Hrnčár C. et. al./Scientific Papers: Animal Science and Biotechnologies, 2012, 45 (2)
1
1
2
1 University of Agriculture in Nitra, Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources,
Department of Poultry Science and Small Animal Husbandry, 949 76-Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku, 2, Slovakia
2 University of Agriculture in Nitra, Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources,
Department of Genetics and Breeding Biology, 949 76-Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku, 2, Slovakia
Abstract
The aim of this the work was evaluated effect of disinfection of Oravka hatching eggs by formalin gas (20 g KMnO
4
+ 30 g formaldehyde of 40 % concentration to 1 m 3 of a space) and ozone (0.450 ppm in time 12 hours) on fertility, hatchability, spontaneity of chickens hatching and embryonal mortality during incubation. The hatching was realised in Bios Midi incubator at a standard technology process of the hatching. We recorded a positive effect of disinfection of ozone on hatchability from fertilised eggs (91.79%) compared with disinfection of formalin (91.10%) A totally embryonal mortality of chickens had not record any difference between two methods of disinfection but we recorded positive effect of ozone on embryonic mortality of chicks to 7 day of incubation and from 15 to 21 day of incubation.
We searched more spontaneous chicks hatching from hatching eggs disinfected by ozone in 510 hours of incubation.
It is possible to recommend disinfection of hatching eggs by ozone, as an alternative way of disinfection of hatching eggs usable in hatching practice, on the base of obtained experimental results. This way of disinfection hatching eggs is more ecological not only from the point of environment, but also of the healthy of employees of the hatchery.
Key words : hatching egg, disinfection, ozone, formalin gas, hatchability
1. Introduction

Microbial contamination of hatching eggs is a main concern of poultry producers as it causes poor hatchability and chick performance. It is evident that high standards of hygiene must be practised in hatcheries in order to minimise the soiling of eggs but, further disinfection of eggs is also necessary to limit bacterial numbers [1].
Hatching eggs are disinfected to kill microorganisms on the surface of the shell. This allows the production of healthy chickens [2].
The chief source of contamination of hatching eggs is contact of shells with dirty surfaces [3-5].
Most shell contamination occurs immediately after eggs are laid; thus, location and sanitation of the place of oviposition is critical to clean eggshells

*Corresponding author: Cyril Hrnčár, Tel: + 421 37
6414744, Email: Cyril.Hrncar@uniag.sk
[3, 6]. Eggshells have 7,000 to 17,000 pores through which surface bacteria can pass to the inside [3, 7].
Studies have shown a significant difference in the percentage of bacterial penetration in eggs laid in a nest when compared with eggs laid on the floor
[5, 8, 9].
As a hen ages, the size of her egg increases, and the thickness of the shell decreases. The pore length is determined by shell thickness; thus, thinner shells are more prone to bacterial contamination caused by increased penetration ofbacteria from the surface of the egg [3, 6].
The aim of this the work was evaluated effect of disinfection of Oravka hatching eggs by formalin gas and ozone on fertility, hatchability, spontaneity of chickens hatching and embryonal mortality during incubation.
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Hrnčár C. et. al./Scientific Papers: Animal Sciences and Biotechnologies, 2012, 45 (2)
2. Materials and methods
A total of 500 eggs of breed Oravka were used in five experiments during laying period. The parent flock was fed ad libitum with feed mixture HYD-
10 with identical content during analyzed period.
Nutritional value of diet is shown in Table 1.
Fresh clean water was supplied daily. The hens were reared under deep litter.
Eggs were incubated in an incubator Bios Midi with capacity of 560 chicken eggs with automatic regulation with temperature and relative humidity.
Eggs were automatically turned in interval of two hours.
Table 1.
Nutritional value of complete feed mixture
Nutrient
Crude protein
ME
Lysine
Methionine and cistine
– from that methionine
Calcium
Phosphorus
Sodium
Manganese
Selenium
Copper
Zinc
Vitamin A
Vitamin D
3
Vitamin K
Hatching eggs in first treatment were fumigated with formalin gas. Formalin gas was generated by mixing 40ml formaldehyde of 40 % concentration and 20g potassium permanganate on 1m 3 room capacity. Hatching eggs in second treatment were disinfected by ozone in concentration 0.450 ppm in time 12 hours.
We compared percentage fertility, percentage hatchability of fertile and total eggs set. Fertility was determined as 100[number of fertile eggs]/number of total eggs set; hatchability from fertile eggs was determined from the formula:
100[number of chicks hatched]/number of fertile eggs and hatchability from totally eggs set calculated as the number of chicks hatched/ number of total eggs set.
We determined number of hatching chicks in the start of hatching (20 days and 6 hours - 486 hours), hatching mass (20 days and 18 hours - 498 hours) and the end of hatching (21 days and 6 hours - 510 hours) by [10].
The hatching eggs discarded from incubator on 7,
14 and 18 day of incubation we individual analysed in order to determined day of embryonal mortality.
Unit g/kg
MJ/kg g/kg g/kg g/kg g/kg g/kg g/kg mg/kg mg/kg mg/kg mg/kg i.u./kg i.u./kg mg/kg
HYD-10
158.06
11.32
8.07
7.02
3.87
35.13
5.48
2.17
148.79
0.38
18.74
102.27
10000
2500
21.27
The research data analyses were made by the usual variation statistics methods and Student’s t test was used to compare means.
3. Results and discussion
Fertility of hatching eggs is only an additional indicator of hatchability because fertility is already determined in the body layer.
Mean fertility was 88.34% for disinfection of formalin gas and 88.53% in used by ozone (Table
2). There was no significant difference (P<0.05) in fertility between methods of disinfection. Among fertile eggs, mean hatchability from fertile eggs was 91.10% and 91.796% (Table 2).
Comparisons between methods of disinfection revealed no significant differences (P<0.05). The results obtained confirm the positive effect of disinfection by ozone on hatchability chick to reach [11] for a short period of exposure. The long-term exposure to ozone also demonstrated spontaneous hatching in a shorter period of incubation.
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Hrnčár C. et. al./Scientific Papers: Animal Sciences and Biotechnologies, 2012, 45 (2)
Table 2.
Effect of different method of disinfection on hatching of Oravka chickens
Parameter
Fertility of eggs (%)
Hatchability from totally eggs set
Hatchability from fertile eggs (%)
Values shown are mean ± SD (standard deviation)
By analyze of dead fetuses after disinfection of formalin gas and ozone on the end of incubation we recorded statistically no significant differences
(P>0.05) between treatments.
However, in the evaluation of embryonic mortality
Formalin gas
88.34±1.74
80.47±1.74
91.10±0,70
Ozone
88.53±1.84
81.24±1.37
91.79±1.02 in the 7 day of incubation, we found statistically highly significant differences (P<0.01) in benefit of ozone. We also found statistically significant difference (P<0.05) in favor of ionization in period from 15 to 21 day of incubation (Figure 1).
5,00
4,00
3,00
2,00
2,60
1,80 1,80 2,00
3,20
2,60
1,00
1.-7. day 8.-14. day time period formalin gas ozone
15.-21. day
Figure 1.
Effect of disinfection of hatching eggs on embryonic mortality (pc)
In relation to data [12], can by expected to operate As shown in Figure 2, for evaluation of formalin gas at higher concentrations the viability of embryos of poultry which is found before incubation of hatching eggs in stage of gastrula and blastula. spontaneity hatching to 486 hours of incubation, the group with ozone disinfection we recorded significantly faster incubation ( P<0.05) compared to formalin gas disinfection (23.59 vs. 22.27%).
100,00
89,76 91,76
80,00
60,00
40,00
22,27
23,59
20,00
10,24 8,24
0,00
486 hours 498 hours 510 hours time period formalin gas ozone
Figure 2.
Effect of disinfection of hatching eggs on spontaneous chicks hatching (%)
Even more significant effect on the hatching rate was recorded for percentage of hatched chicks to
510 hours, which was highly statistically significantly smaller percentage (P<0.01) in chicks hatched from eggs of the ozone disinfection
(10.24 vs. 8.24%). These our results corresponded with conclusions [13,14].
4. Conclusions
It is possible to recommend disinfection of hatching eggs by ozone, as an alternative way of disinfection of hatching eggs usable in hatching practice. This way of disinfection of hatching eggs is more ecological not only from the point of
413

Hrnčár C. et. al./Scientific Papers: Animal Sciences and Biotechnologies, 2012, 45 (2) environment, but also of the health of employees of the hatchery.
Acknowledgements
This work was financially supported by the Scientific
Grant Agency of Ministry of Education, Science,
Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic and the
Slovak Academy of Science under the contract VEGA
1/1101/11.
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