Effect of different aqueous media on the viability of the germ cells of chicken eggs

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to evaluate effect of different aqueous media on the viability of the germ cells of chicken eggs. The aqueous media tested were Brackish water (BRW), Physiological saline solution (PSS), Deionized water (DW), and city tap water (CW). A total of 300 eggs were used for the study using a Completely randomized experimental design (CRD). The study revealed that brackish water had the highest number of clear eggs while the control had the lowest. There was no significant difference between CW and DW in respect to the number of clear eggs. The control had the highest number of early dead. There was no significant difference between treatments with regard to egg weight. Brackish water had the highest microbial load before storage while DW had the lowest. Deionized water had the highest microbial load after storage while PSS had the lowest. In ferric concentration (Fe³+) concentration, DW had the highest before storage but the least after storage. The pH of all the media was neutral before storage except BRW which was near neutral (6.9). The pH of all treatments rose above neutral after storage ranging from 7.2 to 7.7.

 Key words: aqueous media, storage technique, hatching eggs