Manual Egg Turning is Necessary for Optimal Hatching in Geese
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3923/ijps.2016.57.61Keywords:
Egg turning, goose, hatchability, incubationAbstract
Egg turning is a vital part of the incubation process in many bird species. However, the quality and quantity of turning can differ between species. Commercial incubators with domestic fowl automatically move the eggs that are set pointed end down, 45° either side from the vertical every hour. However, goose eggs are not set pointed end down vertically, but horizontally with the long axis parallel to the horizontal plain, i.e., laid flat on wire trays and turned as described above. With this method of incubation the down side of the goose egg will not find itself facing upwards during the incubation process if the eggs do not get additional hand turning. It was suggested (Bogenfurst, 2004) that goose eggs lying flat as above but at an angle of 45- 60° on the trays, do not require manual turning. This study used eggs from one year old geese that were in addition hand turned (around the short or the long axis of the egg by 180°) once per day from d 10-26 of incubation. Turning was in the opposite manner on alternative days. Their hatchability was compared with eggs that had no hand turning. Fertility was >85.42% in all egg Groups. Overall, the hatchability of fertile goose eggs in Group C (no manual turning; 44.12%) was significantly lower than those of Groups A (manual turning around long axis; 63.77%; p = 0.002) and B (manual turning around short axis; 61.94%; p = 0.005). Manual turning did increased the hatchability of goose eggs with no significant difference between the short or long axis turning Groups.
References
Baggott, G.K., D.C. Deeming and G.V. Latter, 2002. Electrolyte and water balance of the early avian embryo: Effects of egg turning. Avian Poult. Biol. Rev., 13: 105-119.
Bogenfurst, F., 2004. A Keltetes Kezikonyve. Gazda Kiado, Budapest, ISBN-13: 9789637445507, Pages:278.
Boone, R.B. and R.S. Mesecar III, 1989. Telemetric egg for use in egg-turning studies. J. Field Ornithol., 60: 315-322.
Booth, D.T. and D.N. Jones, 2002. Underground Nesting in the Megapodes. In: Avian Incubation: Behaviour, Environment and Evolution. Deeming, D.C. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp: 192-206.
Brun, J.M., I. Delaunay, N. Sellier, B. Alletru, R. Rouvier and M. Tixier-Boichard, 2003. Analysis of laying traits in first cycle geese in two production systems. Anim. Res., 52: 125-140.
Carey, C., H. Rahn and P. Parisi, 1980. Calories, water, lipid and yolk in avian eggs. Condor, 82: 335-343.
Chattock, A.P., 1925. On the physics of incubation. Philos. Trans. R. Soc. London Ser. B, 213: 397-450.
Deeming, D.C., 1989. Characteristics of unturned eggs: Critical period, retarded embryonic growth and poor albumen utilisation. Br. Poult. Sci., 30: 239-249.
Deeming, D.C., 1989. Importance of sub‐embryonic fluid and albumen in the embryo's response to turning of the egg during incubation. Br. Poult. Sci., 30: 591-606.
Deeming, D.C., 1991. Reasons for the Dichotomy in the Need for Egg Turning During Incubation in Birds and Reptiles. In: Egg Incubation: Its Effects on Embryonic Development in Birds and Reptiles, Deeming, D.C. and M.W.J. Ferguson (Eds.). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp: 307-323.
Deeming, D.C., 2002. Patterns and Significance of Egg Turning. In: Avian Incubation: Behaviour, Environment and Evolution, Deeming, D.C. (Ed.). Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp: 161-178.
Dodu, M., 2010. Aspects of egg production and laying intensity for the geese population, (White Rhine Dutch geese), from Bihor county. Analele Universitatii Oradea Fascicula: Ecotoxicologie, Zootehnie Tehnologii Industrie Alimentara, 9: 357-360.
Elibol, O. and J. Brake, 2004. Identification of critical periods for turning broiler hatching eggs during incubation. Br. Poult. Sci., 45: 631-637.
Eycleshymer, A.C., 1907. Some observations and experiments on the natural and artificial incubation of the egg of the common fowl. Biol. Bull., 12: 360-374.
Freeman, B.M. and M.A. Vince, 1974. Development of the Avian Embryo: A Behavioural and Physiological Study. Chapman and Hall, London, UK., ISBN-13: 9780412115202, Pages: 362.
Gillette, D.D., 1977. Sex-ratio, hatchability, fertility and egg production in geese. Poult. Sci., 56: 1814-1818.
Howey, P., R.G. Board, D.H. Davis and J. Kear, 1984. The microclimate of the nests of waterfowl. IBIS: Int. J. Avian Sci., 126: 16-32.
Jones, D.N., R.W.R.J. Dekker and C.S. Roselaar, 1995. The Megapodes Megapodiidae. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Kent, J.P. and K.J. Murphy, 2003. Synchronized egg laying in flocks of domestic geese (Anser anser). Applied Anim. Behav. Sci., 82: 219-228.
Kossack, C.W., 1947. Incubation temperatures of Canada geese. J. Wildlife Manage., 11: 119-126.
Mazanowski, A., T. Kisiel and M. Adamski, 2005. Evaluation of some regional varieties of geese for reproductive traits, egg structure and egg chemical composition. Ann. Anim. Sci., 5: 67-83.
New, D.A.T., 1957. A critical period for the turning of hens' eggs. J. Embryol. Exp. Morphol., 5: 293-299.
Olsen, M.W. and T.C. Byerly, 1936. Multiple turning and orienting eggs during incubation as they affect hatchability. Poult. Sci., 15: 88-95.
R Development Core Team, 2014. R: A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria.
Robertson, I.S., 1961. The influence of turning on the hatchability of hens' eggs II. The effect of turning frequency on the pattern of mortality, the incidence of malpositions, malformations and dead embryos with no somatic abnormality. J. Agric. Sci., 57: 57-69.
Salamon, A. and J.P. Kent, 2013. Egg weight declines to baseline levels over the laying season in domestic geese (Anser anser domesticus). Int. J. Poult. Sci., 12: 509-516.
Tullett, S.G. and D.C. Deeming, 1987. Failure to turn eggs during incubation: Effects on embryo weight, development of the chorioallantois and absorption of albumen. Br. Poult. Sci., 28: 239-243.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2016 Asian Network for Scientific Information
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
