Effect of Pre-incubation Heating Time of Japanese Quail Eggs on Hatchability and Post Hatch Performance

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.