Effect of pre-natal thermal conditioning on pre-and post-hatch performance in broiler chicken

Abstract

Present study was undertaken to assess the effect of pre-natal thermal conditioning on pre and post hatch performances. A total of 800 broiler (CARIBRO Vishal) hatching eggs were divided into two groups and incubated under two different temperatures. In one group, the eggs were incubated at normal temperature of 37.5°C for entire incubation period whereas, the 2nd group were subjected to elevated incubation temperature of 39.5°C for 12 hours per day during 7 to 16th day of incubation period. The relative humidity and other incubation conditions were maintained normal in both the groups. Hatch chicks reared under standard feeding and managemental conditions up to five weeks of age and weekly body weight (individual), feed intake (group wise) were recorded and body weight gain and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were calculated. Total of 312 and 262 healthy chicks were pulled out in normal and pre-natal thermal conditioned groups, respectively. Results revealed that pre-natal thermal conditioning caused significant (P<0.05) reduction in hatchability (11.60% on TES and 8.70% on FES) and 17.62% higher embryonic mortality after thermal exposure. Post hatch performance in terms of body weight, body weight gain and FCR was also adversely (P<0.05) affected by pre-natal thermal exposure but the feed intake remained unaffected. It may be concluded that pre-natal thermal conditioning produced adverse effects on pre and post hatch performance in broiler chicken.