Effect of incubation temperatures on the hatching performance in Japanese quail

A biological experiment was undertaken to know the effect of elevated incubation temperatures on the hatching performance of Japanese quail. A total of 720 hatching eggs (360 of each variety i.e. CARI PEARL-low body weight variety and CARI UTTAMhigh body weight variety) were randomly divided into three treatment groups. Each treatment having 240 eggs (120 from each variety, which were further divided into four replicates with 30 eggs in each replicate). The first treatment group served as control wherein the eggs were incubated at 37.5°C, throughout the entire incubation period (17 days). In 2nd and 3rd treatment group, the eggs were incubated at 37.5°C for initial 10 days and thereafter at 38.5°C and 39.5°C, respectively. The hatching performance was adversely affected by the elevated incubation temperatures. Elevated incubation temperature reduced (Pd”0.05) hatchability, chick weight, chick to egg weight ratio, whereas moisture loss, malpositions, embryonic mortality increased. These adverse effects of elevated incubation temperatures were more pronounced in high body weight variety of Japanese quail. It was concluded that elevated incubation temperatures i.e. 38.5°C and 39.5°C adversely affected hatching performance in Japanese quail.