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Rate of decline in hatchability with preincubation storage of chicken eggs depends on genetic strain |
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| Authors: | B. H. Yoo E. Wientjes |
| Affiliation: | 1. CSIRO Division of Animal Production , PO Box 239, Blacktown, NSW, 2148, Australia;2. CSIRO Division of Animal Production , PO Box 239, Blacktown, NSW, 2148, Australia;3. Groot Mertoginnelaan 119, En Den Haag, 2517, The Netherlands |
| Abstract: | 1. The effect of preincubation storage of chicken eggs on hatchability was studied in an Australorp subline (ASS) that had shown a steady decrease of hatchability compared with the original selection line (AS) since its derivation 10 generations ago. The AS line was also included in the study. 2. Eggs were collected over 21 d and the collected eggs were stored at 10° to 12°C and relative humidity of 70 to 80% until they were set together on d 21. Fertility and hatchability of fertile eggs were calculated for each d of collection to study their relationships with age of eggs (length of storage). 3. The hatchability of fertile eggs was considerably different between the two lines in the average over 21 d and, more importantly, in the pattern of decline with length of storage. 4. In the first 3 to 4 d of storage, hatchability was very similar between the lines. However, it decreased linearly at a rate of 1.9% per day of storage over the 21‐d period in the ASS line (average 65.9%), whereas in the AS line (average 78.6%), it stayed at around 84% up to 12 d of storage, when it started to decline at a similar rate as in the ASS line. 5. Fertility was 2.6% higher in the AS line than in the ASS line, but in each line showed no significant trend with age of eggs. |
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