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The Effect of Incubating Eggs Narrow End Up on Malposition1 II and Hatchability
The Effect of Incubating Eggs Narrow End Up on Malposition1 II and Hatchability DANIEL W. TALMADGE Animal Industries Department, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
06268
(Received for publication November 22, 1976)
Poultry Science 56:1046-1048, 1977
INTRODUCTION One of t h e m o s t frequent occurring Malpositions is Malposition II, head in t h e n a r r o w end of t h e egg instead of being in t h e b r o a d end, at hatching t i m e . We k n o w t h a t o n e of t h e chief causes of this Malposition is eggs being set n a r r o w end up during i n c u b a t i o n . Recent w o r k r e p o r t e d by El-Ibiary et al. ( 1 9 6 6 ) indicated t h e results secured from eggs set n a r r o w end u p during t h e incubation period, using our current strains of chickens, are different from t h e results t h a t Byerly and Olsen ( 1 9 3 3 ) secured in their e x p e r i m e n t s o n Malposition II. Byerly and Olsen ( 1 9 3 3 ) f o u n d t h a t Malposit i o n II was n o t c o m p l e t e l y lethal as had been previously t h o u g h t . Byerly and Olsen ( 1 9 3 6 ) r e p o r t e d t h a t when controls h a t c h e d 8 6 . 2 % i n c u b a t e d eggs in Malposition II h a t c h e d 4 6 . 1 4 % . El-Ibiary et al. ( 1 9 6 6 ) indicated t h a t eggs incubated n a r r o w end u p p r o d u c e d e m b r y o s in Malposition II t h a t h a t c h e d almost as well as eggs incubated in t h e n o r m a l position.
1 Scientific Contribution No. 664, Storrs Agricultural Experiment Station, The University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06268.
T h e p u r p o s e of this study, was t o d e t e r m i n e at w h a t age t h e e m b r y o gets caught in Malposition II after being set n a r r o w end up and if t h e a b n o r m a l position is detrimental to t h e percent chicks t h a t h a t c h . MATERIALS AND METHODS Eggs from t h r e e breeds were used in this e x p e r i m e n t , t h e breeds were Single C o m b White Leghorns, Sex-link eggs from a R h o d e Island male and a Barred R o c k female cross and m e a t t y p e White P l y m o u t h R o c k s . All eggs were i n c u b a t e d in a forced draft J a m e s w a y i n c u b a t o r following t h e m a n u f a c t u r e r ' s r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s . T h e eggs were collected for a period of o n e t o seven days before setting a n d stored u n d e r r e c o m m e n d e d storage conditions. When the eggs were set t h e y were placed in egg flats which had been cut t o fit into t h e i n c u b a t o r trays. These flats m a d e it possible t o set t h e egg in an upside d o w n or n o r m a l position while being i n c u b a t e d . Six h a t c h e s were set, o n e each week for six weeks. Each h a t c h consisted of 5 0 0 eggs which were divided into t h e following groups: b r o a d end up (controls) or n a r r o w end up for 8, 9, 10, or 17 days. In each of t h e t r e a t m e n t s t h e r e were: 5 0 White Leghorn eggs, 25 Sex-links eggs, 25 White P l y m o u t h R o c k eggs.
1046
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at FU BerlinFB Humanmedizin on April 30, 2015
ABSTRACT Eggs from Single Comb White Leghorns, Black Sex-links and White Plymouth Rocks were incubated in an upside down position, narrow end up for 8, 9, 10 or 17 days before turning them to the normal position with the broad end up. Six settings were incubated and eggs from each breed for each setting were used for controls. Chick embryos were able to return to their normal position, head in the broad end, in eggs that were held upside down for 8 days and then returned to the normal setting position. A significant number of embryos as compared with the 8 day eggs were locked in Malposition II after being held narrow end up for 9, 10 or 17 days of incubation. Eggs from White Leghorns, Sex-links and White Plymouth Rocks set narrow end up for 8, 9, 10 or 17 days gave a lower percent hatchability than the control eggs. Sixty-five percent of the White Leghorn eggs, 83.1% of the Sex-links eggs and 74.2% of the White Rock eggs that were in Malposition II at hatching time were able to hatch.
RESEARCH NOTES
1047
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Incubating eggs for eight days in a narrow end up position and then turned to a broad end up position for the balance of the incubation period resulted in an insignificant number of embryos in Malposition II (See Table 1). Incubating eggs for 9, 10, or 17 days in a narrow end up position and then turned to a broad end up position for the balance of the incubation period resulted in most cases in a highly significant number of embryos in Malposition II, according t o the analysis of variance. Table 1 shows the effect of incubating eggs in an upside down position on the percent hatchability. The data show that eggs held for 8, 9, 10, or 17 days, narrow end up, did not hatch as well as the controls for White Leghorn, Sex-links or White Plymouth Rocks. The eggs incubated for 17 days with the narrow end up gave the lowest percent hatchability. Byerly and Olsen (1933) indicated that it is possible for embryos in Malposition II to hatch. In this experiment 65.0% of the White Leghorn eggs, 83.1% of the Sex-links eggs and 74.2% of the White Rock eggs that were in Malposition II, hatched. This is a considerable better hatchability rate than Byerly's 46.14%. Apparently the improvements that have been made in our modern strains has improved their ability to hatch in this reverse position. El-
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at FU BerlinFB Humanmedizin on April 30, 2015
The incubated eggs were candled on the 18th day and the live embryos were transferred to hatching baskets at this time. The infertile eggs were broken out and examined for evidence of early dead embryos. The dead embryos were classified according to their age at the time of death and those dying after the 17th day of incubation were classified as to their position in the shell at the time of death. The transferred eggs were checked twice a day after they started to pip. Eggs pipping in the narrow end of the shell were separated from the eggs pipping in the normal manner. If embryos hatched before they could be separated, the shells were checked to determine the position of the embryo at hatching time. Eggs that did not hatch were broken on the 22nd day and classified as to the age and position at death. The statistical analysis were applied to the embryos and chicks that lived for at least 18 days.
1048
TALMADGE
Ibiary et al. ( 1 9 6 6 ) got similar results in their experiment.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The a u t h o r wishes t o t h a n k Mr. R o b e r t Bedard for technical assistance and Dr. J. J. Lucas for data analysis assistance.
REFERENCES Byerly, T. C , and M. W. Olsen, 1933. Time and manner of determination of the malposition headin-small-end-of-egg. Poultry Sci. 12:261—265. Byerly, T. C , and M. W. Olsen, 1936. Lethality of embryo malpositions in the domestic fowl. Poultry Sci. 15:158-162. El-Ibiary, H. M., C. S. Shaffner and E. F. Godfrey, 1966. Hatchability of eggs set small end up. Poultry Sci. 45:419-420.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at FU BerlinFB Humanmedizin on April 30, 2015
06268
(Received for publication November 22, 1976)
Poultry Science 56:1046-1048, 1977
INTRODUCTION One of t h e m o s t frequent occurring Malpositions is Malposition II, head in t h e n a r r o w end of t h e egg instead of being in t h e b r o a d end, at hatching t i m e . We k n o w t h a t o n e of t h e chief causes of this Malposition is eggs being set n a r r o w end up during i n c u b a t i o n . Recent w o r k r e p o r t e d by El-Ibiary et al. ( 1 9 6 6 ) indicated t h e results secured from eggs set n a r r o w end u p during t h e incubation period, using our current strains of chickens, are different from t h e results t h a t Byerly and Olsen ( 1 9 3 3 ) secured in their e x p e r i m e n t s o n Malposition II. Byerly and Olsen ( 1 9 3 3 ) f o u n d t h a t Malposit i o n II was n o t c o m p l e t e l y lethal as had been previously t h o u g h t . Byerly and Olsen ( 1 9 3 6 ) r e p o r t e d t h a t when controls h a t c h e d 8 6 . 2 % i n c u b a t e d eggs in Malposition II h a t c h e d 4 6 . 1 4 % . El-Ibiary et al. ( 1 9 6 6 ) indicated t h a t eggs incubated n a r r o w end u p p r o d u c e d e m b r y o s in Malposition II t h a t h a t c h e d almost as well as eggs incubated in t h e n o r m a l position.
1 Scientific Contribution No. 664, Storrs Agricultural Experiment Station, The University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06268.
T h e p u r p o s e of this study, was t o d e t e r m i n e at w h a t age t h e e m b r y o gets caught in Malposition II after being set n a r r o w end up and if t h e a b n o r m a l position is detrimental to t h e percent chicks t h a t h a t c h . MATERIALS AND METHODS Eggs from t h r e e breeds were used in this e x p e r i m e n t , t h e breeds were Single C o m b White Leghorns, Sex-link eggs from a R h o d e Island male and a Barred R o c k female cross and m e a t t y p e White P l y m o u t h R o c k s . All eggs were i n c u b a t e d in a forced draft J a m e s w a y i n c u b a t o r following t h e m a n u f a c t u r e r ' s r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s . T h e eggs were collected for a period of o n e t o seven days before setting a n d stored u n d e r r e c o m m e n d e d storage conditions. When the eggs were set t h e y were placed in egg flats which had been cut t o fit into t h e i n c u b a t o r trays. These flats m a d e it possible t o set t h e egg in an upside d o w n or n o r m a l position while being i n c u b a t e d . Six h a t c h e s were set, o n e each week for six weeks. Each h a t c h consisted of 5 0 0 eggs which were divided into t h e following groups: b r o a d end up (controls) or n a r r o w end up for 8, 9, 10, or 17 days. In each of t h e t r e a t m e n t s t h e r e were: 5 0 White Leghorn eggs, 25 Sex-links eggs, 25 White P l y m o u t h R o c k eggs.
1046
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at FU BerlinFB Humanmedizin on April 30, 2015
ABSTRACT Eggs from Single Comb White Leghorns, Black Sex-links and White Plymouth Rocks were incubated in an upside down position, narrow end up for 8, 9, 10 or 17 days before turning them to the normal position with the broad end up. Six settings were incubated and eggs from each breed for each setting were used for controls. Chick embryos were able to return to their normal position, head in the broad end, in eggs that were held upside down for 8 days and then returned to the normal setting position. A significant number of embryos as compared with the 8 day eggs were locked in Malposition II after being held narrow end up for 9, 10 or 17 days of incubation. Eggs from White Leghorns, Sex-links and White Plymouth Rocks set narrow end up for 8, 9, 10 or 17 days gave a lower percent hatchability than the control eggs. Sixty-five percent of the White Leghorn eggs, 83.1% of the Sex-links eggs and 74.2% of the White Rock eggs that were in Malposition II at hatching time were able to hatch.
RESEARCH NOTES
1047
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Incubating eggs for eight days in a narrow end up position and then turned to a broad end up position for the balance of the incubation period resulted in an insignificant number of embryos in Malposition II (See Table 1). Incubating eggs for 9, 10, or 17 days in a narrow end up position and then turned to a broad end up position for the balance of the incubation period resulted in most cases in a highly significant number of embryos in Malposition II, according t o the analysis of variance. Table 1 shows the effect of incubating eggs in an upside down position on the percent hatchability. The data show that eggs held for 8, 9, 10, or 17 days, narrow end up, did not hatch as well as the controls for White Leghorn, Sex-links or White Plymouth Rocks. The eggs incubated for 17 days with the narrow end up gave the lowest percent hatchability. Byerly and Olsen (1933) indicated that it is possible for embryos in Malposition II to hatch. In this experiment 65.0% of the White Leghorn eggs, 83.1% of the Sex-links eggs and 74.2% of the White Rock eggs that were in Malposition II, hatched. This is a considerable better hatchability rate than Byerly's 46.14%. Apparently the improvements that have been made in our modern strains has improved their ability to hatch in this reverse position. El-
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at FU BerlinFB Humanmedizin on April 30, 2015
The incubated eggs were candled on the 18th day and the live embryos were transferred to hatching baskets at this time. The infertile eggs were broken out and examined for evidence of early dead embryos. The dead embryos were classified according to their age at the time of death and those dying after the 17th day of incubation were classified as to their position in the shell at the time of death. The transferred eggs were checked twice a day after they started to pip. Eggs pipping in the narrow end of the shell were separated from the eggs pipping in the normal manner. If embryos hatched before they could be separated, the shells were checked to determine the position of the embryo at hatching time. Eggs that did not hatch were broken on the 22nd day and classified as to the age and position at death. The statistical analysis were applied to the embryos and chicks that lived for at least 18 days.
1048
TALMADGE
Ibiary et al. ( 1 9 6 6 ) got similar results in their experiment.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The a u t h o r wishes t o t h a n k Mr. R o b e r t Bedard for technical assistance and Dr. J. J. Lucas for data analysis assistance.
REFERENCES Byerly, T. C , and M. W. Olsen, 1933. Time and manner of determination of the malposition headin-small-end-of-egg. Poultry Sci. 12:261—265. Byerly, T. C , and M. W. Olsen, 1936. Lethality of embryo malpositions in the domestic fowl. Poultry Sci. 15:158-162. El-Ibiary, H. M., C. S. Shaffner and E. F. Godfrey, 1966. Hatchability of eggs set small end up. Poultry Sci. 45:419-420.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at FU BerlinFB Humanmedizin on April 30, 2015