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Title: Effects of multistage or single-stage incubation on broiler chick quality and performance.

Author
item FAIRCHILD, B - UGA POULTRY SCI DEPT
item MAULDIN, J - UGA POULTRY SCI DEPT
item Buhr, Richard - Jeff

Submitted to: Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/15/2007
Publication Date: 7/8/2007
Citation: Fairchild, B.D., Mauldin, J.M., Buhr, R.J. 2007. Effects of multistage or single-stage incubation on broiler chick quality and performance. Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract. 86:(Suppl. 1)503, P.403.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Single-stage (SS) incubation has benefit over multistage (MS) incubation by matching incubator environment to embryo needs. Eggs from a young breeder flock may be incubated diffeerently than eggs from old flocks. Information on chick quality and performance are scarce. The objective of this study was to compare quality and performance of chicks of three breeder flock ages when incubated in MS or SS. Heritage chicks from young, prime and old flocks were incubated at a broiler hatchery in either Jamesway MS or SS incubators. Chicks (450) from each treatment were placed in floor pens and provided standard dites and water ad libitum. Each pen contained 55 chicks with 0.7 ft2 per bird. Feed and BW were obtained at 0, 7, and 21 d and mortality monitored daily. On hatch day, BW with and without yolk, liver, heart and intestine wt and length were obtained from 10 chicks from each treatment. Data were arranged in a 2x3 factorial and analyzed by the DLM procedure of SAS. Chicks from SS were larger than MS chicks. Relative organ wt was not different. Risidual yolk and intestinal wt per mm of intestine were greater in SS than MS. Chick BW from old breeders were larger than chicks from prime breeders which were larger than those from young breeders. An age difference in residual yolk was noted and followed the same trend as chick BW. There was an interaction between breeder age and incubation treatment for intestinal length and relative liver wt. MS incubation did not influence breeder age effects on either variable. However, SS incubation increased intestinal lengthin chicks from prime flocks compared to other ages. Relative liver wt were greater in SS chicks from young breeder flocks than other ages. No differences in SS and MS treatments were noted after hatch. By 7 d, significant effects were due to breeder age in feed consumed, BW and feed conversion. At 21 d, no differences in BW were noted, but chicks from young breeder flocks had better feed conversion. SS incubation appears to improve some characteristics associated with chich quality and may improve 7 d performance. However these differences were not observed at 21 d.