N‐Carbamylglutamate in ovo feeding improves carcass yield, muscle fiber development, and meat quality in broiler chickens

BACKGROUND Insufficient endogenous nutrients in the broiler embryo can lead to muscle gluconeogenesis, which ultimately affects the post‐hatching performance of chicks. This study investigated the effects of in ovo feeding (IOF) of N‐carbamylglutamate (NCG) on the growth hormones, carcass yield, and meat quality in broilers. Fertile eggs from a 30‐week‐old Ross 308 breeder flock were divided into three treatment groups: NC (non‐injection), SC (100 μL saline‐injection), and NCG (2 mg NCG injection). Each group had six replicates, with 70 eggs per replicate during incubation. Injections were administered on the 17.5th day of embryonic development. After hatching, 270 chicks were selected for 42‐day rearing for further sampling. RESULTS Chicks in the NCG group had significantly higher body weight (BW) and average daily gain (ADG) at the growing phase, increased growth and testosterone hormone in both feeding phases (21 and 42 days), and improved average daily gain (ADG) and food conversion ratio (FCR) in both grower and entire feeding phases (P