Effect of guinea fowl egg storage duration on embryonic and physiological parameters, and keet juvenile growth

This study investigated the effects of guinea fowl hatching eggs storage time on embryo parameters and post-hatch juvenile growth. A total 1,800 eggs of guinea fowl were used. They were numbered, weighed, and divided into four groups of 450 eggs each according to storage time of 3, 7, 11, and 15 D before storage at a temperature of 18°C. Then, they were incubated at 37.7°C and 55% relative humidity for 28 D in a forced-draft incubator. Egg weight loss, albumen pH and weight, embryo weight, hatching events, and keet growth up to 7 D post-hatch were recorded. In addition, thyroid hormone and corticosterone levels were determined. The results indicate that during storage, relative egg weight loss increased with storage duration. However, albumen pH increased with storage time up to 11 D of storage and remained unchanged between 11 and 15 D. In addition, from 19 to 22 D of incubation, albumen weight was higher for eggs stored for 15 D compared to that of eggs stored for 3 to 11 D. But, from 16 D of incubation, embryos from eggs stored for 3 D grew faster than those from eggs stored for 7 to 15 D. Incubation durations up to internal pipping (IP), external pipping (EP), and hatching events increased with egg storage duration. At IP, corticosterone and triiodothyronine (T3) concentrations of eggs stored for 15 D had the lowest (P < 0.05) compared to those of eggs stored for 3 to 11 D. Moreover, the levels of thyroxine (T4) decreased with storage duration (P < 0.05). At hatch, corticosterone levels increased while T4 levels decreased with storage duration (P < 0.05). Also, hatchability decreased with egg storage duration. In addition, 7-day-old keets from eggs stored for 3 and 7 D had comparable weight and were heavier than those from eggs stored for 11 D. It was concluded that storage of guinea fowl hatching eggs more than 7 D negatively affects egg quality and subsequently depresses embryo and post-hatch growth.