The Effect of Egg Shell Quality on Hatchability and Embryonic Mortality

Abstract

Three experiments were conducted utilizing broiler-type breeder hens which were 36, 52, or 64 weeks of age. Eggs were collected at 2-hr intervals from 0800 to 1600 or 1800 hr and specific gravity determined the following morning. Eggs were held 1 week at 11 C, separated into groups according to specific gravity, and set. They were candled prior to transfer, and all eggs appearing infertile were broken to determine true fertility and/or age that embryonic death occurred. In the third experiment, egg weights were recorded prior to specific gravity determination, setting, and transfer to establish weight loss during holding time and incubation.Results demonstrated that eggs with the lowest specific gravities had the greatest weight losses, highest early embryonic mortalities, and lowest hatchabilities. In eggs with specific gravities higher than 1.080, there appeared to be little relationship between specific gravity and hatchability.It was concluded that shell quality may be a significant factor in declining hatchability as the hen ages.

Egg traits and physiological neonatal chick parameters from broiler breeder at different ages

“…However, eggshell quality is related with bird age (Peebles & Brake, 1987). McDaniel et al (1979) observed a decline in specific gravity in older breeders and Garlich et al (1984) verified a decrease in shell thickness during the course of the first laying year. In the present study, although the egg weight increased and proportional eggshell deposition decreased significantly with breeder age, no significant differences were observed in specific gravity of eggs or eggshell thickness from older breeders.…”

Influência da temperatura de incubação em ovos de matrizes de corte com diferentes idades e classificados por peso sobre os resultados de incubação

“…Ovos de matrizes mais velhas têm maior freqüência de ovos maiores, ocorrendo redução da densidade, devido à maior porosidade da casca, que favorece as trocas gasosas entre ovo e meio. McDaniel et al (1979) concluíram que a piora da qualidade da casca, associada ao aumento da idade da matriz, determina maior perda de peso em ovos durante a incubação e elevação da taxa de mortalidade embrionária, com conseqüente queda da eclodibilidade dos ovos. Segundo Hodgetts (1985), a qualidade da casca é o fator de maior importância para o bom rendimento da incubação.…”

Physiological responses of hens divergently selected on the number of chicks obtained from a single insemination

“…These observations suggest causal dependence between overall shell quality (indirectly quantifiable by determining either the specific gravity of eggs or, more accurately, shell breaking strength) and early embryo mortality. This may be explained by the high degree of water loss occurring in eggs with low shell quality (McDaniel et al, 1979) and oviposition of blastoderm from eggs with thin shells before they have the capacity to survive. A direct link between the ability of a hen to store spermatozoa and to produce eggs with high or low shell quality remains questionable as the two sites responsible for these functions in the oviduct (the vagina for sperm selection and the uterus for shell deposition) are anatomically distinct.…”

“…There was a significant difference in the incidence of early embryo mortality between the two lines, with over four times more embryo deaths in eggs from L~c ompared with L* hens. Previous studies in fowl (McDaniel et al, 1979) have shown that early embryo mortality increases in eggs with low specific gravity, that is, in eggs with low shell quality. Bugili and Renden (1987) reported that higher percentages of empty sperm storage tubules were observed in hens primarily classified as laying a majority of eggs without shells.…”