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REVIEW article

Front. Anim. Sci.
Sec. Animal Physiology and Management
Volume 6 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fanim.2025.1511023

Relationship between In Ovo Feeding and Eggshell Temperature of Breeder Eggs during Incubation

Provisionally accepted
MAXWELL ANSONG OKAI MAXWELL ANSONG OKAI 1*Francis Kruenti Francis Kruenti 2Jacob Alhassan Hamidu Jacob Alhassan Hamidu 3Kokou TONA Kokou TONA 4Hai Lin Hai Lin 1*
  • 1 Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, China
  • 2 Animal Research Institute, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Accra, Ghana
  • 3 Faculty of Agriculture, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
  • 4 Centre d'Excellence Régional sur les Sciences Aviaires, University of Lome, Togo, Lomé, Togo

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    The hatching egg biologically provides protection and nutrition for its embryo during the preincubation and incubation periods. However, in case an egg's nutritional composition is 2 inadequate to support the development and growth of the embryo, the embryo may die. To avoid this, nutrients can be artificially introduced into the hatching egg. In ovo feeding introduces nutrients directly to the embryo to enhance its development and hatchability. The technique when properly implemented maximizes nutrient absorption and improves the economic traits of growing birds and their end products. However, several studies have also reported negative effects of the technique on the temperature of eggshell indicating its significant effect on embryonic development, eggs' hatching ability, and the quality and growth of chicks. The application of eggshell cooling procedures and external devices to mitigate the increase in eggshell temperature during in ovo feeding have however been explored. This technology can be adopted under conditions of nutrient deficiency in eggs for specific poultry breeds for enhanced post hatch growth. This review examined and provides a comprehensive understanding of the relationship of in ovo feeding with eggshell temperature, shedding light on the potential implications of the former for enhanced hatchery operations and poultry production. It also highlights the factors that affect the effect of in ovo feeding on eggshell temperature with suggested solutions and research gaps that need to be investigated in the future.

    Keywords: Chick quality, Eggshell temperature, Embryonic Development, Hatching eggs, Hatchability, In ovo feeding

    Received: 14 Oct 2024; Accepted: 15 Jan 2025.

    Copyright: © 2025 OKAI, Kruenti, Hamidu, TONA and Lin. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    MAXWELL ANSONG OKAI, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, China
    Hai Lin, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.