The objective of this study was to examine the effects of in ovo feeding of arginine (Arg) and breeder age on hatching performance and morphometry in broiler chickens. The experiment was performed using a completely randomized design in 2 × 2 factorial arrangements, consisting of 2 breeder ages (32 and 62 weeks) and 2 in ovo feeding treatments (0% and 1% Arg). A total of 200 fertile eggs were obtained from Indian River broiler breeder flocks at 32 and 62 weeks of age, with average fertile egg weights of 57.4 ± 0.7 g and 70.8 ± 0.6 g, respectively. Eggs were randomly distributed into 4 treatments, each having 5 replicates of 10 eggs. All eggs were incubated under standardized temperature and humidity conditions of 38.0 ± 0.2°C and 75.0 ± 3%, respectively. Upon hatching, 80 chicks were randomly assigned into the same 2 × 2 factorial arrangements comprising 5 replicates. Hatching performance parameters were evaluated immediately after hatching. On day 10 post-hatch, one chick per replicate with a body weight closet to the mean of each treatment group was selected for morphometric analysis, assessment of relative organ weight, and evaluation of liver characteristics. The findings revealed a significant interaction (p in ovo feeding of Arg and breeder age for hatchability and relative proventriculus and intestine weights. Chicks in the Arg group exhibited significantly less (p p in ovo feeding of Arg and breeder age affect both hatchability and organ development in broiler chickens. In ovo feeding of Arg may alleviate the age-associated reduction in hatchability and promote intestinal development in chicks from older breeder hens. These findings suggest that the efficacy of in ovo feeding of Arg is influenced by the maternal age of the breeder hens.
Park et al. (Mon,) studied this question.