In ovo injection with glycerol and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I): hatchability, intestinal morphometry, performance, and carcass characteristics of broilers

• Published in: Archives of animal nutrition Vol. 74; no. 4; pp. 325 - 342
• Main Authors: Neves, Danusa Gebin Das, Retes, Pâmela Lacombe, Alves, Victória Veiga, Pereira, Rani Silva Guedes, Bueno, Yanka Do Couto, Alvarenga, Renata Ribeiro, Zangeronimo, Marcio Gilberto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 03.07.2020; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Age; Amniotic fluid; Blood glucose; Chicken; Conversion ratio; Eggs; embryo development; energy substrate; Feed conversion; Glycerol; Glycogen; Glycogens; growth factor; Growth factors; Hatchability; Hatching; Ileum; in ovo nutrition; Incubation; Injection; Insulin; insulin-like growth factor 1; Insulin-like growth factor I; Insulin-like growth factors; Intestine; Morphometry; Physical growth; Poultry; Saline solutions; Sodium chloride; Villus; Weight; growth factor; energy substrate; embryo development; Chicken; in ovo nutrition; insulin-like growth factor 1; glycerol
• ISSN: 1745-039X; 1477-2817
• DOI: 10.1080/1745039X.2020.1747377

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of in ovo injection with glycerol (GLY) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) on hatchability, biochemical parameters, intestinal morphometry, performance, and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens. A total of 400 fertilised eggs were distributed into five experimental groups. The treatments were arranged as non-injected (control), saline solution injected (0.9% NaCl solution), GLY solution injected (10 nmol/ml), IGF-I solution injected (100 ng/ml), and GLY + IGF-I solution injected. At 17.5 d of incubation, 0.5 ml of each solution was injected into the amniotic fluid of each egg of the injected groups. The injection of different solutions did not influence the hatchability and incubation time of the eggs. Compared to intact eggs, IGF-I and IGF-I+ GLY increased (p < 0.01) the blood IGF-I at hatching. Higher hepatic glycogen was observed (p < 0.05) with GLY or IGF-I. The tested substances decreased (p = 0.02) the fructose 1,6-biphosfate phosphatase activity but did not affect glycaemia. No difference in performance was observed in the first week. Higher feed intake and weight gain with lower feed conversion ratio was obtained ( p  < 0.05) with IGF-I at 14 d. At 21 d, higher weight gain was obtained (p = 0.05) with IGF-I, GLY, IGF-I, and GLY + IGF-I, resulting (p < 0.01) in birds with greater weight gain at 35 and 42 d of age. GLY provided higher villus height in the ileum at hatching and at 7 d of age. The tested solutions increased the relative weight of the liver at hatching. At 42 d of age, no carcass characteristics were influenced. It is concluded that GLY and IGF-I, together or separately, can be used in the in ovo feeding to improve the post-hatch performance of broilers, without affecting hatchability and carcass composition.