Abstract
Storing hatchable eggs is a common practice in commercial hatcheries. However, storage time may negative effects on several performance parameters. An experiment was carried out to evaluate inverting egg position during storage of eggs laid by young and old layer breeders. Fertile eggs of 32 and 58-week-old breeders were stored for seven, 14, and 21 days at 18oC ± 2oC and 80% ± 10% relative humidity (RU). The following parameters were evaluated: egg weight loss, hatchability and hatchling weight, and embryodiagnosis results. Eggs stored with the small end up lost less weight during storage compared with the control eggs. Storing eggs for 14 days with the small end up reduced early embryo mortality, improving hatchability. In addition, hatchling weight increased. These results show that the detrimental effects of long storage periods may be alleviated when eggs are stored with the small end up to 14 days of storage.
Highlights
The storage of hatchable eggs is a common, and often necessary, practice in commercial hatcheries
Stored eggs are influenced by several factors, including environmental conditions, genetics, flock age, egg chemical and physical characteristics, embryo development stage, and storage time, which will affect hatchability and hatchling quality (Schmidt et al, 2002)
Proper storage conditions are required to prevent any detrimental changes in embryo development resulting from long storage periods in order to obtain good incubation results
Summary
The storage of hatchable eggs is a common, and often necessary, practice in commercial hatcheries. Stored eggs are influenced by several factors, including environmental conditions, genetics, flock age, egg chemical and physical characteristics, embryo development stage, and storage time, which will affect hatchability and hatchling quality (Schmidt et al, 2002). Schmidt et al (2002) suggested that evaporation could be reduced by turning the eggs with the small end up after seven days of storage This would prevent the yolk, with the blastoderm on its surface, to float up and adhering to the air cell, in addition of reducing albumen water loss. This practice should be applied for eggs stored for periods longer than seven days, and obviously, the eggs need to be turned upside down before setting
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