Hatchability, hematological indices, and growth of turkey embryos incubated at high altitude with supplemented oxygen during the first and fourth weeks of incubation.
Turkey eggs were incubated at high altitude (1,700 m). Hatchability, hematology, and growth data were analyzed for the following treatments: 1) eggs receiving supplemented oxygen (SO) during the 1st wk of incubation (control eggs received no SO during the 1st wk); 2) eggs receiving SO during the 4th wk (control eggs received no SO during the 4th wk); and 3) the interaction effect of oxygen the 1st or 4th wk with SO the 1st and 4th wk or with no SO. Data analysis was carried out using orthogonal contrasts. Exposing incubating turkey embryos to oxygen the 1st wk or the 4th wk of incubation improved hatchability significantly (P less than or equal to .05) compared with the remaining treatments. When SO was given during the 4th wk of incubation, hemoglobin concentration in embryos decreased (p less than or equal to .05) during pipping compared with that of embryos without SO the 4th wk. Hemoglobin was increased (P less than or equal to .05) by increasing red blood cell numbers if SO was not given during Week 4, otherwise, the embryos increased (P less than or equal to .05) in mean cellular hemoglobin to increase hemoglobin. When oxygen was supplemented the 1st wk of incubation, reticulocyte maturation was slowed (P less than or equal to .05) compared with no SO the 1st wk. Oxygen exposure during the 1st wk or 4th wk of incubation reduced (P less than or equal to .05) body weights of embryos during pipping and at hatching compared with those of embryos in the remaining treatments. Oxygen supplementation during Week 4 affected (P less than or equal to .05) heart growth at the prenatal, internal pipping, and postnatal stages of respiration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Bagley
L G
LG
Department of Poultry Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27695-7608.
Christensen
V L
VL
D000531:Altitude; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004906:Erythrocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects / Q000662:veterinary; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices / Q000187:drug effects; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010100:Oxygen / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D012156:Reticulocytes; D013997:Time Factors; D014422:Turkeys / Q000196:embryology*
D006454:Hemoglobins; D010100:Oxygen