The Effects of Egg Weight on the Hatching Characteristics of Ostrich Eggs

Authors: AYDIN İPEK, ÜMRAN ŞAHAN

Abstract: This research was carried out with the aim of determining the effects of egg weight on the hatching characteristics of ostrich eggs. The effect of egg weight (small 1200-1400 g, medium 1401-1600 g, large >1600 g) on the hatchability of fertile eggs and hatchability of total eggs was found to be significant (P<0.01). Hatchability of fertile eggs was determined to be 67.74, 74.42 and 64.28% and hatchability of total eggs was determined to be 43.75, 50.00, and 41.86% for the small, medium and large egg weight groups, respectively. The effects of egg weight on early, medium and late embryonic death were also found to be significant (P< 0.01). The early embryonic death rates were determined to be 9.68, 9.30 and 10.91% , medium embryonic death rates were determined to be 6.46, 4.65 and 7.35% and late embryonic death rates were determined to be 16.12, 11.63, 17.46% for the small, medium and large weight groups, respectively. The effects of egg weight on egg weight loss were found to be significant (P<0.05). Eggs with medium weight exhibited a weight loss of 13.94% , which was close to the optimum. The effect of egg weight on chick weight was also found to be significant (P<0.01). The chick weight increased as the egg weight increased. The effect of egg weight on hatching time was found to be significant (P<0.05). Incubation time was longer for the large egg weight groups, compared with the small or medium weight groups.

Keywords: Ostrich, egg weight, hatchability characteristics

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