Effects of in ovo injection of chrysin, quercetin and ascorbic acid on hatchability, somatic attributes, hepatic oxidative status and early post‐hatch performance of broiler chicks

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of in ovo injection of chrysin, quercetin and ascorbic acid on hatchability, somatic attributes, hepatic antioxidant status and early post-hatch growth performance of broiler chicks. Four hundred and eighty embryonated broiler breeder eggs containing live 18-day-old embryos were divided into six groups of 80 eggs each. One group remained intact and served as a control group (i), whereas the other five groups were injected with the prepared injection solutions as follows: (ii) 0.05 ml distilled water; (iii) 0.05 ml distilled water containing 6 mg ascorbic acid; (iv) 0.05 ml dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO); (v) 0.05 ml DMSO containing 4.5 mg quercetin; and (vi) 0.05 ml DMSO containing 4.5 mg chrysin. The hatchability rate, hatching weight, residual yolk sac weight, yolk sac-free body weight, liver weight, hepatic glutathione peroxidase and total superoxide dismutase activities, as well as malondialdehyde concentrations, were not affected by the injected solutions. There were no differences between chicks hatched from the control and in ovo injected eggs in weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio from 0 to 11 days of age. However, the specific contrast performed between the in ovo injected groups and intact eggs revealed that in ovo injection significantly increased hatchability rate (p = .0493). This finding also implies that our injection procedure was harmless. In conclusion, the intra-egg injection of chrysin, quercetin or ascorbic acid at the injection rates used in this study did not have a significant effect on hatchability, somatic characteristics, early growth performance and hepatic antioxidant status of broiler chicks. However, the overall hatchability was higher in the in ovo injected eggs as compared to non-injected ones. These findings also confirmed the harmlessness of the procedure developed for in ovo injection in this study.

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

“…In another study, appropriate levels of vitamins K 3 and D 3 administered through in ovo injections had shown promising beneficial effects regarding growth performance, bone development, and the immune system . Another experiment performed using 480 embryonated broiler breeder eggs showed beneficial effects of in ovo injection of quercetin and ascorbic acid compounds on hatchability, somatic attributes, hepatic oxidative status, and early post‐hatch performance of broiler chicks . Similarly, the supplementation effect of minerals including organic zinc, manganese, and copper through in ovo injection improved bone mineralization .…”

“…91 Another experiment performed using 480 embryonated broiler breeder eggs showed beneficial effects of in ovo injection of quercetin and ascorbic acid compounds on hatchability, somatic attributes, hepatic oxidative status, and early post-hatch performance of broiler chicks. 92 Similarly, the supplementation effect of minerals including organic zinc, manganese, and copper through in ovo injection improved bone mineralization. 93 In ovo feeding of nanoparticles of some minerals (zinc at 20, 40, 60 and 80 μg per egg, copperu at 4, 8, 12 and 16 μg per egg, and selenium at 0.075, 0.15, 0.225 and 0.3 μg per egg) did not affect the development of an embryo and hatchability percentage.…”

In ovo injection of flavanone on bone quality characteristics, biochemical parameters and antioxidant enzyme status of blood in daily chicks

“…Ebrahimi, Jafari Ahangari, Zamiri, Akhlaghi, and Atashi (2012) also demonstrated that IOI of antioxidant in an earlier stage of embryonic life causes lower hatchability. Khaligh, Hassanabadi, Nassiri-Moghaddam, Golian, and Kalidari (2018) showed that amnion-injected eggs (using the flavonoids or solutions) result in higher overall hatchability on 18 days of embryonic compared to non-injected ones.…”

Effects of in ovo injection of lysine and methionine into fertile broiler (parent stock) eggs on hatchability, growth performance, caecum microbiota, and ileum histomorphology

“…Previous in ovo feeding studies showed that injection volume (Zhai et al, 2011) and injection site (Ohta et al, 2001;Khaligh et al, 2017) had important effects on hatchability rate. Khaligh et al (2017) reported that injection should not be too deep to avoid embryo injuries.…”

“…Previous in ovo feeding studies showed that injection volume (Zhai et al, 2011) and injection site (Ohta et al, 2001;Khaligh et al, 2017) had important effects on hatchability rate. Khaligh et al (2017) reported that injection should not be too deep to avoid embryo injuries. In addition, Ebrahimnezhad et al (2011) stated that 0.5 mL in ovo injection into amniotic fluid caused an allergic cavity, stoppage in breathing, and embryonic death due to increase in osmotic pressure in eggs (Bhanja and Mandal, 2005).…”