Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Revista Brasileira de Ciencia Avicola / Brazilian Journal of Poultry Science, cilt.27, sa.3, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
This study investigated the effect of spraying duck hatching eggs with distilled water or apple vinegar solution on the hatching and post-hatch performance. 120 eggs from breeder Pekin ducks at 64 weeks of age were used. The eggs were weighed using a scale with a precision of 0.1 g and divided into three groups with 40 eggs per group. The eggs of group 1 (Non-sprayed, NS) were incubated without any spraying practices. The eggs of group 2 (Water-sprayed, SW) and group 3 (Sprayed with apple vinegar, SA) were sprayed with distilled water and a solution of distilled water (250 mL) + apple cider vinegar (5 mL) between embryonic days (ED) 8 and 24, respectively. The eggshell temperature, hatchability of set and fertile eggs, and chick yield were significantly higher in the SW and SA compared to eggs of the NS eggs (p≤0.05). However, the best hatching traits, eggshell temperature, and chick yield were identified in SW. Body weight and body weight gain at 14 days of age and the total average body weight were significantly highest, and lowest in ducks of the SW and SA, respectively (p≤0.05). In addition, the metatarsal temperature was significantly lowest and highest in ducks of the NS and SW, respectively (p≤0.05). The hot carcass weight and breast weight were higher in ducks of the SW and SA groups compared to NS ducks (p≤0.05). The thigh and wing yield were significantly higher in SA ducks compared to ducks from the other incubation treatments. However, the back weight and yield were significantly higher in NS ducks than in ducks in the SW and SA treatments (p≤0.05). Spraying duck eggs with water and apple vinegar solution between ED 8-24 improves embryonic heat loss, hatching traits, chick yield, and chick weight at hatch. Moreover, spraying with water is more beneficial for improving post-hatch growth performance, while the application of both apple vinegar solution and water during incubation seemed beneficial for adaptation to post-hatch stress conditions. Additionally, spraying eggs with water and apple vinegar solution had the potential to improve most of the carcass and organ traits. It also tended to increase most of the texture profile values of the breast meat, cooking loss, and meat pH, as well as improve breast meat color traits.