Research Note: Variability in Preincubation Embryonic Development in Domestic Fowl. 2. Effects of Duration of Egg Storage Period

analyzed to determine whether duration of egg storage significantly affects embryonic development prior to incubation. Eggs were gathered over a period of 5 days from 25-wk-old hens that were naturally inseminated and housed in floor pens. Within 1 h of oviposition the eggs were collected and assigned randomly to one of five storage treatment groups of 0,4,7,14, or 21 days. Fresh egg weight was recorded and the eggs were placed on plastic egg flats and stored at 14 C. Weight of each egg was measured after storage to determine amount of weight lost during storage. A total of 500 embryos were examined after storage. Viable embryos were staged for development using a modified Eyal-Giladi and Kochav classification. The incidence of embryonic mortality was noted. Duration of storage (P =.5815) collection date (P =.5815), and fresh egg weight (P =.3789) did not affect embryonic development significantly. A significant linear relationship was observed between duration of the storage period and loss of egg weight (P =.0001). Embryonic mortality was significantly related to loss of egg weight (P =.0001). Mortality was highest in eggs that were stored for a longer period of time. The data from the current study indicate that storing fertile eggs below physiological zero inhibits embryonic development. One of the reasons for the increased incidence of embryonic mortality in eggs that were stored for longer periods may be related to the increased egg weight loss in these eggs