Paternal influences on turkey embryonic growth in the absence of changes in egg weight and eggshell conductance

Department of Poultry Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27695-7608, USA. vern_christensen@ncsu.edu

The hypothesis was proposed that embryonic growth could be influenced paternally in the absence of changes in egg weight or eggshell conductance. Sire families were established by selecting 11 sires based on blood sampling of approximately 50 commercial turkey males. Southern blot analysis was used to identify the most distantly related individuals in the subpopulation. Five hen siblings or half-siblings of the males were randomly assigned to each male to randomize effects of egg size and eggshell conductance. Artificial inseminations were performed weekly for 17 wk, using each sire with the assigned hens. Fertilized eggs were collected and set in incubators at biweekly intervals. Offspring were observed at the time of hatching for sex, body weight, and blood glucose concentration. Significant differences among sires were observed at hatching for poult weights and blood glucose concentration, and a significant correlation between the BW and glucose concentration was noted. Progeny of sires with the highest and lowest BW and blood glucose concentrations were subsequently compared. Mean BW of poults from different sires differed by as much as 10 g, although they were hatched from eggs of the same weight. Elevated blood glucose was associated with heavier BW; heavier heart, liver, and muscle weights; a rapid utilization of glycogen at pipping; and increased gluconeogenesis as measured by plasma organic acids and glucose-6-phosphatase activity. We conclude that poult embryonic growth differs even when not mediated by egg size and functional characteristics.