Effects of in ovo Injection of Vitamins B6 and B12 in Fertile Eggs Subjected to Ethanol Stress on Hatching Traits, Performance and Visceral Organs of Broiler Chicks Reared under Cold Stress Condition

Two subsequent experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of in ovo injection of vitamin B6 and B12 in fertile eggs subjected to ethanol (EtOH) stress on hatching traits (first), performance and visceral organs of broiler chicks under cold stress (second). A number of 510 fertile eggs were incubated. A number of 180 eggs were considered as controls (three subgroups as: not-injected, eggshell with a hole and distilled water-injected). A number of 110 eggs were injected with 25 μL of a 1:1 (v/v) mixture of EtOH 47.5% + distilled water. Eggs in two other groups were injected with 25 μL of a 1:1 (v/v) mixture of EtOH 47.5% + 100 μL of B6 (n=110), 25 μL of a 1:1 (v/v) mixture of 47.5% EtOH + 1000 μL of B12 (n=110). A number of 240 one-day chicks, allocated to second experiment. Hatched chicks were divided into 4 treatments. Tem-perature was maintained 12 °C from 28 to 42 days of age. Hatchability percent (P<0.05) reduced by EtOH injected group. The lowest body weight at one day was observed in the EtOH injected group compared to other groups (P<0.05). No significant difference was detected in body weight gain and feed intake of chicks during 1-14 days of age between EtOH + B6 and EtOH + B12 groups. There was no effect of treatment on feed conversion ratio and visceral organ weight (P>0.05). In ovo injection of vitamins B6 and B12 alleviated EtOH-induced oxidative stress in chickens embryos. No significant difference was observed in the perform-ance of the hatched birds in the cold conditions temperature (P>0.05).