Abstract
Due to its central position in the production chain, in-ovo development is influenced by pre-incubation factors that affect the quality of embryonated eggs and incubation conditions themselves, and both may influence egg hatchability and chick quality, as well as bird survival, growth performance, and phenotype in the field. The evolution of the incubation process over the years is characterized by significant scientific and technological development. Presently, the main current focuses of research are the manipulation of thermal incubation conditions, eggshell temperature, and the integrated effects of factors that influence incubation. In this context, one of the questions that needs to be asked is how effective are the current physical conditions of incubation to promote greater hatchability and better quality chicks, and higher survival and better performance in the field under adverse conditions or not. What are the new and future prospects for incubation? The purpose of this paper was to review the role of the physical agents of incubation, such as temperature, relative humidity, O2 and CO2 concentration, and egg turning and position from an integrated perspective, considering egg incubation as the transitional link between egg and poultry production.
Highlights
Over the past 50 years, global annual meat production has almost quadrupled from 78 million tons in 1963 to 308 million tons in 2015, achieving an impressive growth from about 205 million tons to 319 million tons between 1995 and 2015
Eggs lose heat by evaporation by the diffusion of water molecules through the eggshell pores as a result of the higher water vapor pressure inside the eggs relative to the outside. This means that evaporative heat loss is determined by eggshell conductance, which depends on eggshell pore number, size, and shape; and on the incubation physical conditions established by temperature, air relative humidity, air movement, and egg turning
Bahadoran et al (2010) found that early hypoxia, followed by normoxia reduces the duration of incubation, reduces the incidence of ascites, and improves the feed conversion ratio and body weight of 42-d-old broilers reared in normoxia. All these results indicate that the first half of incubation (1-11 days of incubation) is the critical window for the adverse effects of hypoxia on in-ovo development, while the second half is the critical window for the compensatory response of organs to hypoxia
Summary
Over the past 50 years, global annual meat production has almost quadrupled from 78 million tons in 1963 to 308 million tons in 2015, achieving an impressive growth from about 205 million tons to 319 million tons between 1995 and 2015. In order to meet this high demand for poultry meat, hatcheries need to maximize chick production, and this entails the incubation of more fertile eggs. Scientific knowledge on incubation acquired over the years shows that the physical factors to which the eggs are subjected before and during incubation determine the production efficiency of hatcheries and poultry farms. Participation of the integrated effects of physical factors during ontogenetic development on the phenotype of poultry during the different stages of production
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