incubaFORUM 2019: Ponencia Conny Maatjens

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