Thermal stimulation of Ross®-lineage embryos on a commercial scale

Artificial incubation is an essential process to obtain healthy birds with good performance; nevertheless, it requires sustained improvement. During this process, incubation temperature is considered a critical factor, which has been studied. The objective of this study was to evaluate the development of Ross (R) embryos after hot and cold thermal stimulation. To this end, temperatures 1.39 degrees C above the standard temperature and a temperature fixed at 36.00 degrees C that varied 1.00 to 0.30 degrees C below the standard temperature were applied during the final embryonic development period (days 14 to 18) for three hours, on a commercial scale. Results revealed that hot and cold thermal stimulations did not cause embryo mortality; the hatching and chick quality index were maintained and even increased. Therefore, we believe that thermal stimulation has the potential to improve hatchery index, and thus grange performance; however, adjustments are needed, varying according to each individual hatchery, before it can used as a protocol.