HATCHERY ▶▶▶
In the HatchCare system of HatchTech chicks have immediate access to feed and water in the hatcher.
temperature distribution in the house was was less uniform compared to the incubators in the hatchery. Poorer navel quality can result in higher mortality in the first week but this was not the case in the current study (see Table 1). There was no difference in mortality in the first week or over the total growth period between the three hatching systems. Com- pared to the conventionally-hatched chicks the body weight of the chicks hatched on farm and those fed in the hatchery was higher during the whole growing period. The chicks hatched on farm were heavier than the chicks fed in the hatchery up to day 14 but this difference disappeared after that. The feed conversion calculated over the entire cycle did not differ between the hatching systems (see Table 1).
Pectoral muscle abnormalities Pectoral muscle abnormalities were scored after slaughter. The chicks hatched on farm and fed in the hatchery had more wooden breast and more white striping in the fillets. The higher body weight and associated faster growth may possi- bly play a role in the development of chest muscle abnormal- ities in these test pens. No differences were found between the hatching systems in terms of animal welfare indicators, except for footpad lesions. Fewer footpad lesions were seen with the on-farm system and the chicks fed in the hatcher compared to conventional chicks. This was also seen in
24 ▶ POULTRY WORLD | No. 1, 2022
previous research by Wageningen Livestock Research. The ex- act cause is unclear but it may be related to better bedding quality, possibly due to better digestion of the feed. In this study, the water-to-feed ratio was lower in the chicks hatched on farm and fed in the hatchery. This may have contributed to a drier litter.
Early feeding benefits This study shows that chicks from young breeder flocks with early access to feed and water, either in the hatchery or in the barn, resulted in higher body weights and fewer footpad le- sions in later life. This seems to indicate that chicks from young breeders benefit from alternative hatching systems that offer early feeding. However, more chest muscle abnor- malities were found at slaughter age in chicks from both these alternative hatching systems which may be related to the increased body weight. Hatching on farm resulted in poorer navel quality and more red hocks on hatching but with no increase in mortality in the first week.
The results were published in two open source scientific articles in the journal Poultry Science. Various hatching systems have been developed that give broilers access to feed and water im- mediately after hatching. This reduces stress but how does it affect the technical results?
PHOTO: HANS BIJLEVELD
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