Improved hatchability and posthatch performance in turkey poults receiving a dextrin-iodinated casein solution in ovo

Bibliographical Mapping of Research into the Relationship between In Ovo Injection Practice and Hatchability in Poultry

Recent advances in poultry practice have produced new tools enabling the poultry industry to increase productivity. Aiming at increasing production quality, varying protocols of in ovo injection facilitate the introduction of exogenous substances into the egg to complement the nutrients that support embryonic development up to hatching, which are already available in the internal and external compartments. Due to embryonic sensitivity, adding any substance into the egg can be either advantageous or disadvantageous for embryonic survival and can influence hatch rates. Thus, understanding the relationship between poultry practices and production rates is the first step towards successful commercial application. This review aims to assess the influence on hatch rates of injecting different substances in ovo, including effects on embryo and chick health parameters where these are reported. Bibliographic mappings of co-authorship of citations, co-occurrence of keywords, and bibliographic coupling based on the in ovo injection technique and hatchability parameters were also performed. Using the Scopus database, 242 papers were retrieved, reviewed, and submitted for bibliographic mapping using the VOSviewer^® software. This review provides a broad overview of just over 38 years' research on the subject, revealing that studies have significantly increased and peaked in 2020, being produced primarily by US researchers and published primarily in the journal Poultry Science. It also reveals that despite negative reports relating to some substances in the embryo, in ovo delivery of substances may possibly change the poultry industry for the better in terms of production rates (hatchability) and/or poultry health.

Physiological effects of in ovo delivery of bioactive substances in broiler chickens

The poultry industry has improved genetics, nutrition, and management practices, resulting in fast-growing chickens; however, disturbances during embryonic development may affect the entire production cycle and cause irreversible losses to broiler chicken producers. The most crucial time in the chicks' development appears to be the perinatal period, which encompasses the last few days of pre-hatch and the first few days of post-hatch. During this critical period, intestinal development occurs rapidly, and the chicks undergo a metabolic and physiological shift from the utilization of egg nutrients to exogenous feed. However, the nutrient reserve of the egg yolk may not be enough to sustain the late stage of embryonic development and provide energy for the hatching process. In addition, modern hatchery practices cause a delay in access to feed immediately post-hatch, and this can potentially affect the intestinal microbiome, health, development, and growth of the chickens. Development of the in ovo technology allowing for the delivery of bioactive substances into chicken embryos during their development represents a way to accommodate the perinatal period, late embryo development, and post-hatch growth. Many bioactive substances have been delivered through the in ovo technology, including carbohydrates, amino acids, hormones, prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics, antibodies, immunostimulants, minerals, and microorganisms with a variety of physiological effects. In this review, we focused on the physiological effects of the in ovo delivery of these substances, including their effects on embryo development, gastrointestinal tract function and health, nutrient digestion, immune system development and function, bone development, overall growth performance, muscle development and meat quality, gastrointestinal tract microbiota development, heat stress response, pathogens exclusion, and birds metabolism, as well as transcriptome and proteome. We believe that this method is widely underestimated and underused by the poultry industry.

Effect of in ovo feeding of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate on hatchability, muscle growth and performance in prenatal and posthatch broilers

BACKGROUND

β-Hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) is the metabolite of leucine that plays an important role in muscle protein metabolism. The objective of the present study was to determine the effects of in ovo feeding (IOF) of HMB at 7 days of incubation (DOI) via air cell or 18 DOI via amnion on hatchability, muscle growth and performance in prenatal and posthatch broilers.

RESULTS

IOF of HMB via air cell at 7 DOI increased hatchability by 4.34% compared with the control (89.67% versus 85.33%). Birds in IOF groups exhibited higher body weight, average daily body weight gain and pectoral muscle percentage. Furthermore, IOF of HMB significantly increased the level of plasma growth hormone, insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1. Chicks hatched from IOF treatment had larger diameters of muscle fiber and higher mitotic activity of satellite cells at early posthatch age. IOF of HMB activated satellite cells by upregulation of mRNA expression of myogenic transcription factors, myogenic differentiation one (MyoD) and myogenin. Chicks hatched from air cell injection group had higher pectoral muscle percentage at 5 d posthatch and greater satellite cell mitotic activity at 7 d posthatch than counterparts from amnion injection group.

CONCLUSIONS

IOF of HMB via amnion at 18 DOI or especially via air cell at 7 DOI could be used as an effective approach to enhance hatchability, productive performance and breast muscle yield in broilers. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of in ovo feeding of amino acids and dextrose solutions on hatchability, body weight, intestinal development and liver glycogen reserves in newborn chicks

Early development of the digestive tract is crucial for achieving maximal growth and development of chickens. This study examined the effects of in ovo (IO) feeding of 0.70 mL of dextrose (10.00% and 20.00%) or amino acids solutions into the yolk sac at day 14 of incubation on small intestine histomorphometry and histomorphology, intestinal development, hatchability, body weight, and liver glycogen reserves in newborn chicks. Results showed body weight in amino acid fed hatchlings was higher than control and dextrose groups non-significantly, but hatchability was lower in amino acid group than others. Also, diameter of glycogen vacuoles in all IO treatment groups was more than control. Administration of exogenous dextrose and amino acids solutions into the yolk sac enhanced intestinal development by increasing the size and surface area of the villi and changed villi shape as well. It seems that dextrose or amino acids solutions could improve the intestinal villi development, while they did not affect finger-like villi in jejunum.

Prospects of in ovo feeding and nutrient supplementation for poultry: the science and commercial applications--a review

In ovo supplementation of poultry embryos was first reported several decades ago, but it is only recently that concerted research has been directed at developing the technology for this process to be routinely used by the poultry industry. Although the technology of in ovo feeding was patented more than 10 years ago, it has not been widely adopted by the poultry industry. This review examines the early development of the enteric system of the poultry embryo; defines and distinguishes between in ovo feeding and in ovo nutrient administration; highlights the importance of early feeding of the chick; and discusses the development of in ovo feeding technology and its effects on hatchability, growth, gut health and immune response of chicks. The range of possible nutrients that can be administered is also explored. The limitations associated with embryo development and nutrient metabolism are highlighted, leading to the prediction of the future role of in ovo feeding in the poultry industry.

Effects of in ovo injection of carbohydrates on embryonic metabolism, hatchability, and subsequent somatic characteristics of broiler hatchlings

The effects of the in ovo injection of different carbohydrate solutions on the internal egg temperature (IT), hatchability, and time of hatch of embryonated Ross × Ross 708 broiler hatching eggs were determined. In addition, the BW, liver weight, yolk sac weight (YSW), and yolk-free BW (YFBW) of the embryos on d 19.5 of incubation and of the chicks on day of hatch were determined. Eggs containing live embryos were injected in the amnion on d 18.5 of incubation using an automated multiple-egg injector. Solution injections delivered 1.2 mL of physiological saline (0.85%) alone or with a supplemental carbohydrate. The following supplemental carbohydrates were separately dissolved in saline at a concentration of 0.3 g/mL: glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, and dextrin. Temperature transponders were implanted in the air cells of embryonated and nonembryonated eggs after in ovo injection for the detection of IT at 6, 14, and 22 h after injection. The IT of embryonated eggs was significantly greater than that of nonembryonated eggs at all 3 times after the treatment period. Eggs that were injected with saline with or without supplemental carbohydrates experienced a reduction in IT when compared with control eggs whose shells were perforated without solution delivery, and the decrease in IT was associated with a delay in hatch time. Liver weight was negatively related to YSW and positively related to YFBW, and YSW was negatively related to YFBW. Although the saline and carbohydrate solution injections increased chick BW compared with noninjected controls, chick YFBW was decreased in the maltose- and sucrose-injected groups. In conclusion, the injection of 1.2 mL of saline with or without supplemental carbohydrates lowered embryonic metabolism, as reflected by a lower IT and a delay in time of hatch. However, effects of the different carbohydrate solutions on yolk absorption and tissue deposition in yolk-free embryos varied. These results suggest that lower volumes for solutions containing maltose, sucrose, or fructose should be considered for in ovo injection.