Incubation of Japanese Quail Eggs at Different Temperatures: Hatchability, Hatch Weight, Hatch Time and Embryonic Mortality

Abstract

A AB BS ST TR RA AC CT TTemperature is the most important factor affecting embryonic development, hatchability and post hatch performance. Optimum incubation temperature is normally defined as that required to achieve maximum hatchability. This work was carried out to verify the effects of different incubation temperatures on hatchability, hatch weight, hatch time and embryonic mortality of Japanese quail eggs. A total of 800 eggs were divided in eight experimental groups that were incubated at different temperatures (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 and 41ºC). The other incubation conditions were identical for all groups, 60±5% of relative humidity and egg turning every two hours until transference to the hatchers at 15 days of incubation. The results showed that fertile hatchability was higher for eggs incubated at 37 and 38ºC, 76.6 and 80.7%, respectively. Eggs incubated at 34ºC did not hatch and the ones incubated at 35 and 41ºC showed very poor hatchability. The other temperatures had hatch rates from 50.3 to 57.7%. There were higher hatch weights in eggs incubated at high temperatures (38-41°C) compared t o the ones incubated at the lower ones (35-37°C). T here was an enormous difference in the hatching time according to the incubation temperature. The difference of time between the groups of eggs that hatched earlier (40°C) compared to the ones the hatcher later (35°C) was 156.3 hou rs or 6.5 days. Embryos seemed to be resistant to at high temperatures until 40°C at the early period of incubation, ho wever the same was not observed at the later stages of incubation when high temperatures (39-41°C) increased embryoni c mortality.Key words: hatch performance; humidity; poultry; temperature R RE ES SU UM MO OA temperatura é o fator mais importante para o desenvolvimento embrionário, a eclodibilidade e o desempenho pós-nascimento de aves. A temperatura ideal é normalmente aquela que permite máxima eclodibilidade. Este trabalho verificou os efeitos de diferentes temperaturas de incubação sobre a eclodibilidade, perda de peso dos ovos, peso ao nascer, tempo de nascimento e mortalidade embrionária de ovos de codornas japonesas. Foram utilizados 800 ovos, divididos em oito grupos experimentais e incubados em diferentes temperaturas (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 e 41ºC). As demais condições de incubação foram idênticas para todos os grupos, 60±5% de umidade relativa e viragem a cada 2 horas até a transferência para a nascedoura no 15º dia de incubação. A eclodibilidade dos ovos férteis foi maior para os ovos incubados a 37 e 38ºC; 76,6 e 80,7%, respectivamente. Os ovos incubados a 34ºC não eclodiram e os incubados a 35 e 41ºC apresentaram um índice muito baixo de eclodibilidade. As outras temperaturas proporcionaram eclodibilidade entre 50,3 e 57,7%. Os pesos ao nascer foram elevados nos grupos incubados em temperaturas altas (38-41°C) quando comparados aos grupos incubados em temperaturas baixas (35-37°C). Observou-se diferen ça no tempo de nascimento de acordo com a temperatura de incubação. A diferença de tempo entre o...

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