Early feeding to meet the physiological needs of the embryo or chick? Dr. C. M. Maatjens Manager Research and Development WIMEX Agrarprodukte Import und Export GmbH
Incubation ü
ü
ü
Chick quality What does the embryo need? • Turning, gas exchange, moisture loss, heat transfer What do we want in our chicks? • Development, body weight, maturity
But how to get this…?
Optimal EST is key in incubation performance Incubation process controlled by temperature Ăź Embryos are poikilotherm! Ăź
Available nutrient sources ü
ü
Nutrient resources • Fat • Protein • Carbohydrate Egg composition • Water • Fat • Protein • Carbohydrate
65.6% 10.5% 12.1% 0.9%
Incubation‌. convert an egg into a chick Differentiation
growth
maturation
Carbohydrates Fat Protein Carbohydrates
Incubation‌. convert an egg into a chick differentiation
growth
maturation O2 limiting
Carbohydrates Fat Protein Carbohydrates
Temperature drives the request for O2 Overheating is a big risk!
Embryo remains small‌ Temperature of major importance!
Yolk free body mass (YFBM) indicator for development
Both chicks have the same body weight‌
High EST affects embryo development 1-7 days
7-14 days
14-18 days
‘multi-stage’
98
100
102
‘single-stage’
100
100
100
EST Week 1-2-3
YFBM (g)
Length (cm) Hatch %
7d BW
Heart (g)
98-100-102
33.8a
18.3a
77.8a
148.0a
0.28a
100-100-100
37.9b
19.4b
84.7b
154.6b
0.36b
Lourens et al., 2005
Incubation‌. convert an egg into a chick differentiation
growth
maturation O2 limiting
Carbohydrates Fat Protein Carbohydrates
Negative effect high EST on embryo physiology Metabolic rate ü Oxygen request ü Gluconeogenesis request ü Use fuel resources glycogen ü
Glycogen store ü Fuel tank empty? ü
ü ü ü
alternative energy source Protein store Protein deposition Body development
In-ovo feeding In-ovo vaccination early 80’s ü In-ovo technique on itself effective and successful ü
ü
In-ovo feeding • Start in 2003 • To improve embryo development • Inject volumes (0.4-1.2ml) of nutrients in amniotic fluid • Limitations are volume, timing, osmolality, and viscosity of formulation
Can we prevent an empty fuel tank with in-ovo feeding…? Providing energy to the embryo ü Amino acids, carbohydrates, vitamins, fatty acids, other modulators, … ü
ü
Scientific research (Uni and Ferket, 2004-2005) • Increased hatch weight • Increased body weight at d35 • Increased muscle weight at d7 • Increased liver glycogen!
What about incubation at lower EST? Egg composition • Water 65.6% • Fat 10.5% • Protein 12.1% • Carbohydrate 0.9% ü Not sufficient? ü Nutrient sources used correctly? ü
With in-ovo feeding; are we adding nutrients or are we repairing..?
Low EST supports embryo physiology
a b b b
EST P<0.001
Maatjens et al., 2016c
In-ovo injection with optimal incubation ü
Intestinal development (Uni and Smith, 2017) • Temperature • Functional abilities develop during incubation • Absorption capacity increases towards hatch • Functional capacity supports development
Future? ü Specific proteins to support thermoregulation? ü Or to support the immune system…? ü
The hatching phase Internal pipping
• • • •
External pipping
Mobilization glycogen stores Initiation pulmonary respiration Increase metabolic rate Yolk included in body cavity
• •
Hatch
External pipping Increase O2 availability
+13 h
+12 h Maatjens et al., 2014a
The famous hatch-window
HatchTech R&D
Do we want to influence the hatch-window..?
Risk of dehydration, weight loss, quality loss?
HatchTech R&D
Holding time hatcher, processing, waiting, transport, … …up to 72 hours! • Food and water not available • Possible dehydration? • Possible impaired or delayed physiological development..? The amount of time gained attention and concern in Europe Welfare! EU law: maximal period of time without feed and water
Does early feeding ‘solve the problem’? Information based on scientific research • Chick body weight • Yolk utilization • Intestinal and immune system development • Muscle development • Growth performance •
Less use of antibiotics? Less welfare issues?
Technical results are promising
How does it work: No Feeding versus Feeding
Energy fat (yolk) + carbohydrates (feed) -> protein (yolk)
Energy fat (yolk) + carbohydrates (feed)
less protein (yolk) for growth and development
protein (yolk) for growth and development
Effect early feeding on development
â&#x2C6;&#x2020; Weight at hatchingâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; pull (g)
Body weight 6 4 2 0 -2 -4 -6 -8
1,6 1,4 1,2 1 0,8 0,6 0,4 0,2 0
-3,5 -3,6 -3,7 -3,8 -3,9 -4 -4,1 -4,2 -4,3 -4,4 Early Early feeding feeding
Traditional Traditional
Small intestine
Residual yolk uptake
Early Early feeding feeding
Traditional Traditional
Early Early feeding feeding
Traditional Traditional
Sklan, 2001
Prevent delayed feeding Presence nutrients stimulates villi and crypt growth ü Enlargement absorbtive surface capacity ü
Microvilli – 48 hours post-hatch
Microvilli – 48 hours post-hatch
Traditional
Early feeding
Uni et al., 1998
Post-hatch feeding systems Eggs - feed and water
Patio system X-treck Nestborn One2Born
Chicks â&#x20AC;&#x201C; feed and water
HatchCare system SmartStart system
HatchTech Pas Reform
Directly after pull
HatchBrood system
HatchTech
Or just place trays with eggs on the litter
Vencomatic Vencomatic Belgabroed One2Born
Post-hatch feeding systems (on-farm hatching)
Post-hatch feeding systems
Field trial commercial results Hatchery hatched Farm hatched
P-value
Hatch (% transfer)
95.12
95.30
7d weight (g)
174
185
<0.001
7d mortality (%)
0.90
0.73
0.23
End weight (g)
2,368
2,352
0.70
Total mortality (%)
3.19
2.94
0.16
FCR
1.60
1.60
0.95
FCR (1,500 g)
1.25
1.26
0.88
Rejections (%)
1.31
1.08
0.12
7 commercial broiler farms, 8 replicates per treatment per production cycle Each farm received both treatments De Jong et al., 2017
Field trial commercial results Hatchery hatched Farm hatched
P-value
BW (g)
41.7
47.1
<0.001
YFBM (g)
38.6
43.13
<0.001
Residual yolk sac (g)
3.64
4.23
<0.001
Heart (% YFBM)
0.87
0.89
0.137
Liver (% YFBM)
3.08
3.20
0.248
Stomach (% YFBM)
6.91
8.39
<0.001
Gut (% YFBM)
5.64
6.86
0.003
7 commercial broiler farms, 8 replicates per treatment per production cycle Each farm received both treatments De Jong et al., 2017
Experiment research station Hatchery hatched Farm hatched 7d mortality (%)
1.15
0.81
7d selection (%)
0.34
0.48
40d mortality (%)
2.93a
2.24b
40d selection (%)
1.07
1.16
Total mortality (%)
4.01
3.40
39d body weight (g)
2,729a
2,792b
FCR (1,500)
1.07a
1.04b
FCR (2,500)
1.53
1.53
Research station Geel, Belgium, 2018 3 cycles De Jong et al., 2017
What about the systems…? ü
Traditional hatchers versus post-hatch feeding systems
ü
Are we judging based only on early feeding?
Care during and after hatch • Minimalisation of stress starts in the incubator! • Negative effects feed and water deprivation limited • Optimal development ensured for all chicks Better growth performance and improved health status of your chicks
Thank you for your attention