Effect of Incubation Duration on Broiler Breeder Eggs Hatchability and Post-Hatch Performance

Abstract

Incubation duration is most important factor to achieve standard hatchability, water loss and chick yield. broiler’s performance at farm. Eggs from Ross-308 breeder flocks having age of 42-46 weeks and standard weight of The current study was conducted to evaluate the exact duration of egg incubation and its effects on egg hatchability and eggs were again shifted to hatchers for next 12 h for 2nd hours (444h in setter and 62 h in hatcher) and hatch pulling was performed twice 1st 55-60g were divided into two experimental groups each consist of (n= 538,560) eggs. Group A was incubated for 506 after 494 h and remaining un-hatch done only once. Eggs weight (54.9 ±0.6, 53.9±0.8)at transfer (from setter to hatcher), water loss at transfer (10.6±0.7, group B, hatch pulling was performed after 506 h (456 h in setter and 50 h in hatcher) and complete hatch pulling was pulling (conventional method of hatch pulling in Pakistan). For and B respectively. Similarly, hatchability percentage (85.16±1.02,85.56±1.02) and dead in shell (DIS) percentage(6.62 11.67±0.7) and chick weight at day one (42.7±0.3, 41.6±0.3) were significantly (P<0.05) different between group A and feed conservation ratio at day 35(1.716±0.03, 1.44±0.02) were also found significantly (P<0.05) different in group (3.47±0.23, 2.28±0.06), weight gain (1955.66±25.02, 2001.33±24.33), feed intake (3260.51±13.47, 3245.02±18.03,) ±1.5, 6.61±0.8)were also positively (P<0.05) changed in group A as compared to group B respectively. Mortality A than B respectively. These, results indicated that incubation of eggs for 506 h along with single hatch pull is better in terms of water loss, hatchability, DIS percentage and post-hatch performance of broilers.