THE VALUE OF SUPPLEMENTAL BIOTIN FOR INCREASING HATCHABILITY OF TURKEY EGGS

Two experiments were conducted with Large White Turkey hens in individual cages to determine the value of supplemental biotin for increasing hatchability. No differences were observed for 7-day embryo deaths between treatments in both experiments. In the last two-thirds of the production cycle in both experiments, eggs from hens fed 520-mu-g and 623-mu-g/kg had the fewest embryonic deaths during Days 7 to 28 of incubation. Concentrations of biotin in egg albumin increased with incremental dietary biotin levels, but egg yolk concentrations were stable. About 38-mu-g of biotin per egg (82 g) produced highest embryo survival. Regression analysis, based on average percentage hatchability at the treatment levels for both experiments, revealed no hatchability response for Period 1 (first third of production cycle) from biotin. However, the dietary biotin level for hatchability increased with maternal age, which ranged from 500 to 800-mu-g/kg for Periods 2 (second third of production cycle) and 3 (last third of production cycle), respectively.