A new candling procedure for thick and opaque eggs and its application to avian conservation management Funding information Birds Queensland

Clancy Hall; Dominique Potvin; Gabriel Conroy

doi:10.1002/zoo.21730

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A new candling procedure for thick and opaque eggs and its application to avian conservation management Funding information Birds Queensland

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

A new candling procedure for thick and opaque eggs and its application to avian conservation management Funding information Birds Queensland

Clancy Hall, Dominique Potvin and Gabriel Conroy

Zoo Biology, Vol.42(2), pp.296-307

2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/zoo.21730

PMID: 36070084

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Abstract

artificial incubation

cassowary

emu

ex situ management

ratite

threatened species management

The ability to monitor developing avian embryos and their associated vascular system via candling enables the application of important reproductive management techniques. Egg candling facilitates the confirmation of egg viability throughout the incubation process and identification of a precise position on a vein for the safe extraction of blood. Blood samples may then be analysed to retrieve vital health and genetic information to assist in conservation management. However, the thick or opaque egg shell characteristics of some avian species prevents the observation of egg contents using traditional candling methods, thus limiting management options. This paper tests a novel method of preparing thick‐shelled or opaque eggs so that traditional egg candling and blood extraction methods may be applied. Eggs from captive emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae, Latham 1790) and southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius johnsonii, Linnaeus 1758) were obtained, and partial fenestration was performed on two areas of shell either before incubation or at ⅓ of incubation. Hatchability and weight loss were examined as a measure of effect of the fenestration process on the developing embryo. Clear observation of vascular development was successful in 97% of viable fenestrated eggs, without affecting hatchability or weight loss. Blood samples were taken from developing embryos and DNA was successfully extracted for proof of concept of this new technique. The ability to observe vascular development and monitor the developing embryo in thick and opaque eggs will significantly improve both in situ and ex situ population management options such as in ovo sexing in species of concern.

Details

Title: A new candling procedure for thick and opaque eggs and its application to avian conservation management Funding information Birds Queensland
Authors: Clancy Hall (Corresponding Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Dominique Potvin (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Gabriel Conroy (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, GeneCology Research Centre - Legacy
Publication details: Zoo Biology, Vol.42(2), pp.296-307
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Date published: 2023
DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21730
ISSN: 1098-2361; 0733-3188
PMID: 36070084
Copyright note: This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution‐NonCommercial‐NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non‐commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made. © 2022 The Authors.Zoo Biology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Organisation Unit: Academic Support Unit; School of Science, Technology and Engineering; Centre for Bioinnovation
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99673698202621
Output Type: Journal article