Abstract:
This experiment aimed to evaluate the influence of different preincubation
heating time (PREIHT) of Japanese quail eggs on
hatchability and post hatch performance. A total of 1200
Japanese quail eggs were collected from 15 wk. old quail
breeder. Male to female ratio was 1:3. Eggs were divided into
four groups (A, B, C and D) each consisted of 300. Eggs were
heated before incubation at 37.00C and 65% RH for different
times 3 hours (Group B), 6 hours (Group C) 9 hours (Group D)
or without heated treatment (0 hours) or (control, Group A), all
eggs were stored at 180C and 75.0 % RH for 4 days. All eggs
were weighed. After the storage then incubated in Avimatic
®incubator for 14 days at 370c temperature and 65% RH. At 14
days of incubation eggs were transferred to the Avimatic ®
hatcher adjusted at 36.60c average temperature and 75%RH.
After heating, all chicks were counted and weighted and
hatchability was calculated. Un-hatched eggs were opened to
determine the stage of embryonic mortality and fertility. Egg
weight loss and chick yield were calculated. Chick quality was
evaluated. Thirty first best quality chicks were selected from
each treatment and reared for six weeks to determine their
performance. The result revealed that pre- heating quail eggs for
6 hours significantly (P ≤ 0.05) improved hatchability of total
eggs (80.8%) and fertile eggs (88.6%) compared to the control
(71.43% , 83.33%) respectively. And those pre-heated for 3
(76.0%, 85.8%) and 9 hours ( 71.70% ,83.78%). On the other
3
hand, heating quail eggs for 6 hours had significantly (P<0.05)
reduced early (1.71)and mid (2.85) embryonic mortality and
pipped un-hatched chicks (2.85) compared to those heated for 3
and 9 hours (2.57, 3.41) (4.57, 4.28). Pre- heating quail eggs for
3 hrs. had significantly low late embryonic mortality (2.85) and
egg weight loss(12.89%).No significant difference was observed
in chick yield and Tona score. Subsequent growth performance
of chicks was not significantly influenced by pre-heating time.
