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Effect of Four Percent Carbon Dioxide During the Second Half of Incubation on Embryonic Development, Hatching Parameters, and Posthatch Growth

N. Everaert^*,1, B. Kamers, A. Witters^*, L. De Smit^*, M. Debonne^*, E. Decuypere^* and V. Bruggeman^*

^* Department of Biosystems, Division Livestock-Nutrition-Quality, and Department of Biosystems, Division Mechatronics, Biostatistics and Sensors, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium

¹ Corresponding author: nadia.everaert{at}biw.kuleuven.be

In this study, broiler embryos were exposed during the second half of incubation [embryonic day (ED) 10 until ED18] to 4% CO₂. The CO₂ was set to reach 2% on ED11 and 4% from ED12 onward. Two experiments were conducted with the same setup. Embryo weight was measured and partial pressure of CO₂ and O₂ in the air cell was analyzed at several embryonic ages. Times of internal pipping, external pipping, and hatching were recorded. Chicks were raised until d 7 posthatch. Plasma corticosterone, triiodothyronine, and thyroxine concentrations were determined. Embryonic growth was not retarded and hatchability did not decrease in the CO₂-incubated group, demonstrating that chicken embryos can tolerate high (4%) concentrations of CO₂ between ED10 and ED18. In the first experiment, partial pressure of CO₂ in the air cell was significantly higher in the CO₂ group on ED11, ED12, ED13, and ED14, but disappeared thereafter. This difference was not observed in the second experiment. A change in the hatching process of the CO₂ group was seen. Relative growths of newly hatched chicks until d 7 posthatch were equal in the CO₂ group and the control group. However, corticosterone and thyroxine concentrations were significantly higher in the CO₂-incubated chicks on d 7 posthatch.

Key Words: high CO₂ • incubation • tolerance • broiler line

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