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The Effect of Broiler Breeder Genetic Strain and Parent Flock Age on Eggshell Conductance and Embryonic Metabolism

J. A. Hamidu^*, G. M. Fasenko^*,1, J. J. R. Feddes^*, E. E. O’Dea^*, C. A. Ouellette^*, M. J. Wineland and V. L. Christensen

^* Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2P5 Canada; and Department of Poultry Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27695

¹ Corresponding author: gaylene.fasenko{at}ualberta.ca

The effect of genetic strain (Ross 308; Cobb 500) and parent flock age [young (29 wk), peak (Ross = 34 wk; Cobb = 36 wk), postpeak (40 wk), mature (45 wk), old (55 wk), and very old (59 wk)] on eggshell conductance and embryonic metabolism were examined. At each flock age, eggs from each strain were incubated for 21.5 d in individual metabolic chambers to measure embryonic O₂ intake and CO₂ output. From these data, the respiratory quotient (RQ) and metabolic heat production were calculated. Data were analyzed by the GLM procedure of SAS at P 0.05. Neither strain nor flock age influenced conductance. Total embryonic O₂ consumption, CO₂ output, RQ, and metabolic heat production over the entire incubation period were not affected by strain. Daily differences existed between strains for embryonic O₂ intake (1, 7, 16, 17, 19, 20 d of incubation), CO₂ output (1 to 4, 16 to 20 d of incubation), and heat production (4, 7, 16 to 19 d of incubation). Embryos from young, mature, old, and very old flocks produced significantly more total embryonic heat over the entire 21 d (1,712, 1,677, 1,808, and 1,832, respectively) than embryos from peak (1,601) and postpeak (1,693) flocks. Average RQ for the entire incubation period was higher in embryos from mature flocks compared with all other flock ages. Daily differences among embryos from different flock ages were shown for O₂ consumption (all but d 8 of incubation), CO₂ production (all but d 7 and 9 of incubation), and heat output. The results showed that genetic strain and parent flock age influence daily embryonic metabolism, especially during the early and latter days of incubation. These daily differences coincide with the days of incubation having a higher incidence of embryonic mortality; these 2 factors may be related. Further investigation into the relationship between embryonic metabolic heat production and mortality during incubation may lead to the development of specific incubation conditions for different genetic strains and flock ages.

Key Words: breeder strain • flock age • O₂ consumption • CO₂ production • embryonic metabolism

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