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ABSTRACT
Artificial incubation is rapidly becoming the predominant method for
incubation of poultry eggs worldwide. It is favoured in order to increase
the production of chicks and protein intake, particularly in the developing
countries. Electrical incubators are the best where the supply of electricity
is readily available and cheap. In this study, an automatic poultry egg
incubator was designed, fabricated and tested to evaluate its
performance. A total 3362 eggs [trial 1 (n = 683, BA1); trial 2 (n = 1404,
HL2); trial 3 ([n=398, BA); and trial 4 (n=598, HL and n =279, HL)] were
used for hatchability tests. The eggs were divided into two treatments:
treatment 1 (60% RH; temperature =38°C; n=1275) and treatment 2
(65% RH; temperature = 39°C; n = 2087). Each treatment group of eggs
was incubated in an individual incubator, according to its experimental
temperature and relative humidity during incubation. The incubating
chamber was maintained throughout the incubating period within a
temperature range of 35°C to 38° C and relative humidity range of 48 %
to 70%. The preliminary results of this ongoing study based on the four
incubation trials showed that the percentage fertility and hatchability of
eggs were 80% and 66%, respectively. Chicken eggs incubated at a lower
temperature (38°C) and lower humidity (60%) presented the highest level
of hatchability (73%) compared to higher temperature (39°C) and relative
humidity (65%). These results suggest that the locally- manufactured
electric egg incubator may be used for artificial incubation, aimed at
enhancing production of day-old chickens.
INTRODUCTION
A major food security challenge in Malawi is meeting increased demand
for chicks and protein intake from poultry products. While the production
of chicken products appears to be on the increase, it is currently
estimated that 55% of farming households keep chickens (MoAIFS, 2004).
These have been reared for both egg and meat production. Estimates
show that in 1998, the Malawi chicken population was at 10,365,700 with
egg production of 28 million per month and 800, 000 chicks per month
(DAHI, 1999). These are not adequate to satisfy local demand. The
country had to import extra 900 tonnes of poultry meat and 28.6 million
eggs to meet the 1997 demand. During the same year, Malawi imported
Finding ways to increase the production of chicks and protein intake would
be a benefit not only to consumers but would also serve to stimulate
greater productivity on the part of small-scale producers. This would
include the development of small-scale hatcheries (incubators) to cater for
small-scale backyard system in households, and help reduce the waiting
period for commercial farmers for chicks from commercial hatcheries,
which ranges from two to three weeks (Stewart, personal communication).
Artificial incubators have been used since ancient times for hatching
poultry eggs in many parts of the world. Aristotle writing in the year 400
BC told of Egyptians incubating eggs spontaneously in dung heaps. The
Chinese developed artificial incubation as early as 246 BC. These early
incubation methods were often practised on a large scale, a single
location perhaps having capacity of 36,000 eggs. The application of
incubation principles was a closely guarded secret, passed from one
generation to the next. The proper temperature was judged by placing an
incubating egg in one’s eye socket for accurate determination.
Temperature changes were effected in the incubator by moving the eggs,
by adding additional eggs to use the heat of embryological development
of older eggs, and regulating the flow of fresh air through the hatching
area. Humidity was evidently not a problem as primitive incubators were
located on highly humid areas, and the heat source, often burning
materials, furnished water around the eggs. Turning was done as often as
five times in a 24-hour period after the fourth day of incubation.
Studies have shown that poor incubation success results from timely
combination of either high or low environmental temperature and
inadequate relative humidity inside the hatchery or incubator (Decuypere
and Michels, 1992), and when lack of ventilation affects oxygen renewal
(Alda,2003). Embryonic mortality may result from fungi contamination
during incubation, and hatchery houses are ideal environments for fungi
development-high temperature; high relative humidity and high level of
organic material.
Scientific research and extensive field tests have demonstrated that the
relative humidity of air in an incubator for the first 18 days should be
approximately 60%, and during the last 3 days, it should be increased to
about 70%. High moisture in the incubator prevents normal evaporation
and results in low hatchability. Low moisture causes chicks to stick to the
shell.
The original design contained no moving parts other than induced draught
fans and manually operated swivel trays. The main supply of energy is
electricity through use of incandescent lamps to convert light into thermal
energy. Field tests proved successful as the unit attained hatchability
above 70%. A serious limitation of such design was that it requires a
person to monitor the environment inside an incubator to ensure that the
eggs receive the correct heat, air and moisture to hatch successfully.
However, to better-fit technology to the needs of small-scale day-old chick
producers, a need has been identified to re-engineer the unit, to allow
simple but automatic monitoring of the environmental conditions.
Therefore, this paper presents the report of the design and construction of
an automatic poultry egg incubator using materials that are readily
available in the local market with the aim to increase the rate of chicks’
production among small-scale farmers in Malawi. The performance of the
incubator was also evaluated.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The incubator measures 1.22 m (front wall) by, 1.56 m (lateral wall) by
1.78 m (height) and had 4 trays holding 360 eggs each. The structure is
made of angle irons and covered with chipboards. The structure houses
egg tray holders and its turning mechanisms. The frame is made of
30x30x3 mm angle irons enclosing 16mm chipboards.The egg tray turning
mechanism is made of 25x25x3 mm angle irons and 25x3mm flat bars.
Induced draught fans that are centrally position along the width circulate
the air; a heating element is positioned in the front of the fans. The frame
has side top holes that allow fresh air to enter the incubator and release
exhaust air at the side bottom holes.
The drive mechanism was designed to turn trays at 45 0C; the sizing of the
drive was based on forces created while turning the full load trays. The
calculations were based on the assumed egg weight of 60 g. A timer, limit
switches and contactors are used to control the turning intervals as shown
in the electrical wiring diagrams. One direction drive motor is used where
the angular movement is translated into longitudinal movement.
Fertile eggs of two layer breeds, Black Austrolops and Hy-line were
obtained from Mikolongwe Veterinary and Charles Stewart Hatcheries,
respectively. The eggs were selected by size and origin, identified and
arranged onto the empty trays. The incubator was also fumigated and test
run for twenty four hours before egg setting. Eggs were placed in an
incubator, provided with an automatic turning facility, at a set
temperature of 37.5°C and 60% relative humidity. A plastic basin with
water was placed under the egg tray as humidifier. This relative humidity
of 60% was provided for these eggs in the incubator for 18 days and it
was increased to 70% until hatching.
Eggs were turned at an angle of 45° every hour. Fertility was determined
via candling on the seventh day of incubation. The eggs were candled on
the eighteenth day again, and those exhibiting embryonic mortality were
determined and removed from the machine. The incubation period was
determined and the hatched chicks were checked for deformities while
the un-hatched eggs were opened up to determine the type and cause of
mortality. The effect of temperature on the hatchability of fertile eggs and
the incidence of embryonic mortality and deformed chicks were
determined. The eggs staged as infertile were the ones with true infertility
or pre-incubation mortality. They were also staged as early dead embryos
or intermediate dead embryos according to embryo mortality stage.
Unhatched eggs classified as late dead were the ones with final stage
mortality or piped eggs with dead embryos.
Statistical Analysis
Hatchability
Table 1 shows the calculated hatchability tests parameters for the
electricity- powered automatic poultry egg incubator. There were
significant differences on percentage hatchability, fertility, and mortality.
The results obtained during the first trials show that out of 683 eggs set in
the incubator, 283 eggs were infertile. The percentage fertility of egg was
58.6%. Also out of 400 fertilised eggs, 224 eggs were hatched (Table.),
which resulted in a percentage hatchability of 66.87%. The second
hatchability trial produced the lowest results. Out of 1404 eggs set in the
incubator, 764 eggs were infertile. The percentage fertility of eggs was
45.58%. Also out of 640 fertilised eggs, 337 eggs were hatched, which
resulted in a percentage hatchability of 57.22%.
Parameter Trial
1 2 3 4* 4**
Mortality:
Dead in Germ 26 38 35 28 240
All sampled areas presented lower relative humidity (RH) values than
recommended in literature (Robertson, 1961; Lundy, 1969), ranging from
48% to 65% (Fig 2). These lay below threshold for maximum hatchability
(Wilson, 1991; French, 1997). Values of RH were not also homogenously
distributed in the incubator (p<0.05). Certain areas had comparatively
lower RH values (). Usually RH can vary more than temperature without
depressing hatchability. Values of RH lower than 50-60% may induce
evaporative cooling and consequent ambient temperature, which may
lead to embryo dehydration, increased incubation time and consequent
hatching depression or delay (Decuypere et al., 2003).
Percentages of late dead and fertile hatchability were highest for the 60%
and 65% treatment, respectively. These data demonstrated that.. RH
appears to have a detrimental effect on embryonic development, as
evidenced by the increased percentage of late dead.
CONCLUSIONS
Simple and relatively cheap artificial incubators that are produced locally
are favoured for the increase in production of chicks and protein intake in
Malawi. Therefore, in this study, an automatic poultry egg incubator was
designed and fabricated using locally sourced materials to make it
relatively affordable to the average poor farmer dwelling in a rural area.
The incubator consisting of of .. 1440 capacity was tested in Blantyre, to
evaluate its performance. The results obtained showed high thermal
performance of the system. The incubating chamber was maintained with
a dry bulb temperature range of 36 to 38.5, and the chamber was also
maintained within a relative humidity range 58 to 61 % throughout the
incubating period. The percentage of fertility of egg and percentage
hatchability were found to be .., respectively.
ACKNOWLEDGE MENTS
This study was undertaken collaboratively with Mikolongwe Veterinary
Station with support of the Malawi Industrial Research and Technology
Development Centre on Agricultural Machinery Design Programme. The
authors express their gratitude to the staff of Technology Production Unit
(TPU) for their careful handling of the egg incubator unit. We also thank
R.W. Mkandawire, C.S. Chigwe and K.N. Kalonda for their critical review of
this manuscript and their valuable suggestions.
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