Breeder age outweighs egg grading method on hatchability and chick quality in broiler hatcheries.
6 affiliations
- 1Department of Animal Science, School of Animal Science and Food Engineering (FZEA), University of São Paulo (USP), Pirassununga, SP, Brazil.
- 2Grupo Alvorada, Itapetininga, SP, Brazil.
- 3School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brasil.
- 4Department of Animal Science, "Luiz de Queiroz" College of Agriculture (ESALQ), University of São Paulo (USP), Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
- 5Department of Biosystems Engineering, "Luiz de Queiroz" College of Agriculture (ESALQ), University of São Paulo (USP), Piracicaba, SP, 13418-900, Brazil. [email protected].
- 6Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Viçosa (UFV), Viçosa, MG, Brazil.
Abstract
Incubation efficiency and chick health are fundamentally linked to fertile egg quality, which is influenced by both grading methods and breeder age. This study evaluated the effects of manual versus automated grading and Cobb breeder age (28-42, 43-56, and 57-70 weeks) on hatchability, chick quality, and embryonic mortality. The study was conducted in a commercial hatchery and a total of 54,432 fertile eggs were incubated and distributed in a completely randomized design in a 2 × 3 factorial scheme (two sorting methods × three age groups). Egg quality was first assessed by identifying cracked, dirty, inverted, and rejected eggs. Post-incubation, the study evaluated hatchability and chick quality (categorized into first and second grades). A detailed embryo diagnosis was performed to determine the incidence of rejects, embryonic mortality by stage, and the presence of live or dead pecked eggs. Data were statistically analyzed to evaluate the influence of classification methods and breeder age on key production performance indicators. This study revealed that breeder age significantly affected hatchability and incubation performance. Younger breeder hens demonstrated higher hatchability rates, whereas eggs from older breeder hens exhibited reduced incubation efficiency. In contrast, automated and manual grading systems showed comparable hatchability performance, with no significant differences observed between classification methods. These findings indicate that automated grading may be applied without negatively affecting hatchability outcomes across different breeder age groups.
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BibTeX
@article{ticiano2026breeder,
title = {{Breeder age outweighs egg grading method on hatchability and chick quality in broiler hatcheries.}},
author = {Jumara Coelho Ticiano and Roberto Carlos de Freitas and Luzianna Macedo Fonseca and Dauisia Corsino de Souza and Robson Mateus Freitas Silveira and Lúcio Francelino de Araújo and Arele Arlindo Calderano},
journal = {Tropical animal health and production},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1007/s11250-026-05417-8},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42894049},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Breeder age outweighs egg grading method on hatchability and chick quality in broiler hatcheries.
AU - Jumara Coelho Ticiano
AU - Roberto Carlos de Freitas
AU - Luzianna Macedo Fonseca
AU - Dauisia Corsino de Souza
AU - Robson Mateus Freitas Silveira
AU - Lúcio Francelino de Araújo
AU - Arele Arlindo Calderano
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/18
JO - Tropical animal health and production
DO - 10.1007/s11250-026-05417-8
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42894049
AB - Incubation efficiency and chick health are fundamentally linked to fertile egg quality, which is influenced by both grading methods and breeder age. This study evaluated the effects of manual versus automated grading and Cobb breeder age (28-42, 43-56, and 57-70 weeks) on hatchability, chick quality, and embryonic mortality. The study was conducted in a commercial hatchery and a total of 54,432 fertile eggs were incubated and distributed in a completely randomized design in a 2 × 3 factorial scheme (two sorting methods × three age groups). Egg quality was first assessed by identifying cracked, dirty, inverted, and rejected eggs. Post-incubation, the study evaluated hatchability and chick quality (categorized into first and second grades). A detailed embryo diagnosis was performed to determine the incidence of rejects, embryonic mortality by stage, and the presence of live or dead pecked eggs. Data were statistically analyzed to evaluate the influence of classification methods and breeder age on key production performance indicators. This study revealed that breeder age significantly affected hatchability and incubation performance. Younger breeder hens demonstrated higher hatchability rates, whereas eggs from older breeder hens exhibited reduced incubation efficiency. In contrast, automated and manual grading systems showed comparable hatchability performance, with no significant differences observed between classification methods. These findings indicate that automated grading may be applied without negatively affecting hatchability outcomes across different breeder age groups.
SN - 0049-4747
SN - 1573-7438
ER -