Heat production and lipid metabolism in broiler and layer chickens during embryonic development

We compared heat production (HP) and lipid metabolism in broiler and layer chickens (Gallus gallus) during embryonic development. To investigate HP and respiratory quotient (RQ), oxygen (O2) consumption and carbon dioxide (CO2) production were measured using an open-circuit calorimeter system. HP consistently had a tendency (P = 0.06) to be lower in broilers than in layers during embryonic development, and HP gradually decreased with developmental stage in both strains. RQ values of both strains were approximately 0.7 at every embryonic stage investigated. These results suggest that chicken embryos mainly use lipid for energy, and the RQ was significantly lower in broilers than in layers during embryonic development. Consumption of the yolk sac as a lipid source was faster in broilers than in layers. Plasma D-3-hydroxybutyrate (D3HB) and glycerol concentrations, associated with fatty acid oxidation, were lower in broiler than layer embryos. These results demonstrate that HP and lipid metabolism are different between the strains during embryonic development, and may be one factor for the growth difference between broiler and layer embryos.