EFFECT OF IN OVO INJECTION OF SOME NUTRIENTS AND VITAMINS UPON IMPROVING HATCHABILITY AND HATCHING PERFORMANCE OF OSTRICH EMBRYOS By

The present study was carried out in co-operation between the Poultry Production Unit, Nuclear Research Center, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Egypt and Ostrich Farm belonging to Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University. In an effort to improve the hatchability and hatching performance of ostrich eggs via testing the effect of in ovo injection of several nutrients and vitamins, as no similar and complete data could be found on this aspect in the literature. A total of 90 fertile ostrich eggs weighed between 1300 and 1500 g. Eggs were divided into 9 groups as 10 eggs in each group. Eggs were injected at the 7 th day of incubation to deposit test material in the air sac through the width end of the egg. The first group without injection (control), while, the second and third groups were injected with 1ml saline. The fourth, fifth and sixth groups were injected with 35, 10, and 1.5 mg proline, pyridoxine and biotin dissolved in 1 ml saline and seventh and eighth groups were injected with 180 and 350 IU Vit.D3, Vit.E, respectively and the ninth group was injected with 2gm linolenic acid, hatchability and hatching performance were determined. The Results indicated that: the group of fertile ostrich egg received 180 IU Vit.D3 injection realized the highest hatchability and embryo hit percent. In addition, hatchability was positively affected by both vitamin pyridoxine and biotin injection compared to non-injected group. While, in ovo injection with linolenic fatty acid improved the embryo hit percent. Vitamin E, proline and saline injected groups had more number of deaths after injection or just before pipping of chicks. Finally, In conclusion from the results reported in the present work we advise injection with Vit.D3 in ostrich eggs with 180 IU to improve the hatchability of ostrich eggs and embryo hit percent.