Dr. Tugrul Durali Speaker at Knowledge Day 2015

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Dr. Tugrul DuraliPoultry Technical Manager, Asia Pacific

Dr. Tugrul DuraliPoultry Species Leader

Asia Pacific

The Day Old ChickA Crucial Link Between Breeder

and Broiler

QUALITY

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What does “day-old chick quality” mean?

The "day-old chick" (DOC) is the newly-hatched chick (Gallus gallus).

Quality definition from Oxford Dictionaries is "The standard of something as measured against other things of a similar kind; the degree of excellence of something ".

Day-old chick quality covers all the parameters which directly relate with the ability of the chick to generate a profit.

1 • Fertilization of ovum

2 • Egg and shell formation

3 • Ovipostion

4 • Egg collection

5 • Egg storage

6 • Incubation

7 • Hatchery handling & holding

8 • Day old chick Transport

9 • Placement at the farm

Body temperature

Variation in time

Conditions between oviposition and pre-incubation

Temperature, time, humidity

Temperature, turning, humidity, air quality

Temperature, humidity, hygiene, time

Temperature, humidity, hygiene, time

Genetic selection for different traits would

also influence embryo development and embryo growth

patterns which affect

embryo metabolism.

O2 conspmption of Breed A embryos was higher than Breed B from E16 to E19.

Heart rate of Breed A embryos was significantly higher than Breed B.

Furthermore, plasma triiodothyronine (T3) concentration of Breed A embryos was

significantly higher on E14, E16, and hatch.

GENETIC SELECTION for different traits did not

affect their embryonic growth pattern

BUT it affected their metabolic rate.Druyan S. 2010

Embryonic DevelopmentHeart rate - O2 consumption - Blood parameters

Hypothalamus

Corticotrophin Releasing Hormone (CRH)

Anterior pituitary

ACTH

Adrenal cortex

Cortisol

Thyrotrophin Releasing Hormone (TRH)

Pituitary

TSH

Thyroid

Hypothalamus

T4

T3Cell

Blood flow

Sceletal muscles

Heart musclesBrainGIT -

Skin

Blood flow

Sceletal muscles

Heart muscles

Brain GIT - Skin

1 •Fertilization of ovum

2 •Egg and shell formation

3 •Ovipostion

4 •Egg collection

5•Egg storage

6•Incubation

7•Hatchery handling & holding

8 •Day old chick Transport

9 •Placement at the farmBody temperature

Variation in time

Conditions between oviposition and pre-incubation

Temperature, time, humidity

Temperature, turning, humidity, air quality

Temperature, humidity, hygiene, time

Temperature, humidity, hygiene, time

Temperature, humidity, hygiene, time

Egg Collection and Egg Storage

An egg should have cooled down to 21 -26 °C about 4-6 hours after being laid.

CO2CO2

CO2CO2

CO2

CO2CO2CO2

CO2CO2CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2CO2

CO2CO2 CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2CO2

CO2CO2

CO2CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2CO2

CO2

CO2

12

9

6

3

Egg Collection and Egg Storage

Egg Collection and Egg Storage24°C (75.2°F) is known to be “Physiological Zero” for broiler breeder eggs and cooling eggs below this temperature will ensure that there is no chance of embryo development during storage.

When the ambient temperature is high (above physiological zero), slow cooling of the eggs could cause a problem as a result of slow cell multiplication and abnormal embryos.

If eggs are not collected frequently and are kept warm in nests by the hens sitting on them and/ or by the nature of the nesting material.

Egg shell porosityScore 1

Sco

re 4

Score 2 Score 3 Score 4

40-41°C

24-29°C

21-25°C 19-21°C

37.5- 37.8°C

24-27°C

20-23°C

1- Incubation time is prolonged by storage. Rule of thumb, 1 (one) day’s storage adds 1 (one) hour to incubation time. So fresh and stored eggs should be set at different times.

2- Prolonged storage reduces hatchability. The effect increases after first 6 day storage. It can result hatchability losses of 0.5 to 1.5% per day.

3- If eggs stored for 14 days or more, chick quality will be affected and hence broiler weights can be depressed.

Three main points of egg storage are:

Eggs should be collected from the farms and transported to the hatchery at least twice a week.

Condensation will form when cold eggs are taken into a warmer environment.

If day old chick truck is used for egg transportation temperature needs to adjusted as eggs needs to be transported in lower temperature than day old chicks.

Egg transportation

Temperature mapping of trucks transporting fertile eggs and day-old chicks: Efficiency and/or

acclimatization?

6 loads total106,560 eggs /load

23°C – 80% RH

Aérica C. Nazareno et al (2015)

Hatchery egg storage room The humidity during storage is not as important as the temperature. Its impact on hatchability is limited. When eggs are stored only up to 10 days, 50 – 60 % relative humidity is sufficient. Higher humidity, up to 80 %, is not harmful. Above 80 % relative humidity will create favourite environment for bacteria and mould to grow and spread. Eggs planned for long storage benefit from higher humidity to avoid excessive water loss. The target in this case is 70 -80 % relative humidity.

Incubation planning

(Breeder flock age for setting)• Category 1 = < 32 weeks• Category 2 = 32-45 weeks• Category 3 = > 45 weeks

30 weeks oldFat 23.8%Protein 17.9%

50 weeks oldFat 27.4%Protein 15.6%

What is the differences between 30 and 50 weeks old breeders egg yolk?

IncubationHeterogeneity in the incubating eggs !!!

Eggs from old breeders hatch earlier than those from young breeders.

Within a single flock age, chicks from smaller eggs hatch earlier than those from larger eggs.

Holding room and chick comfort?

Target is maintaining ideal chick body temperature, 40.0

– 40.5°C.Chicks comfort can be easily

observed just by entering a room.

Noise and panting are clear signs of overheated chicks.

Hatchery chick holding room

Room temperature and especially airflow is not easy to control in traditional storage rooms.

Hatchery chick holding room

Chick vent temperature is highly correlated with deep

body temperature, although it tends to be 0.6°C (1°F) cooler.

The optimum chick vent temperature is 39.4 – 40.0°C

(103 – 104°F).

Holding room and chick comfort?

(Breeder flock age for placement)• Category 1 < 35 weeks• Category 2 = 35-50 weeks• Category 3 > 50 weeks

Day-old chick placement

Chicks from older hens seem to tolerate longer periods between hatch and placement than chicks

from younger flocks.

Planning

Day old chick transportationMaintaining quality on

the road.

Day old chick is unable to regulate its own body temperature. Because of this, day-old transport conditions

have to be perfect.

If the chick’s body temperature is kept at a constantly stable at 40°C

(104°F), chicks will not have to waste valuable nutritional energy,

which is a key factor for chick quality during transport.

Chart/graph

Aérica C. Nazareno et al (2015)

11 loads total63,000 doc/load

23-25°C – 60% RH

Temperature mapping of trucks transporting fertile eggs and day-old chicks: Efficiency and/or acclimatization?

Aérica C. Nazareno et al (2015)

Relative humidity plays a major role in heat exchange of day old chicks.

Evaporative heat loss increases with temperature.

The relative humidity values above 60% reduce the heat transfer from the internal to the external body area, damaging the thermal exchanges between the animal and the environment.

Temperature mapping of trucks transporting fertile eggs and day-old chicks: Efficiency and/or acclimatization?

Experiment Age of breeders

Number of chicks

T00 T04 T10

1 35 2600 2600 2600

2 45 4550 4550 4550

3 56 4550 4550 4550

Total 11700 11700 11700

Hematocrit 56 weeks of breeder, T10 had significantly lower level.

Body Weight, Longer transport resulted significantly lower body weight in first 3 weeks of all experiments.

Feed Intake, 56 weeks old breeder flock, T10 had significantly higher feed intake at day 21, 28 and 35..

FCR No significant differenceViability No significant difference

Pododermatitis No significant difference

Maintaining chick comfort during placement

Unloading can negatively effect day old chick more than transport…

Day old chick unloading

QUALITY

By direct inspection the chicks must be:

Dry and clean, With clear and bright eyes As homogeneous as possible according to: size, quietness, alertness and exploratory behaviour; Without deformities: toes, feet and legs must be straight, without lesions or swelling.

Chick Quality Measurement

Before arrivalOn arrivalAfter arrival

The weight of the chick at hatch as a percentage of egg setting weight gives us the Chick Yield….

Before arrivalChick Yield Measurement

Low Chick Yield1. Incubating the eggs too long.2. High incubation temperature.3. Low incubator humidity.

High Chick Yield 1. Incubation time too short. This may be as a result of long egg storage, or eggs from very young or old breeders.2. Low incubation temperature.3. High incubator humidity.

Factors Affecting Chick Yield

4 grams for every 24 hours

10% of body weight

After arrivalChick strength check

After arrivalChick quality check

Observation after arrival

After arrivalCrop Fill Check

Time of check (after placement)

Target Crop Fill (%)

2 hours 75 %

12 hours 85%

24 hours 95%

48 hours 100%

ConclusionA great deal of factors affect Day-Old Chick Quality.

What is MOST critical?

YOU

LOVE

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