The growth and production of any animal husbandry including poultry depends on early development, growth, feeding, environmental, and other factors. Early and late embryonic developments form a significant parameter in poultry production, during which human or technological intervention is practically impossible. Similarly, embryonic development is governed by very many internal factors, among which egg calcium utilization is of prime importance. An experiment was set up to investigate the egg calcium utilization of different poultry breeds during its embryonic development. Four breeds of locally (Kerala, India) available chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus), Broiler, Naked neck, Vanaraja, and Gramapriya breeds, were selected and embryonic egg utilization was assessed by comparing calcium content of eggshells before and after hatching and the results showed that layer breeds, Vanaraja, utilizes maximum (0.20 g) and significantly (p < 0.01) higher quantity eggshell calcium for embryonic development, followed by Naked neck breed (0.16 g); the least used variety was Broiler breed (0.09 g). Eggshell calcium utilization in different breeds is discussed in relation to its ontogenic breed properties like broiler and layer, i.e., production of meat and eggs, respectively, as the literature on ontogenic calcium utilization of breeds is meager.
Key words: calcium, ontogeny, incubation, Naked neck, Broiler, Vanaraja, Gramapriya.
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