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Influence of Age of New Hampshire Female Breeders Upon Hatchability of Eggs*
236
RESEARCH NOTES
INFLUENCE OF AGE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE FEMALE BREEDERS UPON HATCHABILITY OF EGGS* A. E. TOMHAVE
Department of Animal and Poullry Industry, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware (Received for publication November 7, 1955)
* Published as Miscellaneous Paper No. 230 with the approval of the Director, Delaware Agricultural Experiment Station.
Ail breeders involved in the test hatches were produced by the same parental breeding stock. The maies used in the supplemental flocks were of the same âge as those used in the laying flock hatched in March. Ail three groups of breeders were housed in the same laying house and received the routine care and management employed at the poultry farm. Ail birds were fed the University of Delware Breeder Mash. The test hatches were conducted during July of 1953 and 1954. Table 1 shows that at the time of the test hatches in 1953, the March hatched flock of breeders had been in production 329 days, the June hatch 235 days, and the October hatch 129 days. The days in production for each group of breeders in 1954 were essentially the same as those in 1953. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Table 1 shows that the percentage hatchability of the eggs produced by the breeders that had been in production for 329 days was consistently lower than the hatchability of the eggs produced by the birds that had been in production for shorter periods of time. At no time did the percent hatch of either fertile or total eggs of the March hatched breeders equal or exceed the percent hatch of the eggs produced by the June and October hatched breeders. Table 2 shows the hatchability of eggs produced by the March hatched breeders after periods of 110 to 225 days. The days in production are similar to the production periods shown for the June and October hatched breeders in Table 1.
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It is quite definitely established that the hatching quality of eggs laid during the second laying year is lower than that of the first year. Observation and results reported by Hays and Sanborn (1924), Warren (1934), Funk (1934), and Insko, Lowry and Caldwell (1951) indicate that there can be no doubt that the hatching quality of eggs laid during the first laying year is to a slight but significant degree superior to the hatching quality of those produced during the second year of production. Published data pertaining to changes in hatchability during the first year of production are limited. Insko, Steele and Wightman (1947) reported that firstyear embryonic mortality was definitely lower for pullets in progressively older age-groups, and that essentially the same relationship applied to any one week for the respective years. Hays and Talmadge (1949) concluded that, in gênerai, pullets are likely to show a décline in hatchability with âge. An experiment at the Delware Station to détermine the value of supplemental flocks in the hatching egg program, offered an opportunity to obtain additional data on the influence of aging upon hatching quality during the first year of production. A March hatched flock of New Hampshires was supplemented with a June and October hatch, which made available breeders of three différent âges for test hatches.
237
NEWS AND NOTES TABLE 1.—Age of New Hampshire female breeders and hatchabilily of eggs Date breeders were hatched
Days in Eggs produc- fertile, tion in%
Hatch of fertile eggs, in%
Hatch of total eggs, m%
82.3 89.2 94.6
66.1 73.8 88.5
March, 1953 June, 1953 October, 1953
329 228 124
1954 77.4 95.6 88.8
87.0 95.3 88.8
67.2 91.1 76.2
Amer âge*: 1953 and 1954 79.4 83.7 329 86.3 91.2 232 91.8 92.2 127
66.5 78.7 85.0
March June October
* Approxirnately twice as many eggs were incubated in 1953 as in 1954.
Thèse data would indicate that in gênerai the hatchability of eggs produced by the March hatched breeders was comparable to that of the June and October hatched birds at a similar period of production. The hatch of fertile eggs for the March 1952 hatched breeders appears to be exceptionally low. When the hatching results for 1953 and 1954 are combined and averaged for the two years (see Table 1), the data show a décline in the percent of fertile eggs, and the hatch of fertile and total eggs as the breeders become older. The unusually high hatchability of both fertile and total eggs obtained from the June hatched breeders in 1954, and the good results obtained in 1953 would suggest that the décline in hatchability is accelerated after
WP,P
produc-
halched
tion
March, March, March, March,
1952 1953 1952 1953
110 135 200 225
fertile, in
%
94.3 91.3 92.6 88.3
Hatch of fertile in%
Hatch of total eggs, in%
80.7 90.0 90.1 87.9
76.1 82.2 83.4 77.6
the breeders hâve been in production for more than 7f months. The hatchability of either fertile or total eggs set from breeders in production for 329 days is lower than the hatchability obtained with eggs from the same birds in production from 110 to 225 days, or the hatchability of eggs produced by breeders with the same parental background, but in production from 124 to 235 days. REFERENCES Funk, E. M., 1934. Factors influencing hatchability in the domestic fowl. Missouri Agr. Exp. Sta. Bill. 341:1-22. Hays, F. A., and R. Sanborn, 1924. The inheritance of fertility and hatchability in poultry. Massachusetts Agr. Exp. Sta. Tech. Bul. 6: 20-42. Hays, F. A., and D. W. Talmadge, 1949. Hatchability in Rhode Island Reds as affected by âge of parents. J. Agr. Res. 79:285-290. Insko, Jr., W. M., S. J. Lowry and L. M. Caldwell, 1951. The all-pullet flock vs. the hen flock. Kentucky Agr. Exp. Sta. Bul. 560:1-4. Insko, Jr., W. M., D. G. Steele and E. T. Wightman, 1947. Reproductive phenomena in ageing hens. Kentucky Agr. Exp. Sta. Bul. 498:1-23. Warren, D. C , 1934. The influence of some factors on the hatchability of the hens egg. Kansas Agr. Exp. Sta. Tech. Bul. 37:1-42.
NEWS AND NOTES {Continuée from page 231) New York State Veterinary Collège, Cornell University, for the study of non-specific enteritis in chickens and turkeys, under the direction of Dr. C I . Boyer.
ONTARIO NOTES J. E. Bergey of the Department of Poultry Husbandry, Ontario Agricultural Collège, Guelph, Canada, retired in January after 27 years of service.
(Continued on page 245)
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of Manitoba on June 20, 2015
March, 1952 June, 1952 October, 1952
1953 80.3 329 82.7 235 93.5 129
TABLE 2.—Hatchability of eggs produced by March hatch at approximate days in production as June and October hatches
RESEARCH NOTES
INFLUENCE OF AGE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE FEMALE BREEDERS UPON HATCHABILITY OF EGGS* A. E. TOMHAVE
Department of Animal and Poullry Industry, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware (Received for publication November 7, 1955)
* Published as Miscellaneous Paper No. 230 with the approval of the Director, Delaware Agricultural Experiment Station.
Ail breeders involved in the test hatches were produced by the same parental breeding stock. The maies used in the supplemental flocks were of the same âge as those used in the laying flock hatched in March. Ail three groups of breeders were housed in the same laying house and received the routine care and management employed at the poultry farm. Ail birds were fed the University of Delware Breeder Mash. The test hatches were conducted during July of 1953 and 1954. Table 1 shows that at the time of the test hatches in 1953, the March hatched flock of breeders had been in production 329 days, the June hatch 235 days, and the October hatch 129 days. The days in production for each group of breeders in 1954 were essentially the same as those in 1953. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Table 1 shows that the percentage hatchability of the eggs produced by the breeders that had been in production for 329 days was consistently lower than the hatchability of the eggs produced by the birds that had been in production for shorter periods of time. At no time did the percent hatch of either fertile or total eggs of the March hatched breeders equal or exceed the percent hatch of the eggs produced by the June and October hatched breeders. Table 2 shows the hatchability of eggs produced by the March hatched breeders after periods of 110 to 225 days. The days in production are similar to the production periods shown for the June and October hatched breeders in Table 1.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of Manitoba on June 20, 2015
It is quite definitely established that the hatching quality of eggs laid during the second laying year is lower than that of the first year. Observation and results reported by Hays and Sanborn (1924), Warren (1934), Funk (1934), and Insko, Lowry and Caldwell (1951) indicate that there can be no doubt that the hatching quality of eggs laid during the first laying year is to a slight but significant degree superior to the hatching quality of those produced during the second year of production. Published data pertaining to changes in hatchability during the first year of production are limited. Insko, Steele and Wightman (1947) reported that firstyear embryonic mortality was definitely lower for pullets in progressively older age-groups, and that essentially the same relationship applied to any one week for the respective years. Hays and Talmadge (1949) concluded that, in gênerai, pullets are likely to show a décline in hatchability with âge. An experiment at the Delware Station to détermine the value of supplemental flocks in the hatching egg program, offered an opportunity to obtain additional data on the influence of aging upon hatching quality during the first year of production. A March hatched flock of New Hampshires was supplemented with a June and October hatch, which made available breeders of three différent âges for test hatches.
237
NEWS AND NOTES TABLE 1.—Age of New Hampshire female breeders and hatchabilily of eggs Date breeders were hatched
Days in Eggs produc- fertile, tion in%
Hatch of fertile eggs, in%
Hatch of total eggs, m%
82.3 89.2 94.6
66.1 73.8 88.5
March, 1953 June, 1953 October, 1953
329 228 124
1954 77.4 95.6 88.8
87.0 95.3 88.8
67.2 91.1 76.2
Amer âge*: 1953 and 1954 79.4 83.7 329 86.3 91.2 232 91.8 92.2 127
66.5 78.7 85.0
March June October
* Approxirnately twice as many eggs were incubated in 1953 as in 1954.
Thèse data would indicate that in gênerai the hatchability of eggs produced by the March hatched breeders was comparable to that of the June and October hatched birds at a similar period of production. The hatch of fertile eggs for the March 1952 hatched breeders appears to be exceptionally low. When the hatching results for 1953 and 1954 are combined and averaged for the two years (see Table 1), the data show a décline in the percent of fertile eggs, and the hatch of fertile and total eggs as the breeders become older. The unusually high hatchability of both fertile and total eggs obtained from the June hatched breeders in 1954, and the good results obtained in 1953 would suggest that the décline in hatchability is accelerated after
WP,P
produc-
halched
tion
March, March, March, March,
1952 1953 1952 1953
110 135 200 225
fertile, in
%
94.3 91.3 92.6 88.3
Hatch of fertile in%
Hatch of total eggs, in%
80.7 90.0 90.1 87.9
76.1 82.2 83.4 77.6
the breeders hâve been in production for more than 7f months. The hatchability of either fertile or total eggs set from breeders in production for 329 days is lower than the hatchability obtained with eggs from the same birds in production from 110 to 225 days, or the hatchability of eggs produced by breeders with the same parental background, but in production from 124 to 235 days. REFERENCES Funk, E. M., 1934. Factors influencing hatchability in the domestic fowl. Missouri Agr. Exp. Sta. Bill. 341:1-22. Hays, F. A., and R. Sanborn, 1924. The inheritance of fertility and hatchability in poultry. Massachusetts Agr. Exp. Sta. Tech. Bul. 6: 20-42. Hays, F. A., and D. W. Talmadge, 1949. Hatchability in Rhode Island Reds as affected by âge of parents. J. Agr. Res. 79:285-290. Insko, Jr., W. M., S. J. Lowry and L. M. Caldwell, 1951. The all-pullet flock vs. the hen flock. Kentucky Agr. Exp. Sta. Bul. 560:1-4. Insko, Jr., W. M., D. G. Steele and E. T. Wightman, 1947. Reproductive phenomena in ageing hens. Kentucky Agr. Exp. Sta. Bul. 498:1-23. Warren, D. C , 1934. The influence of some factors on the hatchability of the hens egg. Kansas Agr. Exp. Sta. Tech. Bul. 37:1-42.
NEWS AND NOTES {Continuée from page 231) New York State Veterinary Collège, Cornell University, for the study of non-specific enteritis in chickens and turkeys, under the direction of Dr. C I . Boyer.
ONTARIO NOTES J. E. Bergey of the Department of Poultry Husbandry, Ontario Agricultural Collège, Guelph, Canada, retired in January after 27 years of service.
(Continued on page 245)
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of Manitoba on June 20, 2015
March, 1952 June, 1952 October, 1952
1953 80.3 329 82.7 235 93.5 129
TABLE 2.—Hatchability of eggs produced by March hatch at approximate days in production as June and October hatches