Effects of temperature and CO2 during the final 4 days of incubation on chick quality

C. M. Maatjens1, I. A. M. Reijrink1, R. Molenaar1, C. W. van der Pol1, B. Kemp2, H. van den Brand2

1HatchTech B.V., P.O. Box 256, 3900 AG Veenendaal, The Netherlands. 2Adaptation Physiology Group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands.

The goal of a hatchery is a high hatchability and a good chick quality, resulting in a good performance in later life. To optimize embryo development during incubation and thereby chick quality, incubation conditions need to be controlled and adapted to the requirements of the embryo. Temperature has been shown to be of major importance for optimal embryo development and growth (French, 1994).

A constant eggshell temperature (EST) of 37.8°C until day 18 of incubation has been shown to be the optimal temperature to gain the lowest embryo mortality, highest hatchability and optimal embryo development, expressed in a longer chick length, and higher yolk free body mass (YFBM) at day of hatch (Lourens et al., 2005).

However, little is known about the effect of applying different eggshell temperatures, simultaneously with different CO2-levels from day 18 till 21 of incubation on embryo physiology, development, and chick quality. Therefore, it can be speculated that when eggshell temperatures lower or higher than 37.8°C in combination with different CO2-levels are applied during the last 4 days of incubation, an effect can be found on embryo physiology, development, and subsequent chick quality. Download the entire article via the button below.