Influence of In-ovo Arginine Feeding on Post-hatch Growth Performance and Economics of Broilers

A total of 420 fertile broiler eggs (Cobb) with uniform egg weight were collected and divided into three groups: non-injected control, injected control (0.5 ml of 0.9% normal saline) and arginine (0.5 ml of 0.5% arginine); and injected on 18 day (d) of incubation into amnion. On the 21 d, 108 chicks were randomly selected from each treatment totaling to 324 chicks. The hatchability, hatch weight and body weight, body weight gain were studied. Arginine had shown a highly significant (P<0.01) effect on hatch weight (45.18±0.24 g) and placement weight (42.24±0.23 g). Body weight (600.56±7.89 g) and body weight gain (334.15±5.03 g) were significantly (P<0.05) improved in arginine fed in ovo groups up to 21 d of age. Broiler farm economy index (BFEI) and broiler feed price ratio (BFPR) were best in arginine in ovo fed groups. In ovo administration of limiting amino acid (arginine) influences the growth of embryo and ultimately improves the post-hatch production performance in broilers. It can also be concluded that the reduction in weight loss during transportation is due to the action of conditionally essential amino acid arginine against stress.