Preincubation Dipping of Turkey Eggs – Does It Affect Eggshell Conductance?

Abstract

We tested the assumption that preincubation egg dipping in tylosin tartrate plus RCL (disinfectant) solution may affect eggshell gas conductance. This was done by measuring eggshell water vapor diffusive conductance of fertile hatching turkey eggs before and after dipping in: 1) distilled water, 2) tylosin tartrate, 3) RCL, 4) tylosin tartrate and RCL, 5) dry vacuum. A slight, but significant, increase in eggshell conductance was found in all treatments and controls; difference was significant only between all experimental and control groups. This indicates that functional eggshell properties associated with water loss and gas exchange are only marginally affected by the treatment per se and change slightly with age. Both dipping and age changes are not meaningful. No correlation was found between the amounts of solution gained in dipping and egg mass or eggshell conductance.