Abstract
Abstract Monitoring the life status of a developing embryo is very useful, especially during last days of incubation when hatching could potentially be assisted if deemed necessary. A commercially available digital egg monitor (Buddy, Vetronic Services, Devon, UK) uses noninvasive methodology to monitor the heart rate of an embryo by measuring the amount of infrared light absorbed by embryonic blood. Thirty specific pathogen-free (SPF) chicken eggs (29 fertile) were incubated at 37.8 ± 0.1°C and the heart rate of each embryo was measured. Heart rates were first detectable in 13 eggs at day 6 of incubation. At day 7, an average heart rate of 170 ± 20 beats/min was detected in all 29 fertile eggs, which is comparable to reported values. Ten additional SPF chicken eggs were evaluated at day 13 of incubation to test the effects of ambient temperature changes on embryonic heart rate. Embryonic heart rates dropped from 262 to 106 beats/min in eggs kept at room temperature (25°C) for 90 minutes and to <60 beats/...
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