Prenatal nutritional manipulation by in ovo enrichment influences bone structure, composition, and mechanical properties

Abstract

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of embryonic nutritional enrichment on the development and properties of broiler leg bones (tibia and femur) from the prenatal period until maturity. To accomplish the objective, 300 eggs were divided into 2 groups: a noninjected group (control) and a group injected in ovo with a solution containing minerals, vitamins, and carbohydrates (enriched). Tibia and femur from both legs were harvested from chicks on embryonic days 19 (E19) and 21 (E21) and d 3, 7, 14, 28, and 54 posthatch (n = 8). The bones were mechanically tested (stiffness, maximal load, and work to fracture) and scanned in a micro-computed tomography (μCT) scanner to examine the structural properties of the cortical [cortical area, medullary area, cortical thickness, and maximal moment of inertia (Imax)] and trabecular (bone volume percent, trabecular thickness, and trabecular number) areas. To examine bone mineralization, bone mineral density (BMD) of the cortical area was obtained from the μCT scans, and bones were analyzed for the ash and mineral content. The results showed improved mechanical properties of the enriched group between E19 and d 3 and on d 14 (P < 0.05). Differences in cortical morphology were noted between E19 and d 14 as the enriched group had greater medullary area on E19 (femur), reduced medullary area on E21 (both bones), greater femoral cortical area on d 3, and greater Imax of both bones on d 14 (P < 0.05). The major differences in bone trabecular architecture were that the enriched group had greater bone volume percent and trabecular thickness in the tibia on d 7 and the femur on d 28 (P< 0.05). The pattern of mineralization between E19 and d 54 showed improved mineralization in the enriched group on E19 whereas on d 3 and 7, the control group showed a mineralization advantage, and on d 28 and 54, the enriched group showed again greater mineralization (P < 0.05). In summary, this study demonstrated that in ovo enrichment affects multiple bone properties pre- and postnatally and showed that avian embryos are a good model for studying the effect of embryonic nutrition on natal and postnatal development. Most importantly, the enrichment led to improved mechanical properties until d 14 (roughly third of the lifespan of the bird), a big advantage for the young broiler. Additionally, the improved mineralization and trabecular architecture on d 28 and 54 indicate a potential long-term effect of altering embryonic nutrition.

Response of in ovo administration of zinc on egg hatchability and immune response of commercial broiler chicken

“…In concurrence to our observation on post‐hatch growth performance, most of the earlier works have reported in ovo administration of zinc did not improve growth performances of post‐hatch chicks (Tako et al., ; Goel et al., ; Yair et al., ; Oliveira et al., ). On the contrary, Joshua et al.…”

“…Yair et al. () observed in ovo administration of 0.6 mg zinc/egg in the form of bioplex zinc along with other minerals and vitamins reduced the hatchability to 86.4% compared to control (90.9%). However, the length, weight and relative weight of tibia and femur were higher on day 14 which showed improved mechanical properties (stiffness, maximal load) compared to control.…”

Effect of in ovo feeding of β‐hydroxy‐β‐methylbutyrate on hatchability, muscle growth and performance in prenatal and posthatch broilers

“…Unlike the mammalian embryo, chick embryos must rely upon egg nutrients independently, so sufficient nutrients in the egg will enable a good starting for the hatching chicks. However, studies have indicated that nutrient reserves in the egg are insufficient to fully support embryonic development . In ovo feeding (IOF) is a method of supplementing exogenous nutrients into the avian embryo to enhance egg nutrition and posthatch growth.…”

The Effects of In-Ovo Injection of Propolis on Egg Hatchability and Starter Live Performance of Japanese Quails

“…The in-ovo method was first used by Sharma & Burmester (1982) for the vaccination of turkey hatching eggs against Marek's disease. Recently, the in-ovo method has been investigated by researchers for administering ascorbic acid (Elibol et al, 2001;Ipek et al, 2004;Sgavioli et al, 2015), carbohydrates (Zhai et al, 2011;Salmanzadeh, 2012;Ipek et al, 2004;Tako et al, 2004), amino acids (Bhanja et al, 2014;Ohta et al, 1999;Kermanshahi et al, 2015), vitamins (Bello et al, 2013;Salary et al, 2014), minerals (Yair et al, 2013;Oliveira et al, 2015), pollen (Coskun et al, 2014), hormones (Moore et al, 1994;Kocamis et al, 1999), and royal jelly (Moghaddam et al, 2014).…”