Mortality in near‐term ostrich embryos during artificial incubation

Brown, Chris; Peinke, Dean M.; Loveridge, Arthur

doi:10.1080/00071669608417838

Cited by 24 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…An impaired hatchability due to embryonic mortality as a result of genetic problems, may compromise chick production in poultry, but such an effect has not yet been reported in ostriches (Badley, 1997). Brown et al (1996) suggested that malpositioning of ostrich embryos with respect to the air cell could possibly be related to genetic factors. Brand et al (2007) reported an unexpectedly high level of overall embryonic deaths in the progeny of SAB males mated to ZB females.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It also results in a high proportion of chicks being malpositioned at the point of hatching or in unabsorbed yolk sacs (Horbaňczuk et al, 1999). Malpositioning generally resulted from incorrect turning, and oedema was significantly related to the quantity of water lost (Brown et al, 1996).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Brown et al (1996) reported that more than 55% of shell deaths in ostrich eggs is due to malpositions of the embryo. This observation was confirmed in a study by Ipek & Sahan (2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The malposition of embryos with respect to the air cell generally results in failure to hatch (Brown et al, 1996). Developing ostrich chicks start turning in the egg to assume the correct pipping position from day 35 of incubation and have usually assumed the correct pipping position by day 42 of incubation (Deeming, 1995b).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Influence of incubation management on pipping position, hatching ability and survival of ostrich chicks

Brand¹,

Cloete²,

Malecki³

et al. 2011

SA J. An. Sci.

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Despite numerous studies, the effect of artificial incubation on the hatchability and survival of nearterm ostrich chicks is still not well understood. Records from 13 975 eggs with embryos of 35 days and older, artificially incubated between 2006 and 2008, were analysed to determine the potential effect of pipping position upon the hatchability, and the subsequent survival of ostrich chicks. A total of 864 nearterm chicks (6.9%) failed to pip. Chicks that pipped in the correct position had a higher probability of surviving hatching than those pipping in the incorrect position. Genotype did not affect the proportion of chicks pipping in the correct position, or the survival of hatching ostrich chicks pipping in either the correct or incorrect positions. Although female age had a significant effect on the proportion of chicks pipping, the survival of hatchlings was independent of female age. Chicks hatching during winter were more likely to pip than chicks hatching in spring, whereas chicks hatching in summer were more likely to pip in the correct position. In winter the proportion of chicks pipping in incorrect positions were significantly higher than in either summer or autumn. The survival rate of chicks hatching during winter was generally higher than those hatching in the other seasons. The transfer of eggs between setters during incubation, had a negative influence on the ability of ostrich chicks pipping in the correct position. Incubated ostrich eggs with intermediate levels of water loss, i.e. between 9.0 and 18.9% of fresh-egg weight, were more likely to pip in the correct position overall than those with higher or lower levels of water loss. Chicks from eggs stored for intermediate periods, i.e. 3, 4 and 6 days prior to being set, were more likely to pip than chicks from those eggs set directly after collection without storage. Storage time also affected pipping position, with chicks from eggs stored for five days being more likely to pip in the correct position than chicks from those eggs set directly after collection. These results emphasize the need for ostrich incubation facilities to avoid the transfer of eggs between setters during artificial incubation, strive to achieve an optimal level of water loss, and apply a protocol of not setting eggs immediately after collection to maximize the hatchability of chicks pipping in the correct position and post-hatching survival.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Brown et al (1996) reported that more than 55% of shell deaths in ostrich eggs is due to malpositions of the embryo. This observation was confirmed in a study by Ipek & Sahan (2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Influence of incubation management on pipping position, hatching ability and survival of ostrich chicks

Brand¹,

Cloete²,

Malecki³

et al. 2011

SA J. An. Sci.

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show abstract

“…To maximize production, eggs are collected daily, and incubated artificially. With hatching rates of only 50% -60% (Brown et al, 1996;Deeming & Ar, 1999;Van Schalkwyk, 2000), the success rate of artificially incubated ostrich eggs is low when compared with the hatching success of commercially reared chickens (90% -95%), turkeys (75% -77%) and ducks (65% -82%) (Hodgetts, 1990;Deeming, 1999). The low hatching success represents a considerable loss of production, and is a cause of concern in the local industry.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in the air cell volume of artificially incubated ostrich eggs

Brand¹,

Cloete²,

Malecki³

et al. 2013

SA J. An. Sci.

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________________________________________________________________________________ AbstractA total of 2160 images of candled, incubated ostrich eggs were digitized to determine the percentage of egg volume occupied by the air cell at different stages of incubation. The air cell on average occupied 2.5% of the volume of fresh eggs. For eggs that hatched successfully, this volume increased to an average of 24.4% at 41 days of incubation, just prior to hatching. Air cell volume at 29 days of incubation for infertile eggs (19.3%) was significantly higher when compared to dead-in-shell (DIS) eggs (14.3%) and eggs that hatched (13.8%). There was a significantly larger air cell volume in eggs that hatched normally compared with DIS eggs at 41 days of incubation (28.3% vs. 21.7%, respectively). No differences in air cell volume were observed up to day 17 of incubation for eggs that hatched normally between eggs that exhibited high, average or low rates of water loss, but from 20 days of incubation the air cell volume was significantly larger for high weight loss eggs. However, for the DIS eggs, air cell volume was consistently larger in eggs that exhibited high rates of water loss. Air cell volume was largely independent of adult strain (SA Black or Zimbabwean Blue) or whether chicks were assisted to hatch. Although some subtle differences in air cell size were detected between hatched and DIS chicks during this study, it is unlikely to find useful application in the broader industry.________________________________________________________________________________

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Micro‐Focus X‐Ray Tomography Study of the Microstructure and Morphometry of the Eggshell of Ostriches (Struthio Camerus)

Willoughby

Steyn

Bam

et al. 2016

The Anatomical Record

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In ostrich husbandry, economic losses have mainly been attributed to low hatchability of eggs, which has mostly been attributed to the structure of the eggshell. The main aim of this study was to investigate the morphology and the morphometry of the ostrich eggshell using micro-focus X-ray computer tomography and scanning electron microscopy. The mean weight and volume of the eggs were 1,312 6 56SE g and 1,333 6 44SE cm 3 , respectively. The mean thickness and the mean surface area of the eggshell was 1.83 6 0.10SE mm and 619 6 15SE cm 2 respectively and the mean total number of pores in the shell was 40,596 6 1832SE. No significant correlations were found between the thickness of the shell and the weight of the eggs, the volume of the egg and the thickness of the shell, the diameter of the pores and the number of pores, the volume of the pores and the number of pores or the surface area of the pores and the number of pores. The mean diameters of the pores on the blunt (air cell) 2 (0.02 6 0.04SE mm) and the sharp (0.26 6 0.36SE mm) parts of the eggshell were significantly different (P 5 0.0001) while the mean volumes and the surface areas of the pores in these parts were not significantly different (P 5 0.203 and P 5 0.089, respectively). The sizes of the pores differed in different parts of the eggshell, which consisted mainly of tightly arranged mammillary cones that that fused to the palisade columns. The external surface of the ostrich eggshell was covered by a cuticle.

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Mortality in near‐term ostrich embryos during artificial incubation

Cited by 24 publications

References 17 publications

Influence of incubation management on pipping position, hatching ability and survival of ostrich chicks

Influence of incubation management on pipping position, hatching ability and survival of ostrich chicks

Changes in the air cell volume of artificially incubated ostrich eggs

Micro‐Focus X‐Ray Tomography Study of the Microstructure and Morphometry of the Eggshell of Ostriches (Struthio Camerus)

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