‐old chicks with greater glycogen reserves 24 hr after hatch and attributed this finding to the greater tissue development as a result of high energy availability and, consequently, lower utilization of muscles as an energy source. Moreover, Neves et al () observed that IOF of glycerol increased intestinal villus height and crypt depth of broilers at hatch, which may have increased dietary nutrient utilization in the glycerol IOF‐inoculated broilers, consequently resulting in their higher weight gain at 7 days of age.…”

In ovodelivery of various biological supplements, vaccines and drugs in poultry: current knowledge

“…17th day Amnion The different levels of glycerol increased the activity of liver glycerol kinase, weights of spleen and heart. 68 Glycerol Late stage Chorioallantoic fluid…”