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Basic and Applied Aspects of Incubation Oriented to the Needs...
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Basic and Applied Aspects of Incubation Oriented to the Needs of the Embryos

A topical collection in Poultry (ISSN 2674-1164).

Viewed by 6997

Editor

Prof. Dr. Barbara Tzschentke

E-Mail Website
Collection Editor
Institute for Agricultural and Urban Ecological Projects (IASP), Faculty of Life Science, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Philippstr. 13, 10115 Berlin, Germany
Interests: poultry/avian physiology; incubation physiology; prenatal and perinatal development; critical developmental periods; programming and malprogramming of regulatory systems; long-lasting and transgenerational effects; neuronal hypothalamic plasticity

Topical Collection Information

Dear Colleagues,

The influence of environmental factors during prenatal development on phenotypic diversity across the lifespan is widely recognized, and the phenomena of fetal programming and vegetative imprinting have been studied in several animal species. Even in precocial birds, as all poultry species, environmental factors during incubation can determine the developmental trajectory throughout life.

Therefore, knowledge of embryonic development and organism-environment interactions is essential to optimize the incubation process to improve post-hatching robustness, adaptability, health, and ultimately to ensure primary performance and welfare.

Especially in the hatching period, when the embryos have all the physiological prerequisites to react to environmental influences, environmental stimulation is not only essential for the current development of the embryos, but is also necessary in the long term and thus fulfils an important animal welfare aspect.

Temperature as an important incubation factor has already been investigated in numerous studies in different time windows in the course of incubation (e.g. thermal conditioning, -stimulation, -training), resulting not only in new results but also in new questions as the role of management and the age of the breeder flocks in the success of temperature manipulations during incubation. In the meantime, other factors such as light and the acoustic environment have also become the focus of research.

Hatchery environment, management of embryo development in conjunction with the physiological needs of the embryos become key factors in the poultry production chain. New approaches require new technical solutions and optimizations.

This Topical Collection will be dedicated to new developments in this broad field, both in basic and applied research.

Prof. Dr. Barbara Tzschentke
Collection Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1000 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • embryogenesis
  • incubation physiology
  • long-lasting effects of incubation management on stress tolerance, immune competence, health, and performance
  • incubation temperature, light and acoustic environment
  • breeder´s management and incubation success
  • animal welfare
  • technical issues of incubation
  • new development in incubation as on-farm hatching

Published Papers (3 papers)

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2023

14 pages, 1366 KiB  
Article
Supplementation of Japanese Quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) Breeders with Tagetes erecta Flower Extract and Vitamin E Improves the Oxidative Status of Embryos and Chicks
by Lenilson Fonseca Roza, Evandro Menezes de Oliveira, Lidiane Staub, Tainara Ciuffi Euzébio Dornelas, Paula Toshimi Matumoto Pintro, Danielle Aparecida Munhos Hermoso, Emy Luiza Ishii Iwamoto, Alice Eiko Murakami and Tatiana Carlesso Santos
Poultry 2023, 2(4), 449-462; https://doi.org/10.3390/poultry2040034 - 24 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1719
Abstract
The effects of Tagetes erecta flower extract (TFE) and increasing levels of vitamin E (VE) in the diet of Japanese quail breeders on progeny performance and oxidative status were studied. Methods: 480 Japanese quail breeders were distributed in a completely randomized design with [...] Read more.
The effects of Tagetes erecta flower extract (TFE) and increasing levels of vitamin E (VE) in the diet of Japanese quail breeders on progeny performance and oxidative status were studied. Methods: 480 Japanese quail breeders were distributed in a completely randomized design with five treatments and twelve replications of six females and two males each. A control diet (25 mg/kg VE) and four diets supplemented with TFE (3 g/kg) and VE (25, 100, 175, or 250 mg/kg) were used. Fresh yolk samples and the yolk sac and liver from embryos (11 and 15 days) and chicks (hatch and 3 days) were analysed. Data were subjected to ANOVA, a regression linear model, and contrast tests and the level of significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: TF and VE in the maternal diet improved the amount of alfa-tocopherol and total carotenoid content in the yolk. TFE + VE reduced lipid peroxidation and improved the oxidative status in the fresh yolk, in the embryo and chick yolk, and in the liver. Liver superoxide dismutase activity in hatched chicks increased linearly with the VE level and was not altered by TFE. Maternal diets did not influence progeny performance (1 to 28 days) or the relative expression of superoxide dismutase or glutathione peroxidase genes in the liver of chicks. Conclusions: TFE is an effective antioxidant in fresh eggs and supplementation of 3 g/kg TFE and high levels of VE in quail breeders improves the oxidative status of embryos and newly hatched chicks. Full article
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15 pages, 3815 KiB  
Article
Vitamin E and A Availability in Goose Embryos and Goslings and Improvement of Reproduction Traits Depending on the Starting Temperature Regime of Egg Incubation
by Igor A. Ionov, Oleg O. Katerinich, Viktor O. Kuchmistov, Olga V. Anisimova, Darren K. Griffin, Michael N. Romanov and Irina O. Zhukova
Poultry 2023, 2(2), 305-319; https://doi.org/10.3390/poultry2020023 - 17 May 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2218
Abstract
One of the major problems impeding the sustainable development of goose production is low egg hatchability. Thus, it is imperative to develop more efficient ways to improve the hatching qualities of goose eggs. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of changes [...] Read more.
One of the major problems impeding the sustainable development of goose production is low egg hatchability. Thus, it is imperative to develop more efficient ways to improve the hatching qualities of goose eggs. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of changes in the temperature regime of incubation on the availability of vitamins A (retinol) and E (α-tocopherol), as well as important elements of antioxidant protection in embryos and goslings. The initial heating of eggs at temperatures of 39 and 39.5 °C during the first 24 or 36 h was used as the main factor influencing goose embryo development. The dynamics in the content of antioxidant retinol and α-tocopherol were analyzed in the liver of embryos and goslings (up to 9 days of age) using the standard regime of incubation (at 38 °C) and the prior heating of eggs (at 39 °C and 39.5 °C) in the first 24 and 36 h of incubation. The obtained results provided new information about the effect of the initial heating of eggs on the function of antioxidants in the gosling’s body. It was confirmed that the age-related changes of retinol and α-tocopherol levels in goslings are similar to those found in chicks, ducklings, and turkey-poults. In addition, the effect of an egg’s weight on hatchability was established, with the hatchability of eggs in the medium weight class being higher than that of smaller and larger eggs. The efficiency of the redistribution of retinol from the yolk to the liver in day-old goslings was higher by 6% when exposing eggs to a temperature of 39.5 °C for 36 h. The initial heating regime at 39.5 °C led to an increased hatch of goslings, and to the evenness of their hatch from eggs of different weights, approaching the hatch values of the medium class. Overall, the α-tocopherol concentration in the liver of embryos and goslings, using the starting heating of eggs, was higher than that with the standard temperature mode of incubation. At the same time, the hatch rate of goslings increased by 9–13%, and the hatchability of eggs by 10–16%. For use in the practice of hatcheries and breeding poultry farms, it is recommended that goose eggs are heated for 36 h at 39.5 °C. Full article
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16 pages, 1352 KiB  
Article
Effects of the In ovo Administration of L-Ascorbic Acid on Tissue L-Ascorbic Acid Concentrations, Systemic Inflammation, and Tracheal Histomorphology of Ross 708 Broilers Subjected to Elevated Levels of Atmospheric Ammonia
by Ayoub Mousstaaid, Seyed Abolghasem Fatemi, April Waguespack Levy, Joseph L. Purswell, Hammed A. Olanrewaju, Brittany Baughman, Kaylin McNulty, Patrick D. Gerard and Edgar David Peebles
Poultry 2023, 2(2), 158-173; https://doi.org/10.3390/poultry2020014 - 31 Mar 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2129
Abstract
The effects of in ovo injection of L-ascorbic acid (L-AA) on tissue L-AA concentrations, systemic inflammation, plasma mineral concentrations, and tracheal histomorphology of Ross 708 broilers subjected to elevated atmospheric ammonia (NH3) levels after hatch were investigated. The [...] Read more.
The effects of in ovo injection of L-ascorbic acid (L-AA) on tissue L-AA concentrations, systemic inflammation, plasma mineral concentrations, and tracheal histomorphology of Ross 708 broilers subjected to elevated atmospheric ammonia (NH3) levels after hatch were investigated. The four in ovo treatments included non-injected (control), saline-injected (control), or saline containing 12 or 25 mg of L-AA. The in ovo treatments were applied at 17 days of incubation by injecting a 100 μL volume of each pre-specified treatment into the amnion. At hatch, 12 male chicks were randomly allocated to each of the 12 replicate battery cages belonging to each treatment group. The cages were arranged in a randomized complete block design within a common room. All birds were exposed to 50 ppm of NH3 at 35 days of posthatch age (doa), and the concentration of NH3 in the room was recorded every 20 s. At 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 doa, one bird from each cage was arbitrarily selected and euthanized for determinations of liver and eye L-AA concentrations at 0, 7, 14, 21, 28 doa; plasma nitric oxide concentrations at 0, 14, 21, and 28 doa; and plasma calcium and trace mineral concentrations at 0 and 21 doa. Tracheal histomorphology evaluations were performed at 0, 21, and 28 doa. There were no significant treatment differences for plasma nitric oxide and mineral concentrations, and for liver and eye L-AA concentrations at each sampling timepoint. In ovo injection of either 12 or 25 mg of L-AA decreased tracheal attenuation incidence at 0 doa compared to the non-injected or saline-injected control groups. Furthermore, the percentage of mild tracheal inflammation scores was lower at 28 doa in response to the in ovo injection of 12 mg of L-AA compared to the non-injected or saline-injected control groups. These results indicate that in ovo injection of 12 mg of L-AA reduces tracheal inflammation in broilers subjected to elevated atmospheric NH3. Full article
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