The Potential Negative Effects of FGF-23 peptide Vaccination on the Hatchability of Fertilized Eggs

Abstract

In Ren et al. (2018), fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) peptide vaccination increased eggshell quality of Single Comb White Leghorn laying hens. Increasing eggshell strength may have considerable benefits for egg producers, but could potentially have negative consequences on hatchability. Fertilized eggs were collected for 11 days from FGF-23 peptide and control vaccinated hens and incubated to determine hatchability. Eggshell samples were collected from eggs on days 20, 21, and 22 of incubation to determine shell strength and thickness. The hatchability of fertilized eggs tended to decrease by 11% for FGF-23 peptide vaccinated hens (P = 0.195). Eggshells sampled from chicks of FGF-23 vaccinated hens on day 21 of incubation had increased shell thickness (P < 0.001) and eggs sampled on day 22 of incubation were observed to have increased shell thickness (P = 0.037) and shell strength (P = 0.047) when compared to eggs from control vaccinated hens on day 21 and 22 respectively.