Breed and egg weight influence on hatchability and fertility in Sasso, Shika brown and their crosses

Abstract

The effect of breed and egg weight on hatchability and fertility in Sasso, Shika brown and their crosses was studied. A total of 1,107 eggs comprising 509 Sasso eggs (46 light, 285 medium, 178 heavy), 392 Shika brown egg (141 light, 97 medium, 154 heavy) and 205 Sasso x Shika brown cross (19 light, 145medium, 42 heavy) were used for this study. The eggs were collected, weighed and sent to the hatchery for incubation and hatching. Data on number of fertile eggs, number of fertile eggs hatched, fertile eggs not hatched, eggs not fertile, chicks dead in shell, deformed chicks and total number of eggs were obtained. The results revealed a significant (p<0.05) effect of breed on the number of fertile eggs, fertile number of eggs hatched, fertile but not hatched eggs, eggs not fertile, chicks dead in shell, deformed chicks and total number of eggs. Sasso and Shika Brown had more number of fertile eggs as compared to Sasso x Shika Brown cross. For fertile number of eggs hatched, Sasso had the highest mean number of fertile eggs hatched (19.55±0.30). Also, considering fertile but not hatched eggs, the highest value (8.77±0.30) was seen in Shika brown. Sasso had the highest number of eggs not fertile (35.55±0.36). The number (0.66±0.11) of deformed chicks was highest in Shika brown. Total number of eggs was highest in Sasso (56.55±0.36). There was also a significant (p<0.05) effect of egg weight on the number of fertile eggs, fertile number of eggs hatched, fertile but not hatched eggs, eggs not fertile, deformed chickens and total number of eggs. Shika brown had the highest number of fertile eggs and the least was observed in Sasso. Fertile numbers of eggs hatched were highest among medium weight (28.55±0.30). For fertile but not hatched eggs, the light weight eggs had the highest value of 4.88. For eggs not fertile, the highest significant value was observed in heavy weight eggs (27.88±0.30). Chicks dead in shell were not significantly affected by egg weight. From the interactive effect of breed and egg weight on hatchability and fertility, the highest value of fertile eggs was observed in medium weight eggs of Sasso and the least in heavy weight of Sasso x Shika brown crosses. The highest value of fertile eggs hatched was observed in medium weight eggs of Sasso (41.00±0.36). Furthermore, the highest number of eggs not fertile was observed in medium weight eggs of Sasso (50.00±0.63). Deformed chicks were only observed in light weight eggs of Shika Brown (2.00±0.19) and heavy weight eggs of Sasso x Shika brown. In conclusion, it is observed in this study that fertility and hatchability in chicken is affected by the breed and the weight of the egg.