Evaluation of different sodium nitrite levels in ovo injection on embryo growth and development, and some blood metabolites on newly hatched chicks

In this experiment، the effect of in ovo injection of different levels of sodium nitrite (0، 0. 042، 0. 084 and 0. 168 mg per egg) was investigated on embryo growth، and development، and some blood metabolites on newly hatched chicks. For this purpose، three hundred and eight fertile eggs were used. These eggs were divided to four groups on day 7 of incubation and injected with different sodium nitrite levels dissolved in distilled water. Chi-square test was used to statistical compare of hatchability and embryo mortality. The results of blood metabolites were analyzed based a completely randomized design with four treatments and five blood samples in each treatment. The Duncan multiple comparison test was used to comparison of means at significance level of 0. 05. Injection of sodium nitrite had no effects on hatchability and mortality (P>0. 05). Body weight of chicks in sodium nitrite injected eggs was lower than that of control eggs (P<0. 05). The total blood protein of chicks from the eggs injected with 0. 042 mg sodium nitrite was lower than that of the chicks from other eggs (P<0. 05). Moreover، total blood protein of chicks from sodium injected eggs was lower as compared to that of control eggs (P<0. 05). There was no significant differences between the treatments for blood total cholesterol، triglyceride، hematocrit and hemoglobin (P>0. 05). It was concluded that injection of sodium nitrite doesn’t affect hatchability، mortality and blood total cholesterol، triglyceride، hematocrit and hemoglobin but it decreases the blood total protein and hence body weight of newly hatched chicks.