Day old chick quality evaluation

Dr. Marleen Boerjan

May 2014
Day old chick quality evaluation

Outline of presentation
Definition chick quality in hatchery
practice:
. Batches of chicks
. Individual chicks
Evaluation day old chick quality
. Quantitative parameters
. Scoring based on qualitative parameters
Factors influencing chick quality
parameters
Chick quality: batch

A batch of good quality chicks:

Is uniform with respect to
uniformity parameters (weight,
size, chick yield, growth first week,
etc)
Performs according to standards
(breeder companies, hatchery reference
data)
Is uniform with respect to
quantitative scoring systems
(Tona-score. Pasgar-score)
Chick quality: batch

A batch of good quality chicks:

Is uniform with respect to
uniformity parameters (weight,
size, growth first week, etc)
Chick quality: batch

A batch of good quality chicks:

Is uniform (> 80%) with respect to
uniformity parameters like chick
weight

Xn = 44.2 + 3.6 (g); n = 59

Uniformity = 88.1 %
A batch of good quality chicks:
Is uniform with respect to uniformity
parameters within a class of flock age

Flock N Mean s.d. CV Uniformity

age ( mean 10 +/-%)

29 502 33.3 2.7 8.3 77.3

39 699 38.6 3.2 8.3 78.0
62 201 46.8Flock age
4.5 9.6 66.7
29 wks 39 wks 62 wks
Chick quality: batch

A batch of good quality chicks:

Performs according to standards
Example chick yield= weight of chicks
at hatch as percentage of egg weight
at setting
Chick quality: batch

A batch of good quality chicks:

Performs according to standards
(breeder companies)
Chick yield determined by hatchery
69

68

standard
67

chick yield
66

65

64

Too heavy Dehydrated

63
Flock ID-1 Flock ID-2 Flock-ID3
Chick quality: batch

A batch of good quality chicks:

Chick yield > 68%: weight loss problem?
Chick yield < 67%: dehydrated in hatcher?

69

68

standard
67

chick yield
66

65

64

Too heavy Dehydrated

63
Flock ID-1 Flock ID-2 Flock-ID3
Chick quality: batch

A batch of good quality chicks:

Performs according to hatchery reference data

Farm 1 Farm 2
Overall average Overall average

Hatchabilities of eggs from farm 1 and 2

compared to overall hatchery average.
Chick quality: batch

A batch of good quality chicks:

Performs according to hatchery reference data

Results of Dutch reference hatcheries

Average results for one flock*: 87 % of eggs
set (single stage incubation)
Flock age Hatchability Hatchability Chick Mortality
(weeks) (eggs set) (after candling) quality** first week
30 85 94 9.2 <1%
32 89 96 9.3 <1%
45 89 96 9.3 <1%
54 85 95 8.8 <1%
63 60 92 8.5 <1%
*Presented results summarize different breeds
** Pasgar-score
 Chick quality: individual

A batch of good quality chicks:

Is uniform with respect to quantitative
scoring systems individual chicks (Tona-
score. Pasgar-score)
Day old chick quality evaluation

Outline of presentation
Definition chick quality in hatchery
practice:
. Batches of chicks
. Individual chicks
Evaluation day old chick quality
. Scoring based on qualitative parameters
. Quantitative parameters
Factors influencing chick quality
parameters
Chick quality: qualitative parameters

Pasgar-score and Tona-score are

based on qualitative parameters
Reflex-activity
Navel and navel area
Legs/eyes
Beak
Belly (absorbed yolk)
 Chick quality: qualitative parameters

Tona-score are based on qualitative parameters

total score 100

Ref: Tona et al. (2003) Poultry Science 82: 736-741)

 Chick quality: qualitative parameters

Tona-score are based on qualitative

parameters total score 100

Ref: Tona et al. (2003) Poultry Science 82: 736-741)

 Chick quality: qualitative parameters

Tona-score are based on qualitative

parameters total score 100
Level of score is related to importance
to contribution of survival of chicken

Parameter characteristic scores

Legs Normal legs and toes 16
One infected (red) leg 8
Two infected (red) legs 0
activity Good 6
weak 0

Ref: Tona et al. (2003) Poultry Science 82: 736-741)

Chick quality: qualitative parameters

Pasgarscore: top quality chick = 10

Chick quality: qualitative parameters

Pasgarscore: poor reflex =

10 minus 1
Chick quality: qualitative parameters

Pasgarscore: poor navel =

10 minus 1
Chick quality: qualitative parameters

Pasgarscore: red hocks =

10 minus 1
 Chick quality: qualitative parameters

Pasgarscore: red spot/dirty beak =

10 minus 1
Chick quality: qualitative parameters

Pasgarscore full belly =

10 minus 1
Chick quality: qualitative parameters

Pasgarscore: an example
Chick reflex navel leg beak belly Pasgarscore
1 0 1 0 0 1 8
2 0 0 0 0 0 10
3 0 1 1 1 0 7
4 0 0 0 0 0 10
5 0 1 0 0 0 9
6 0 1 0 0 0 9
7 1 0 0 0 1 8
total 1 4 1 1 2 61

Average Pasgarscore = 61/7 = 8.7

Navel problems in 4 out 7 chicks = 57%
Chick quality: qualitative parameters

Pasgar-score and Tona-score are

based on qualitative parameters

Tona-score more detailed

Pasgar-score simple easy to teach
Day old chick quality evaluation

Outline of presentation
Definition chick quality in hatchery
practice:
. Batches of chicks
. Individual chicks
Evaluation day old chick quality
. Scoring based on qualitative parameters
. Quantitative parameters
Factors influencing chick quality
parameters
Day old chick quality evaluation

How to use the Tona- and Pasgar-score?

What do they tell us?

Relationship performance in farm low!

(except red hocks De Jong et al 2004)

Get more insight in chick quality

Tool to improve incubation protocols

 Day old chick quality evaluation

How to interpret Pasgar-score?

Relationship red hocks and leg
weakness week 6 (De Jong et al. 2004)

Test Parameter Pasgar-score Pasgar- P-

7* score 10 value
Growth Relative growth
fist week (%) 215.4 225.1 0.03
Walking Step width (cm) 9.55 8.61 0.006
ability at day 39
Latency to-lie 210 263 0.06
(sec) at day 40
* Including red hocks
Day old chick quality evaluation

Pasgar-score used to improve

incubation protocol
Low incubation temperature (red line)
related to low Pasgar score

Egg shell temperatures

Temperature set points

 Day old chick quality evaluation

Pasgar-score used to improve

incubation protocol
Low incubation temperature (red line)
related to low Pasgar score

Tempera Numb Refl Nav Leg Beak Belly Mean

-ture er of ex el s (%) (%) Pas-
chicks (%) (%) (%) gar-
score
LOW 238 9.7 44.1 13.9 21.0 29.4 8.7
HIGH 146 2.1 40.4 5.5 11.6 6.8 9.2
 Day old chick quality evaluation

How to use the Tona-score?

What do we learn about influence of
storage of eggs on chick quality
Quality Storage days
parameters 33 1818 77 d
Average score 96 92
Chicks score 62% 48%
100
!Relative 185% 158%
growth
Weight at 42 d 2.579 g 2.376 g

Ref: Tona et al. (2003) Poultry Science 82: 736-741)

Day old chick quality evaluation

What do quantitative score tell us?

Relationship performance in farm low!

(except red hocks De Jong et al 2004)

Get more insight of egg storage and

incubation temperature on chick
quality

Tool to improve incubation protocols

Thank you

Dr. Marleen Boerjan

May 2014