Effect of the yolk content of hatching eggs on the weight and composition of the liver in the hatched chicks

The aim of this study was to examine, whether the yolk ratio of hen’s eggs has an effect on the weight and composition of the liver in chicks at hatching. Altogether 3500 hen’s eggs – originated from a 24 weeks old TETRA-H parent stock – were involved in the examination. The yolk ratio of the eggs was determined in vivo by means of computer tomography using a SIEMENS Somatom Emotion 6 multislice CT scanner at the Institute of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiation Oncology of the Kaposvár University. Based on the measured values eggs were separated into three groups: eggs with the lowest (n = 350), eggs with the highest (n = 350) and eggs with average (n = 350) yolk ratio. All of these eggs were incubated thereafter. After hatching 30 chicks per group (15 males and 15 females) were randomly chosen and after weighing their live weight they were euthanized. Their liver was removed from their body and its weight was recorded. The dry matter and fat content of the liver was determined thereafter. Based on the results it was established that because of the high variation of the examined traits mainly no significant differences were found between the experimental groups. It was concluded that the yolk ratio of the hatching eggs has no significant effect on the ratio of the liver to the liveweight and on the dry matter and fat content of the liver in hatched chicks.