The relationship among age, yolk fatty acids content, and incubation results of broiler breeders

Abstract

This research was carried out to investigate the correlations among age, yolk fatty acids content, and incubation results of broiler breeders. Egg samples were obtained from Ross 308 broiler breeder parent stock at 28, 45, and 65 wk of age. A total of 1,800 eggs were used for incubation results of each age period. The mean values of hatchability of fertile eggs (H/F) were 94.04 +/- 0.42, 91.36 +/- 1.08, 85.97 +/- 0.96%, values for hatchability of total eggs (H) were 92.00 +/- 0.47, 83.61 +/- 1.23, 62.78 +/- 1.57%, and fertility ratios (F) were 97.83 +/- 0.30, 91.50 +/- 0.54, and 73.00 +/- 1.55% at 28, 45, and 65 wk of age, respectively (P < 0.01). The mean values of early embryonic mortality and hatched chick weight were 2.73 +/- 0.27, 4.01 +/- 0.56, 8.93 +/- 0.89% and 36.58 +/- 0.51, 42.47 +/- 0.48, 45.31 +/- 0.96 g, at 28, 45, and 65 wk of age, respectively (P < 0.01). Myristic acid and linoleic acid contents of yolk significantly decreased with increasing age of broiler breeder P < 0.01). The mean yolk myristic acid contents were 0.34 +/- 0.02, 0.29 +/- 0.06, and 0.24 +/- 0.01 mg/g, and linoleic acid contents were 21.60 +/- 1.26, 16.05 +/- 3.04, and 13.87 +/- 0.49 mg/g at 28, 45, and 65 wk of age, respectively (P < 0.01). Correlations between breeder age and myristic acid and linoleic acid (r = -0.317 and -0.435, respectively) were significant when data were pooled from 28 to 65 wk of age. Significant correlations between H/F and myristic acid and linoleic acid were determined. The correlation between F and linoleic acid (r = 0.364; P < 0.05) was found to be significant with the change of breeder age. There were negative correlations between late embryonic mortality and myristic acid (r = -0.432; P < 0.05), stearic acid (r = -0.437; P < 0.05), and linoleic acid (r = -0.469; P < 0.5) at 28 to 65 wk of age. The findings from this study will contribute to the hatcheries of the poultry sector and the new studies that are going to be carried out.