Abstract
A study was carried out to evaluate the effect of broiler breeder age on the development of the digestive tract of embryos and chicks. Fertilized eggs Cobb from 30 and 60 week-old broiler breeder was utilized in this experiment. The results showed that eggs from older (60 weeks of age) broiler breeders were heavier (p = 0.001) than those from younger (30 weeks of age) broiler breeder. In addition, older broiler breeder had larger (p = 0.001) embryos showing a higher yolk sac (p = 0.001) and higher gastrointestinal tract relative weight (p = 0.007) than those from younger broiler breeder. The activities of pancreatic lipase and trypsin enzymes were also higher in embryos from older broiler breeder than those from younger broiler breeder (p = 0.001 and p = 0.002, respectively). Nevertheless, at the seven-day-old chick, no difference was observed in relative weight of gastrointestinal tract or pancreatic lipase and trypsin activities between older and younger broiler breeder age. However chicks from older broiler breeder were heavier than those from younger broiler breeder (p = 0.005). These data suggest that broiler breeder age is important on grower and on the development of the gastrointestinal tract and pancreatic lipase and trypsin activities of embryo. However after one week of hatching the morphophysiological difference disappear.
Highlights
As the broiler breeder ages, it produces bigger ovarian follicles, which results in larger eggs with larger yolks
Heavier embryos and yolk sacs were seen in eggs from older broiler breeders than eggs from young broiler breeders in the last week of incubation (Maiorka et al, 2000)
The results showed higher lipase and trypsin activities in embryos from older broiler breeders as compared to those from younger broiler breeders, which suggest that broiler breeder age affect morphology and physiology development of the intestinal tract during incubation
Summary
As the broiler breeder ages, it produces bigger ovarian follicles, which results in larger eggs with larger yolks. Eggs from older broiler breeders are heavier than those from younger broiler breeders. The increase in ovulation intervals is followed by an increase in egg size, as the same amount of yolk from hepatic synthesis is added to a lower number of follicles (Zakaria et al, 1983). There is a high correlation between egg weight and chick weight at hatching (Wilson, 1991). Broiler breeder age influences the time of incubation. Mather & Laughlin (1979) showed that eggs from older broiler breeders hatch first than those from younger broiler breeders, and this could be related to embryo development Broiler breeder age influences the time of incubation. Mather & Laughlin (1979) showed that eggs from older broiler breeders hatch first than those from younger broiler breeders, and this could be related to embryo development
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