Effects of egg storage time on spread of hatch, chick quality, and chick juvenile growth

A total of 1,800 incubating eggs produced by a commercial flock of Cobb broiler breeders was used to determine the effects of storage duration (3 or 18 d) on spread of hatch and chick quality. Chick relative growth (RG) at the end of 7 d of rearing was also determined as a measure of the chick performance. Chick quality was defined to encompass several qualitative characteristics and scored according to their importance. Eggs stored for 3 d hatched earlier than those stored for 18 d (P < 0.05). Hatching was normally distributed in both categories of eggs, and the spread of hatch was not affected by storage time (P = 0.69). Storage duration of 18 d reduced the percentage of day-old chick with high quality as well as average chick quality score (P < 0.05). RG varied with length of egg storage, quality of day-old chick, and the incubation duration (P < 0.05). Eighteen-day storage of eggs not only resulted in longer incubation duration and lower quality score but also depressed RG. Chick quality as defined in this study was correlated to RG and storage time. It was concluded that day-old chick quality may be a relatively good indicator of broiler performance. The results suggest however that in order to improve performance prediction power of chick quality, it would be better to define it as a combination of several qualitative aspects of the day-old chick and the juvenile growth to 7 d.

Effect of Egg Rearing Temperature and Storage Time on the Biological Characteristics of the Predatory Stink Bug Podisus nigrispinus (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Unidade Haugh como medida da qualidade de ovos de galinha armazenados sob refrigeração

Alterations in physical, chemical and functional characteristics of egg proteins occur during storage. These changes depend on the storage conditions, mainly duration, temperature and relative humidity. This study examined the fresh egg Haugh unit score and the storage egg Haugh unit score, at room temperature (25°C) and under refrigeration conditions (8°C), during 7, 14 and 21 days of storage. Haugh units and albumin height decreased considerably during storage at room temperature. At 8°C, there was no significant difference in the Haugh unit for different periods of storage, but their values were smaller as compared to fresh eggs. The weight of the eggs was not affected by both storage and temperature. For both temperatures, pH was positively correlated with Haugh units and negatively with the albumin height.

Podisus nigrispinus (Dallas, 1851) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae): efeito do alimento e da temperatura de armazenamento de ovos no desenvolvimento do inseto

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Influence of egg pre-storage heating period and storage length on incubation results

This experiment aimed at evaluating the influence of different heating times of settable eggs of Cobb 500 (R) broiler breeders before submitting them to different storage periods on egg weight loss, embryo mortality, and hatchability. A total number of 1,980 eggs were distributed in a completely randomized experimental design with a 3 x 3 factorial arrangement, comprising nine treatments with 22 replicates of 10 eggs each. The following factors were analyzed: pre-storage heating periods (0, 6, 12 hours at 36.92 degrees C) and storage periods (4, 9, 14 days at 12.06 degrees C). After storage, eggs were incubated under usual conditions, and were transferred to the hatcher at 442 hours of incubation. Eggs were weighed before heating, incubation, and transference to determine weight loss. Partial hatchability was determined at 480 hours, and total hatchability at 498 hours of incubation. Embryo mortality was determined in non-hatched eggs. It was concluded that heating eggs for six hour before storage improves incubation results as it decreases incubation length and late embryo mortality, therefore its use can be indicated in commercial operations. Storing eggs for 14 days and pre-heating for 14 days and pre-heating for 12 hours severely impair incubation results, and therefore are not recommended.

Influence of egg pre-storage heating period and storage length on the digestive tract of newly-hatched broiler chicks

An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of different heating times of settable eggs of Cobb 500 (R) broiler breeders before submitting them to different storage periods on body weight, digestive tract organ weights, and intestinal mucosa morphology of newly-hatched chicks. Settable eggs were distributed in a completely randomized experimental design with a 3 x 3 factorial arrangement: pre-storage heating periods (0, 6, 12 hours at 36.92 degrees C) and storage periods (4, 9, 14 days at 12.06 degrees C). Body weight and relative weights of the yolk sac, heart, liver, proventriculus+gizzard, and intestinal segments were measured in chicks hatching at 480 and 498 hours of incubation. Villi height, width and perimeter, and crypt depth < im) were measured in duodenal histological sections. It was concluded that pre-storage healing for six hours of eggs stored for four or nine days increases small intestine weight of newly-hatched chicks, but does not influence the morphology of the duodenal mucosa. Pre-storage heating for 12 hours negatively influences body weight and duodenal mucosa development, and therefore this practice is not recommended. Storage length does not have consistent effect on body weight and development of the gastrointestinal tract.

Influence of egg pre-storage heating period and storage length on incubation results

This experiment aimed at evaluating the influence of different heating times of settable eggs of Cobb 500® broiler breeders before submitting them to different storage periods on egg weight loss, embryo mortality, and hatchability. A total number of 1,980 eggs were distributed in a completely randomized experimental design with a 3 x 3 factorial arrangement, comprising nine treatments with 22 replicates of 10 eggs each. The following factors were analyzed: pre-storage heating periods (0, 6, 12 hours at 36.92°C) and storage periods (4, 9, 14 days at 12.06°C). After storage, eggs were incubated under usual conditions, and were transferred to the hatcher at 442 hours of incubation. Eggs were weighed before heating, incubation, and transference to determine weight loss. Partial hatchability was determined at 480 hours, and total hatchability at 498 hours of incubation. Embryo mortality was determined in non-hatched eggs. It was concluded that heating eggs for six hour before storage improves incubation results as it decreases incubation length and late embryo mortality, therefore its use can be indicated in commercial operations. Storing eggs for 14 days and pre-heating for 14 days and pre-heating for 12 hours severely impair incubation results, and therefore are not recommended.

Influence of egg pre-storage heating period and storage length on the digestive tract of newly-hatched broiler chicks

An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of different heating times of settable eggs of Cobb 500® broiler breeders before submitting them to different storage periods on body weight, digestive tract organ weights, and intestinal mucosa morphology of newly-hatched chicks. Settable eggs were distributed in a completely randomized experimental design with a 3 x 3 factorial arrangement: pre-storage heating periods (0, 6, 12 hours at 36.92°C) and storage periods (4, 9, 14 days at 12.06°C). Body weight and relative weights of the yolk sac, heart, liver, proventriculus+gizzard, and intestinal segments were measured in chicks hatching at 480 and 498 hours of incubation. Villi height, width and perimeter, and crypt depth (ìm) were measured in duodenal histological sections. It was concluded that pre-storage heating for six hours of eggs stored for four or nine days increases small intestine weight of newly-hatched chicks, but does not influence the morphology of the duodenal mucosa. Pre-storage heating for 12 hours negatively influences body weight and duodenal mucosa development, and therefore this practice is not recommended. Storage length does not have consistent effect on body weight and development of the gastrointestinal tract.

Egg quality during storage and deposition of minerals in eggs from quails fed diets supplemented with organic selenium, zinc and manganese

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Effects of storage time on incubating egg gas pressure, thyroid hormones, and corticosterone levels in embryos and on their hatching parameters

Incubating eggs (1,800 total) produced by a commercial flock of Cobb broiler breeders were used to determine the effects of storage duration (3 and 18 d) on gas partial pressure, thyroid hormones, and hatching parameters. Partial pressure of oxygen (pO2) and carbon dioxide (pCO2) were measured on d 18 and at internal pipping (IP) during incubation. Blood samples were collected for determination of triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), and corticosterone concentrations in the embryos at IP and in newly hatched chicks. From 464 to 510 h of incubation, eggs were checked individually every 2 h to determine the timing and duration of IP, external pipping (EP), and total hatching time. At 18 d of incubation and at IP, pCO2 was greater in air cell of eggs stored for 3 d compared to those stored for 18 d (P < 0.05), but pO2 was greater in eggs stored for 18 d. At IP, T3 and corticosterone levels were higher in plasma of the embryos of eggs stored for 3 d compared to those stored for 18 d, but it was the reverse in newly hatched chicks (P < 0.05). Embryos from eggs stored for 18 d required more time to complete IP compared to embryos of eggs stored for only 3 d (P < 0.05), whereas the duration of EP was not affected by storage. The overall longer incubation was, however, not only due to prolonged IP but also to later occurrence of IP. It was concluded that prolonged IP as a result of long storage may be related to the late increase in corticosterone level, which may be a necessary stimulus for higher T 3/T4 ratio, late increase in pCO2 level, and decrease in pO2. The effect of long storage was a delay in hatching and a continuous increase in T3 due to higher corticosterone levels between IP and hatching, which may be an indication of the more stressful event of hatching of embryos from eggs stored longer. Differences in pCO2, pO2, T3, T4, and corticosterone levels in the incubating eggs may be manifestations of these changes culminating in altered hatching parameters and consequently differences in chick quality and growth potentials.

Effect of hen age, egg weight and storage system on physical properties of egg from white-egg laying hens

A total of 72 eggs from a group of 100 white laying hens housed in standard cages were analyzed. Thirty-six eggs were retired when the hens had 44 week of age and the other 36 eggs were retired eight weeks afterwards. Each group of 36 eggs was radomly divided in three groups of 12 eggs. First group was analyzed at once (storage system C); second one was kept during one week in the refrigerator (5ºC) (storage system R), and third group were kept also one week but on ambient temperature (25ºC) (storage system ET). The hen age, egg weight and storage system had not significant (P>0.05) effect on shell thickness. The specific gravity (SG) has a positive relation with shell quality. The egg class and storage system significantly (P<0,05) affected to SG, while no influence of bird age on this variable was observed. The yolk color increased with hen age but storage system had not effect on this variable. The increase of the hen age and the R and AT storage systems significantly (P<0.05) reduced albumen height (H) and the interaction hen age x storage system was significant (P<0.025) for this variable. The reduction of the H due to R and ET storage systems was higher in the eggs from hens with 52 weeks of age than in those from hens with 44 weeks of age. The Haugh units (HU) was significantly (P<0.05) affected by hen age, egg class and storage system. The hen age increase reduced HU and the R and ET eggs had lower HU than C eggs. It is concluded that the bird age and storage system with high temperatures reduced the egg quality.

Long-term storage and viability of Ochlerotatus albifasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae)

The viability of Ochlerotatus albifasciatus (Macquart) eggs stored at room temperature and at 5ºC was studied over 31 months. After 12, 18 and 31 months of storage, eggs were acclimatized at 22ºC for ten days, and then inundated twice every seven days. The effect of the storage period on the percentage of hatching was analyzed by one way ANOVA. Differences on the hatching response between the first and second flooding were analyzed by paired t-test. Differences on the hatching response between the two storage conditions were analyzed by Mann-Whitney rank test. Results showed that (1) Oc. albifasciatus eggs were able to survive and hatch over 31 months; (2) the percent hatching of eggs stored at 5ºC was higher than that of eggs stored at room temperature; and (3) low temperatures and long periods without water favor installment hatching.

Egg-Laying "Intermorphs" in the Ant Crematogaster smithi neither Affect Sexual Production nor Male Parentage.

We study male parentage and between-colony variation in sex allocation and sexual production in the desert ant Crematogaster smithi, which usually has only one singly-mated queen per nest. Colonies of this species are known to temporarily store nutrients in the large fat body of intermorphs, a specialized female caste intermediate in morphology between queens and workers. Intermorphs repackage at least part of this fat into consumable but viable male-destined eggs. If these eggs sometimes develop instead of being eaten, intermorphs will be reproductive competitors of the queen but-due to relatedness asymmetries-allies of their sister worker. Using genetic markers we found a considerable proportion of non-queen sons in some, but not all, colonies. Even though intermorphs produce ∼1.7× more eggs than workers, their share in the parentage of adult males is estimated to be negligible due to their small number compared to workers. Furthermore, neither colony-level sex allocation nor overall sexual production was correlated with intermorph occurrence or number. We conclude that intermorph-laid eggs typically do not survive and that the storage of nutrients and their redistribution as eggs by intermorphs is effectively altruistic.

Emergence, longevity and fecundity of Trissolcus basalis and Telenomus podisi after cold storage in the pupal stage

Pupae of Trissolcus basalis (Wollaston) and Telenomus podisi Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) were stored at 12ºC and 15ºC for 120-210 days, after different periods of parasitism at 18ºC in order to evaluate adult emergence, longevity and ovipositional capacity. There was no emergence of adults at 12ºC. The rate of emergence of parasitoids transferred to 15ºC at the beginning of the pupal stage was 1.5% and 26.3%, for T. basalis and T. podisi respectively, whereas those parasitoids transferred one day before the expected date of emergence at 18ºC showed 86.4% of emergence for T. basalis and 59.9% for T. podisi. Mean adult longevity was also significantly lower when pupae were transferred to 15ºC at the beginning of the pupal stage. Females emerged after storage and maintained for 120 to 210 days at 15ºC parasitized host eggs after transference to 25ºC; however, fecundity of T. podisi was reduced in about 80% after cold storage.