Influence of the manipulation of incubated Japanese quail eggs by ascorbic acid on the embryo weight, hatchability and hematological parameters of the chicks

الملخص EN

Three hundred and sixty eggs of Japanese quail birds were used in this trial ; eggs were randomly assigned to four treatment groups, 90 eggs each.

Eggs of the first group served as the control (untreated eggs), while the other three egg groups were sprayed with 10 g / L of ascorbic acid (AA) solution twice daily by 50 ml solution / 1000 egg during the last ten days of incubation period (2nd group) or dipped in 4 or 8 g / l of AA solution for two and half minutes (one time) pre incubation (3ed and 4th groups).

Embryo weight percentage at the 15th day of incubation and chick weight at hatch tended to be higher for eggs treated with AA than those of the control group eggs.

This superiority was significant (P < 0.01) only at the 15th day of incubation for the group sprayed with AA solution.

Eggshell weight percentage tended to increase at the 8th day of incubation for eggs dipped in 4 g / l of AA solution or at 15th day of incubation for those sprayed by AA solution.

Eggs dipped in 8 g/l of AA solution had the highest percentage of lost weight comparing with those of the other groups.

Eggs treated by AA solution had significantly (P < 0.05) longer hatching periods than that of untreated eggs.

Hatching percentage tended to increase in response to AA treatment.

Embryonic mortality percentage was differed (P < 0.05) through 16-17 days of incubation in response to AA treatment, where the lowest and highest percentages of embryonic mortality were recorded in eggs dipped in 4 g / l of AA solution and in untreated eggs.

Hematological traits were differed (P < 0.05 or 0.01) in response to AA treatment.

Hb.

Content ; PCV % and RBC count for chicks of eggs sprayed by AA solution or those dipped in 4 g / l of AA solution were higher than those dipped in 8 g / l of AA solution or eggs of the control group.

Lymphocytes percentage was increased (P < 0.05) in chicks of eggs sprayed by AA solution or those dipped in 8 g / l of AA solution than those of the control group or those dipped in 4 g / l of AA solution.

Eosinophils, basophils and monocytes percentages did not differ significantly due to AA treatment.

Spraying Japanese quail eggs with AA solution (10 g / l) or dipping in 4 g / l of AA solution preincubation may be a good way to improve hatching performance and blood hematology and immunity of hatched chicks.