2a – Hatchery Management Flashcards
1
Q
How does breeding contribute to sustainability?
A
- By delivering genetic potential to match requirements for
o Environment
o Animal welfare
o Economy
2
Q
Which birds are involved in hatcheries?
A
- Broiler breeders
- Turkey breeders
- Laying hen breeders
3
Q
What are some examples of egg transmitted diseases?
A
- Salmonella pullorum
- Avian encephalomyelitis
- Mycoplasmas
4
Q
Salmonella pullorum
A
- Very high mortality particularly in young chickens and turkeys (nearly 100%)
5
Q
Avian encephalomyelitis
A
- Viral disease that causes ataxia and leg weaknesses
- Sudden 5-10% drop in egg production and 5% decrease in hatchability
6
Q
What are 2 ways of disease management?
A
- Eradication: removal of infectious material and birds AND genetics
- Vaccinations
7
Q
Maternal transfer of antibodies: hyperimmunization of breeder hens
A
- Induction of heightened state of immunity by administration of repeated doses of antigen
- Infectious bursal disease (B cells affected)
- Chicken anemia virus (T cells affected)
8
Q
Nutrition of breeding diet
A
- Higher in vitamins and protein to help fortify egg for chick development
o Excess crude protein might reduce fertility
9
Q
What deficiencies are associated with infertility?
A
- Vit A, E or selenium
10
Q
What can cause reduced hatchability?
A
- Deficiencies in vitamins and minerals
11
Q
Temperature: prior to incubation
A
- Physiological zero withing 4 h (10-18 degrees C)
- Frequency of collection: 2-4x a day
12
Q
What is physiological zero?
A
- T at which embryo in egg does not die but also doesn’t develop further
- 10-18 degree C
13
Q
Shell quality: prior to incubation
A
- Cracks
- Microbial contamination
o Disease associated with egg shell bacteria is NOT egg transmitted
14
Q
Location of egg storage: prior to incubation
A
- Primarily on breeder farm
- At the hatchery
15
Q
Egg cleanliness: prior to incubation (IMPORTANT)
A
- Dispose of all excessively dirty or cracked eggs
- Dirty eggs are often infected
- Hen laying eggs on floor of barn=bad
- Egg explosions during incubation or hatching
16
Q
Egg storage: relative humidity
A
- 70-80%
17
Q
Egg storage: duration
A
- Shorter the better
o Longer affects total hatch, uniformity and performance - Ideally no longer than a week
- Up to 14d is acceptable
18
Q
Egg storage: different temperature recommendations based on length of storage
A
- 1-3d: 18-21 degree C
- 4-7d: 15-18 degree C
- More than a week: 10-12 degree C
19
Q
What are 2 options for egg cleaning?
A
- Egg washing (farm or hatchery)
- Micro-organisms destruction (hatchery)
20
Q
Egg washing (on farm or hatchery)
A
- Turkeys
o Hens are often more dirty - Others?
*not ideal: as you wash the cuticle (natural protection of the egg)
21
Q
Microorganism destruction (hatchery)
A
- Spraying with or washing disinfectant
22
Q
What are 2 types of incubation?
A
- Natural: broodiness=not good
- mechanical
23
Q
Why would you want to avoid broodiness in hens?
A
- *don’t lay eggs when they are broody=decreased production
- Also don’t want to T to rise before we can collect the eggs
- HARD TO SELECT IN TURKEYS (different management practices)
24
Q
What is the physical set-up of mechanical incubation?
A
- Setting: setter/incubator
- Hatching machines
*Separated at the hatchery
25
Why do you want incubators separated?
- Manage temperature control
- *reduce risk of contamination to even more eggs
- Allows for stagger hatching
26
Incubation: temperature requirements
- Higher in incubator: 37 degree C
- Hatcher: 36 degree
- *due to humidity differences
27
Incubation: relative humidity requirements
- Incubator: 55-60 %
- Hatcher: 71-80%
28
Why set to a lower temperature at a higher humidity?
- To reduce condensation and bacterial contamination
29
Incubation: turning eggs
- Minimum 8 times per day
- Maintain central location of yolk in egg to prevent adhesion to shell membrane
- Even heat distribution
30
Incubation: ventilation
- Individual machines and rooms=minimize risk of contamination
- Removal CO2 and provide O2
- Control temperature!
31
Incubation: egg orientation in incubator
- Small end down
o Want AIR ‘sac’ on top
- Natural incubation=on side
32
How do you want to chick positioned in the egg?
- *beak tucked into right wing
- Need to be facing air sac so they can take their first breath and get energy to poke through the shell
33
Incubation: egg orientation in hatcher
- Eggs are placed on their sides
34
Incubation: egg orientation malposition’s that can occur
- Head between thighs
- Head in small end of egg
35
What happens between the incubator and hatcher?
- In-ovo vaccinations
o Either IM into shoulder or some just ‘diffuse’ in egg
- Remove ‘clear’ eggs
36
What days are eggs placed in the hatcher (chickens)?
- Day 19-21
- *3 days
- Placed into a basket=room for egg to roll around when hatching
37
Hatch removal
- We want them to slightly damp (5% to be damp in the basket)
- If too dry=bad due to overheating or dehydrated or bacteria exposure
38
Incubation times (KNOW THEM): chicken
- Incubator: 18 days
- Hatcher: 3(+) days
- *21+ days
39
Incubation times (KNOW THEM): turkey and duck
- Incubator: 25 days
- Hatcher: 3(+) days
- *28+ days
40
Incubation time (KNOW THEM): geese
- Incubator: 25 days
- Hatcher: 5(+) days
- *30+ days
41
Broiler chick grading guide: sort all chicks
- Want to abrasions on legs
- Naval string: needs to be healed with only a little string (dried up yolk)
o Long string=other problems
- Beak shape
- Eyes
- Feathering
- *maceration(=’most humane’) or CO2
42
Sanitation and disease control
- Isolation
- One way flow of eggs and other materials
- Hatchery design and construction (always go clean to dirty!)
- Ventilation
- Egg supply (quality and cleanliness=critical)
43
Ventilation for sanitation and disease control
- Independent ventilation of rooms
44
What is omphalitis in hatchlings also known as?
- Mushy chick disease
o Nasal infection
o Yolk sac infection
45
What are some possible causes of omphalitis?
- Egg source
- Hatchery sanitation
o Check by culture or sanitation monitoring
