Key Points and Methods of Goose Incubation Technology Explained

Artificial goose incubation has gradually shifted to electric incubation. Electric incubation has more advantages than traditional flat-bed incubation, such as consistent temperature, cleanliness and hygiene, and convenient management. The disadvantage is a slightly larger investment in equipment. If electric variable-temperature incubation is used, the hatch rate of goose eggs can be significantly improved. The goose incubation technology is introduced below:

Equipment and Incubation Procedure

For variable-temperature goose incubation, generally multiple incubators are used in combination, adopting an all-in-all-out system, with different environments set up in stages for incubation. The entire incubation period can be divided into 3 or 4 stages.

1. If divided into 3 stages, they are respectively 1-14 days, 15-28 days, and 29-31 days. The temperatures are respectively 38°C, 37.5°C, and 36.5°C.

2. If divided into 4 stages, they are respectively: 1-9 days, 10-18 days, 19-28 days, and 29-31 days. The temperatures are respectively 38°C, 37°C, 37°C, and 36.5°C.

The latter is suitable for hatcheries of a certain scale. The first three periods are carried out in different incubators with different temperatures and humidity for incubation, and days 29-31 are carried out in a hatcher. This requires 2-3 incubators and 1 hatcher.

Structural Characteristics of Goose Eggs

Goose eggs have a relatively small surface area, a thick shell, and a hard shell texture that is not easily broken. The outer shell membrane is also thick, the pores are small, and the inner shell membrane is tough, causing the pores to be sealed very tightly, which directly affects gas exchange, moisture evaporation, heat conduction, and pipping and hatching. With conventional incubation techniques, goslings have difficulty breaking the shell.

Selection and Disinfection of Hatching Eggs

Hatching eggs should come from healthy and superior goose flocks, and reasonable feed nutrition is also an important factor affecting the quality of hatching eggs. In addition, egg weight, egg shape, eggshell quality, egg freshness, cleanliness, and an appropriate male-to-female ratio are all necessary conditions for selecting goose eggs. After being laid, hatching eggs generally need to be disinfected twice. The first time, before storage, fumigate with formalin (based on 30 ml formalin and 15 g potassium permanganate per 1 cubic meter of volume, fumigate for 20-30 minutes). The second time, soak for disinfection at the time of incubation, which can also wash away dirt on the egg surface (you can soak in 0.1% benzalkonium bromide or 0.03%-0.05% potassium permanganate water for 2-3 minutes, wash clean, drain, and then incubate).

Storage and Placement of Hatching Eggs

The suitable temperature for storing hatching eggs is 10-15°C. The suitable duration is preferably within 1 week, and at most no more than 15 days. If stored for more than 15 days, the hatch rate of hatching eggs decreases significantly. The suitable humidity is about 75%. If stored for more than 1 week, the eggs can be turned 1-2 times a day, and it is enough to change the angle. For example, prop up one side of the hatching egg box, and on the next turn, prop up the other side. The hatching egg storage room must be clean and hygienic, and must not be exposed to direct sunlight.

Control of Temperature and Humidity

1. Temperature: Because goose eggs have special structures such as the outer shell membrane, eggshell, pores, and inner shell membrane, at the early stage of incubation the hatching eggs heat up slowly, and their fat content is relatively high. In addition, a large amount of physiological heat is produced in the middle and late stages, making heat dissipation difficult. Therefore, during the incubation process, the principle for applying heat is: high in the early incubation period, level in the middle period, slightly lower in the late period, and slightly higher at hatching. It should be noted that egg temperature and air temperature inside the machine are different, and the two differ considerably due to differences in embryo age, machine airflow, and outside air temperature. The temperature measured by an electric incubator is generally the air temperature inside the machine, and attention should be paid to monitoring the embryo egg temperature. The control of temperature varies depending on the machine model, air temperature, and goose egg variety.

2. Humidity: The principle for humidity is high at both ends and level in the middle. In the early stage, days 1-9, it is 65%-70%; in the middle stage, days 10-18, it is 60%-65%; in the late stage, days 19-28, it is 65%-70%; and during the hatching period, days 29-31, it is 72%. In the early stage, the embryo must form a large amount of amniotic fluid and allantoic fluid, and the temperature inside the machine is relatively high, so the relative humidity should be slightly higher. In the middle stage, in order to expel amniotic fluid and allantoic fluid, the humidity should be slightly lower. In the late stage, to prevent the down from sticking to the eggshell, the relative humidity should be increased to the same as in the early stage. During the hatching period, the humidity should be greater, at 72%. After 25 days, spraying water can be combined to increase humidity. Humidity must not be too high. If it exceeds 75%, it can cause poor ventilation, and the embryo may suffer acidosis due to poor gas exchange, leading to suffocation and death of the embryo. On the other hand, if humidity is too high at hatching, bacteria inside the machine multiply in large numbers, and goslings are prone to umbilical infection and omphalitis.

Cooling Eggs and Spraying Water

Cooling eggs and spraying water are effective measures for adjusting humidity and have a great impact on the hatch rate. In the early stage of incubation, eggs are generally not cooled. In the middle and late stages, egg temperature often reaches above 39°C. Because the eggshell surface area is relatively small and the pores are small, heat dissipates slowly. If excess physiological heat is not released in time, it will affect development or cause dead embryos. Cooling eggs can strengthen gas exchange of the embryo and remove accumulated heat inside the egg. When incubation reaches 17-19 days, open the box cover and cool the eggs once a day. After 25 days, there is a lot of physiological heat, so cool the eggs 3-4 times a day. The length of cooling time varies and should be flexibly controlled according to actual conditions. When the egg temperature drops to 35°C, continue incubation. Spraying water is the key to increasing the hatch rate of goose eggs. The function of spraying water has three points:

1. Destroy the cuticle on the shell.

2. Promote continuous contraction and expansion of the eggshell and shell membrane, destroy their integrity, increase permeability, accelerate moisture evaporation and normal weight loss of the egg, enlarge the air cell volume, and ensure sufficient oxygen supply.

3. Cause the eggshell to become loose and brittle. Goose eggs have a thick outer shell membrane and a hard eggshell. The former affects gas exchange and moisture evaporation, while the latter makes pipping difficult. The presence of the outer shell membrane is beneficial in the early stage of incubation and unfavorable in the late stage. To remove it, water must be sprayed on embryo eggs after 19 days (spraying water earlier is unfavorable for the closure of the allantoic blood vessels). When the air temperature is high, spray cool water; when the air temperature is low, spray warm water at 35°C. Spray 1-4 times a day, controlled as appropriate. Spray the eggs wet, let them dry, and continue incubation. After repeated water spraying, the calcium carbonate in the eggshell becomes calcium bicarbonate under the action of water and carbon dioxide, and the hard eggshell becomes soft, making it easier for goslings to break the shell, thereby increasing the hatch rate.