• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.541-544
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• 1992

Duck eggs from Indigenous (desi), Khaki Campbell and Crossbred (Indian Runner $\times$ Khaki Campbell, $F_1$) were incubated to investigate fertility, hatchability and other related traits. The fertility was highest in crossbred followed by Khaki Campbell and Indigenous ducks respectively. The embryonic mortality was highest in Khaki Campbell followed by Indigenous and crossbred respectively. The embryonic mortality was higher in eggs of 7 days pre-incubation holding period and lower in eggs of 3 days pre-incubation holding period. A significant positive correlation was found between temperature and embryonic mortality as well as relative humidity and embryonic mortality. The hatchability on fertile eggs was highest in crossbred ducks and almost similar in both Khaki Campbell and Indigenous ducks. The hatchability was higher in eggs stored for 3 days in comparison with that of 7 days pre-incubation holding period. A negative correlation was found between temperature and hatchability as well as humidity and hatchability. The normal ducklings hatched out from the eggs of Khaki Campbell ducks was highest followed by Indigenous and crossbred respectively. There was a negative correlation between temperature and normal ducklings hatched as well as relative humidity and normal ducklings hatched. The preincubation holding temperature and relative humidity had positive correlation with dead-in-shell.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.240-245
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• 2010

The effects of controlled energy restriction and duration of pre-incubation egg holding on fertility, hatchability and hatch losses were evaluated in aged broiler breeders (64 wk). The energy (ME) required for maintenance, activity, growth and anticipated egg production was calculated and offered to a control group (283-471 kcal/kg) from 21-64 weeks of age. In three other groups, ME was quantitatively reduced either by 20% (SER; severe energy restriction) or 10% (MER; moderate energy restriction) and increased by10% (EEF; excess energy feeding) over the control group (CER; controlled energy restriction). Each diet was offered to 130 pullets in individual cages, and the quantity of ME increased with age. At the end of 64 weeks, fertile eggs were collected from each dietary group for 11 consecutive days and grouped under 4 holding periods based on the length of storage (2, 5, 8 or 11 d). The influence of energy regimes, egg holding intervals and their interaction was evaluated on fertility, hatch losses and hatchability. Broiler breeders maintained on SER regime (231-419 kcal/d) produced maximum number of eggs (993) followed by MER (819), CER (624) and EEF (438) during the 11-day period. The percent fertility and hatchability was significantly (p$\leq$0.05) higher in SER and MER groups compared to CER and EEF. However, energy regimes did not influence the loss in egg weight during pre-incubation storage, shell weight, shell thickness or hatch losses as dead germs and dead in shell. The improvement in hatchability in SER and MER groups appeared to be closely related to higher fertility and lower embryonic mortality. Holding of eggs for 11 days showed a linear loss in egg weight with the length of storage, but did not influence the fertility and hatch losses. The percent hatchability on eggs set was maximum when storage period was restricted to 5 days. The interaction between energy regimes and egg holding periods exhibited better hatchability results with SER regime when eggs were held for 5 days. Response to MER was not different from SER. It was obvious that energy restriction during production period had a positive influence on egg number, fertility and hatchability in aged breeders. At 64 weeks of age, holding of fertile eggs for 5 days prior to incubation was adequate for optimum hatchability in breeders.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.89-94
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• 2002

This study was performed to evaluate effects of different holding temperatures and storing periods during the pre-incubation period on egg hatchability of hens egg in broiler breeders. For the treatments 1(T1)~7(T7), which were stored fur 1(T1) to 7 days(T7) before egg incubation, respectively. There were three replicates per treatment and forty eggs per replicate. This study was performed twice, which were 40(Summer) and 50 weeks of age(Autumn) in broiler breeders. Storing ambient temperature of egg, egg weight, at 0 and 18 days during incubation, fertility, hatchability and embryo mortality were examined. Average hatchability was rapidly decreased only in Summer. Although it was not significantly different in Autumn. This experiment was concluded that storing periods of hatchery egg was influenced hatchability, especially in high ambient temperature conditions(Summer, above $25^{\circ}C$ ). In conclusion, we found out that optimum hatchability can be achieved with a storage temperature of 13 ~$19^{\circ}C$ for broiler breeder eggs stored for up to 7 days.