Effect of adding and in ovo injecting hatching eggs produced with omega-3 on some hatching traits and body weight of Japanese quail

Abstract

This study was conducted at a private hatchery in Thi-Qar Governorate to determine the effect of adding omega-3 fatty acid to quail's diet with the outcome of ovo injecting the resulting hatching eggs with omega-3 on some hatching traits and body weight of Japanese quail. A total of 540 eggs were used. The experiment treatments were as follows: T1: Negative control (without adding oil); T2: Positive control (adding 0.01% sunflower oil); T3: Feed the parent with 0.01% omega-3 oil; T4: Feed the parent with 0.01% omega-3 oil, and the resulting eggs were in ovo injected with 0.01 ml omega-3; T5: Feed the parent by 0.01% omega-3 oil, and the resultant eggs were in ovo injected with 0.01 ml sunflower; T6: Feed the parent by 0.01% sunflower oil, and the resulting eggs were in ovo injected with 0.01 ml sunflower; T7: Feed the parent by 0.01% sunflower oil, and the resultant eggs were in ovo injected with 0.01 ml omega-3; T8: Feed the parent by free diet, and the resulting eggs were in ovo injected with 0.01 ml omega-3; T9: Feed the parent by free diet, and the resultant eggs were in ovo injected with 0.01 ml sunflower. The results showed a significant improvement in T4 (the treatment whose parents were fed omega-3 and in ovo injected with omega-3 oil) compared to the control treatment on hatching rate and fertility rate of whole eggs, with a significant decrease in the percentage of embryonic mortality and pipped eggs for the hatched chicks. Feeding Japanese quail mothers with omega-3 hatching egg injections led to a substantial increase in the average weekly body weight. Keywords: in ovo injecting, hatching eggs, with omega-3, hatching traits, body weight, Japanese quail.