Comparison of Several Turning Frequencies During the Storage Period of Red-Legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa) Hatching Eggs

ABSTRACT The effects of three egg-turning regimes during the pre-incubation storage period on egg weight loss, hatchability, embryonic mortality, chick weight at hatching and incubation length of red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) compared with unturned eggs were investigated. Two hundred eggs were allocated to four 50-egg batches stored at 15ºC and 80% RH that being turned one, four and 24 times a day or remaining unturned, respectively. Eggs were incubated at 37.8ºC and 55% RH during the first 21 days and at 37.5ºC and 75% RH until hatching. Fertility was 70.5% and a good hatchability performance was obtained, characterised by 81.6% hatchability of fertile eggs, and weight losses of 0.78% during storage and of 10.04% during the first 21 days of incubation, 13.6 ±0.1 g hatchling weight, and incubation length of 23.45 ± 0.07 days (mean ± SEM). Hatchability, embryonic mortality developmental stage, egg weight loss during storage and incubation, hatchling weight and length of the incubation period were not affected by the turning frequency or the absence of turning during storage. Higher hatching synchrony was observed for eggs turned four times a day compared with unturned eggs and eggs turned once a day. In conclusion, turning red-legged partridge eggs during medium-term storage periods does not improve egg viability compared with unturned eggs.

摘要 本研究对比探究了入孵前贮藏期三种翻蛋方案对红腿石鸡（Alectoris rufa）的蛋重损失、孵化率、胚胎死亡率、出雏体重及孵化时长的影响，并以未翻蛋组作为对照。试验将200枚种蛋划分为4组，每组50枚，在15℃、相对湿度（Relative Humidity, RH）80%的条件下贮藏，各组分别每日翻蛋1次、4次、24次，或保持不翻蛋。种蛋孵化前21天的环境参数为37.8℃、相对湿度55%，后续以37.5℃、相对湿度75%的条件孵化至出雏。本次试验的种蛋受精率为70.5%，整体孵化性能良好，具体表现为：受精蛋孵化率达81.6%，贮藏期蛋重损失率为0.78%，孵化前21天蛋重损失率为10.04%，出雏体重为13.6±0.1g，孵化时长为23.45±0.07天（平均值±标准误（Standard Error of the Mean, SEM））。翻蛋频率或贮藏期不翻蛋均未对孵化率、胚胎死亡率及发育阶段、贮藏与孵化期蛋重损失、出雏体重及孵化时长产生显著影响。与未翻蛋组和每日翻蛋1次的组相比，每日翻蛋4次的组展现出更高的出雏同步性。综上，与未翻蛋组相比，在中期贮藏期对红腿石鸡种蛋进行翻蛋操作，并未提升种蛋的孵化活力。