Theses and Dissertations

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

McDaniel, Christopher D.

Committee Member

Peebles, E. David

Committee Member

Kiess, Aaron S.

Date of Degree

8-15-2014

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Open Access

Major

Poultry Science

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Department

Department of Poultry Science

Abstract

Parthenogenetic development (PD) in Chinese Painted quail decreases hatchability and increases early embryonic mortality. The objectives of this study were to determine if PD alters egg albumen ions, gases, and pH (virgin and mated hens) as well as the success of subsequent fertilization in mated quail and if egg storage and incubation temperature increase PD. In virgin hens, PD altered albumen characteristics over incubation. In fact, albumen from mated and virgin hens exhibiting PD showed similar albumen characteristics, and these characteristics were similar to early dead embryos in mated hens. Also, mated hens selected for parthenogenesis had less sperm holes in the perivitelline membrane and a higher percentage of eggs without holes as compared to birds not selected for parthenogenesis. Increasing storage and incubational temperature increased PD and parthenogen size. In conclusion, PD alters egg albumen characteristics, decreases fertility, and can be affected by storage and incubation temperatures.

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11668/20114

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