In Ovo Feeding of Commercial Broiler Eggs: An Accurate and Reproducible Method to Affect Muscle Development and Growth

Summary

A robust methodology has been developed for conducting in ovo feeding research trials utilizing unincubated commercial broiler eggs to test the ability of natural and synthetic compounds, in this case, nicotinamide riboside, to influence muscle development and growth.

Abstract

Within the past three decades, red meat and poultry scientists focused on developing strategies and technologies to manipulate muscle development during embryonic and fetal development. This area continues to be an area of focus because muscle fiber number is established during this time and determines the basis for all future growth. In poultry, numerous studies demonstrated in ovo feeding of growth factors, vitamins, or other nutrients improved chick embryonic muscle and intestinal development. Improving in ovo muscle development could benefit the poultry industry by possibly influencing meat yield, growth rate, or myopathy conditions. During the past five years, the Gonzalez Laboratory at the University of Georgia developed a nicotinamide riboside in ovo feeding methodology for broiler-chicken embryos, which altered muscle development. When injected into a developing embryo's yolk sac, nicotinamide riboside increased pectoralis major muscle weight and muscle fiber density at hatch. This protocol will demonstrate a methodology to accurately and reproducibly conduct in ovo feeding studies utilizing commercial standard- and high-yielding broiler embryos. These data and methods will allow other research groups to perform in ovo feeding studies with much success and reproducibility.

Introduction

Since 1960, the United States' per capita consumption of meat from poultry has risen at an astounding rate, while other primary protein sources have remained stagnant, declined, or minimally increased. The poultry industry invested considerable time and research efforts optimizing nutrition and genetics to produce an efficient bird to keep up with demand. Because the poultry industry's main objective is to produce muscle for conversion to meat, their efforts have drastically changed the bird's ultimate muscle mass at harvest.

Like most species, poultry develops muscle in a biphasic manner. Primary myogenesis utilizes mesenchymal....

Protocol

All methodologies were approved by the University of Georgia Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.

1. Egg incubation and treatment administration

1. Egg procurement and treatment assignment
   1. Obtain unincubated, fertilized high-yield broiler eggs and transport them to the laboratory.
   2. Inspect and discard eggs deemed poor quality.
      NOTE: Eliminate misshapen eggs (round, elongated, slab-sided), cracked, dirty/stained, thin-shelled, and wrinkled. This is.......

Discussion

To date, the Gonzalez Laboratory at the University of Georgia is the only group to demonstrate positive effects of nicotinamide riboside in ovo feeding on pectoralis major muscle development and growth. The first study found that in ovo feeding of 250 mM nicotinamide riboside increased muscle weight and dimensions when injected in the yolk sac⁹. In the follow-up study, injecting increasing nicotinamide riboside dose into the yolk, similar to the doses tested in the .......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Air-Tite™ Sterile Hypodermic Needles- 20 G; 1 inch	Fisher Scientific	14-817-208	https://www.fishersci.com/shop/products/sterile-hypodermic-needles-32/p-7182916#?keyword=
Analytical Balance	VWR	VWR-214B2	https://us.vwr.com/store/product/20970740/vwr-b2-series-analytical-and-precision-balances
Complete Dissection Set	DOCAZON	DK1001	https://www.amazon.com/DOCAZON-Complete-Dissection-Set-Dissecting/dp/B07VBHKSW3
Fisherbrand™ Isotemp™ General Purpose Deluxe Water Baths	Fisher Scientific	FSGPD02	https://www.fishersci.com/shop/products/isotemp-general-purpose-water-baths/p-6448020
Fisherbrand™ Sterile Syringes for Single Use	Fisher Scientific	14-955-464	https://www.fishersci.com/shop/products/sterile-syringes-single-use-12/p-7114739#?keyword=
HIGH INTENSITY EGG CANDLER	Titan Incubators	N/A	https://www.titanincubators.com/collections/egg-candlers/products/egg-candler-high-intensity
Infrared Forehead Thermometer	HALIDODO	XZ-001
Microsoft Excel	Microsoft	N/A
Neiko Tools Digital Caliper	Neiko Tools	01408A	https://www.amazon.com/Neiko-01407A-Electronic-Digital-Stainless/dp/B000NEA0P8?th=1
Nexcare Absolute Waterproof Tape	Nexcare Brand	732	https://www.nexcare.com/3M/en_US/nexcare/products/catalog/~/Nexcare-Absolute-Waterproof-Tape/?N=4326+3294529207+3294631805 &rt=rud
Pen Size Temperature and Humidity USB Data Logger with Display	Omega	OM-HL-SP-TH	https://www.omega.com/en-us/temperature-measurement/temperature-and-humidity-data-loggers/p/OM-HL-SP-Series
SAS 9.4 for Windows	SAS Institute	N/A	https://www.sas.com/en_us/home.html
Sportsman 1502 Incubator	GQF Manufacturing	1502	https://www.gqfmfg.com/item/1502-digital-sportsman/
Tru Niagen (Nicotinamide riboside)	ChromaDex, Inc.	N/A	https://www.truniagen.com/truniagen-300mg/ - note, contact company for pure product
Wood Craft Sticks	Creatology	M20001547	https://www.michaels.com/wood-craft-sticks-by-creatology/M20001547.html