Table Of ContentFACTORS AFFECTING INCUBATION TIME AND
CHICK QUALITY
MARIA ELENA SUAREZ OPORTA
A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL
OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT
OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
1993
With love to
My husband Carlos Miguel Garcia-Bojalil
My daughter Carla Denisse Garcia-Bojalil
My
family
TABLE OF CONTENTS
page
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS v
LIST OF TABLES vii
ABSTRACT
xii
CHAPTERS
INTRODUCTION
1 1
2 LITERATURE REVIEW 4
Chick Weight 4
Weight Loss 6
Incubation Time 7
Egg Composition 9
Factors Affecting Embryo Development 11
Effect of Low Temperature During Incubation on the
Immune System 16
3 STRAIN AND AGE OF THE FEMALE EFFECTS ON
CHARACTERISTICS OF BROILER BREEDER EGGS DURING
INCUBATION 19
Introduction 19
Materials and Methods 21
Experiment 21
1
Experiment 2 22
Statistical Analysis 24
Results and Discussion 25
Set Weight 25
Transfer Weight 26
Process Weight 27
Hatch Weight 27
Weight Loss 27
Hatch Time 38
Total Hatchability and Embryonic Mortality 38
III
Egg Components 46
4 LOW TEMPERATURE EFFECTS ON EMBRYO DEVELOPMENT
AND HATCH TIME 58
Introduction 58
Materials and Methods 60
Experiment 62
1
Experiment 2 63
Experiment 3 64
Experiment 4 64
Experiment 5 65
Statistical Analysis 65
Results and Discussion 66
Pearson and Partial Correlations 66
Transfer Weight, Chick Weight, Weight Loss,
and Hatch Time 68
Transfer Weight 69
Hatch Weight 70
Process Weight 71
Weight Loss 72
Hatch Time 73
Embryonic Mortality 91
5 LOW INCUBATION TEMPERATURE EFFECTS ON HEMATOLOGY
AND GROWTH OF POSTHATCH BROILER CHICKS 105
Introduction 105
Materials and Methods 106
Experiment 106
1
Experiment 2 107
Experiments 107
Experiment 4 108
Statistical Analysis 109
Results and Discussion 110
White Blood Cells 110
Growth Performance 118
6 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 123
REFERENCES
131
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH 142
IV
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author expresses her deepest gratitude to Dr. Jack L. Fry and Dr.
Richard D. Miles for their encouragement and assistance in initiating her
graduate program, and to Dr. Henry R. Wilson for his guidance and assistance
throughout her graduate program and for sharing his knowledge in this area of
research. Special thanks go to Dr. Charles J. Wilcox and Dr. F. Ben Mather,
committee members, for their assistance and for allowing the author to benefit
from their knowledge. Appreciation is extended to Dr. Don R. Sloan and Dr.
Carl Direlle Baird, committee members, who contributed to the accomplishment
of this goai. Special appreciation is extended to Arbor Acres, Inc. and Mr. Bill
N. McPherson for furnishing eggs and other assistance.
The author is indebted to Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia for
scholarship funding, to Centro de Ganaderia, Colegio de Postgraduados for
providing the means with which to further her education, and to Dr. Miguel
Garcia-Winder for his confidence and support.
This work would not have been completed without the technical
assistance of Alan R. Eldred, Dr. Kristine Kuchinski, Dr. Carlos M. Garcia-Bojalil
and the contribution of all Poultry Research Unit Personnel during the execution
of the trials and my friends Raquel and Jorge.
V
special thanks go to Dr. C. W. Comer and Mss. Rita Busby for their
friendship and contribution throughout the learning experience of the author.
Gratitude is given to the Poultry Science Department for providing
financial assistance in the initiation of her graduate program.
VI
LIST OF TABLES
Table page
3- 1 Probability values from least squares analysis
of variance and orthogonal contrasts for
characteristics of broiler breeder eggs affected
by strain and age of female breeders,
Experiment 1 28
3- 2 Least squares means for characteristics of broiler
breeder eggs by strain and age of female breeders,
Experiment 30
1
3- 3 Probability values from least squares analysis of
variance and orthogonal contrasts for
characteristics of broiler breeder eggs affected
by strain and age of female breeders.
Experiment 2 33
3- 4 Probability values of orthogonal contrasts for
characteristics of broiler breeder eggs affected
by strain and age of female breeder.
Experiment 2 34
3- 5 Least squares means for characteristics of broiler
breeder eggs by strain and age of female breeders.
Experiment 2 35
3- 6 Pearson and partial correlation coefficients
between characteristics of broiler breeder eggs
during incubation. Experiment 2 39
3- 7 Probability values from categorical analysis and
orthogonal contrasts for total hatchability of
broiler breeder eggs affected by strain and age
of female breeders. Experiment 1 40
3- 8 Total hatchability of broiler breeder eggs by
strain and age of female breeders.
Experiment 1 41
aa
VII
3- 9 Probability values from categorical analysis and
orthogonal contrasts for embryonic mortality of
broiler breeder eggs affected by strain and age
of female breeders, Experiment 2 43
3-10 Embryonic mortality of broiler breeder eggs by
strain and age of female breeders, Experiment 2 44
3-
3-1 1 Probability values from least squares analysis of
variance and orthogonal contrasts for egg weight
and percentage of egg components affected by
strain and age of female breeders. Experiment 2 47
12 Least squares means for egg weight and percentage of
egg components by strain and age of female breeders.
Experiment 2 49
4- 1 Pearson and partial correlation coefficients between
characteristics of broiler breeder eggs exposed to
cold stress during incubation. Experiment 1 67
4- 2 Probability values from least squares analysis of
variance for characteristics of broiler breeder eggs
exposed to cold stress during incubation.
Experiment 1 "74
4- 3 Least squares means for characteristics of broiler
breeder eggs exposed to cold stress during incubation.
Experiment 75
1
4- 4 Probability values of orthogonal contrasts for
characteristics of broiler breeder eggs exposed to
cold stress during incubation versus a group incubated
under normal conditions. Experiment 1 77
4- 5 Probability values from least squares analysis of
variance for characteristics of White Leghorn eggs
exposed to cold stress during incubation.
Experiment 2 78
4- 6 Least squares means for characteristics of White
Leghorn eggs exposed to cold stress during
incubation. Experiment 2 79
••«
VIII
4- 7 Probability values of orthogonal contrasts for
characteristics of White Leghorn eggs exposed
to cold stress during incubation versus a group
incubated under normal conditions,
Experiment 2 80
4- 8 Probability values from least squares analysis of
variance for characteristics of broiler breeder eggs
exposed to cold stress during incubation,
Experiment 3 81
4- 9 Least squares means for characteristics of broiler
breeder eggs exposed to cold stress during incubation.
Experiment 3 82
4-10 Probability values of orthogonal contrasts for
characteristics of broiler breeder eggs exposed to cold
stress during incubation versus a group incubated under
normal conditions. Experiment 3 83
4-1 1 Probability values from least squares analysis of
variance and orthogonal contrasts for characteristics
of broiler breeder eggs exposed to cold stress during
incubation. Experiment 4 84
4-12 Least squares means for characteristics of broiler
breeder eggs exposed to cold stress during incubation.
Experiment 4 85
4-13 Probability values from least squares analysis of
variance for characteristics of broiler breeder eggs
exposed to cold stress during incubation.
Experiment 5 86
4-14 Probability values of orthogonal contrasts for
characteristics of broiler breeder eggs exposed to
cold stress during incubation. Experiment 5 87
4-15 Categorical analysis and orthogonal contrasts of
factors involved in total embryonic mortality of
broiler breeder eggs exposed to cold stress during
incubation. Experiment 1 94
4-16 Embryonic mortality of broiler breeder eggs exposed
to cold stress during incubation. Experiment 1 95
IX
4-17 Embryonic mortality of broiler breeder eggs exposed
to cold stress during incubation, Experiment 1 96
4-18 Categorical analysis and orthogonal contrasts of
factors involved in total embryonic mortality
of White Leghorn eggs exposed to cold stress
during incubation, Experiment 2 98
4-19 Embryonic mortality of White Leghorn eggs exposed
to cold stress during incubation. Experiment 2 99
4-20 Categorical analysis and orthogonal contrasts of
factors involved in total embryonic mortality of
broiler breeder eggs exposed to cold stress during
incubation. Experiment 3 100
4-21 Embryonic mortality of broiler breeder eggs exposed
4- to cold stress during incubation. Experiment 3 101
4-22 Embryonic mortality and orthogonal contrasts of broiler
breeder eggs exposed to cold stress during incubation.
Experiment 4 102
4-23 Categorical analysis and orthogonal contrasts of
factors involved in total embryonic mortality of
broiler breeder eggs exposed to cold stress during
incubation. Experiment 5 103
24 Embryonic mortality of broiler breeder eggs exposed
to cold stress during incubation. Experiment 5 104
5- 1 Probability values from least squares analysis of
variance and orthogonal contrasts for body weight
and white blood cells of 1-day old broiler chicks
exposed to cold stress during incubation.
Experiment 112
1
5- 2 Least squares means of body weight and percentage of
components of white blood cells of 1-day old broiler
chicks exposed to cold stress during incubation.
Experiment 113
1
5- 3 Probability values from least squares analysis of
variance for body weight and blood cells of 1-day
old broiler chicks exposed to cold stress during
incubation. Experiment 2 114
X
