The effects of dry hydrogen peroxide on hatchery performance when applied in single stage incubator

Additional research has shown that using DHP in single stage incubators can achieve the same level of microbial reduction on eggshells as pre-fogging eggs with formaldehyde prior to set. The next step in the research process, and thus the purpose of this experiment, was to directly compare dry hydrogen peroxide to the traditional method of using formaldehyde for microbial reduction. The trial is set in a commercial broiler hatchery, where DHP units were installed throughout the egg room, inside incubators in one incubator hall, the transfer room, and in half of the hatchers. For the first three months of the trial, the DHP was used in addition to formaldehyde, then the formaldehyde will be turned off in the DHP treated hatchers for the next three months of the study. Eggs were followed throughout the hatchery and 3 & 7-day percent mortality, hatchability, HOF, fluff counts, egg and surface swabs, chick quality summaries, breakouts, and necropsy of 3-day mortality were parameters of interest, with hatchability and HOF tracked daily for analysis. After three months of data collection, a t-test was performed on daily hatchability and HOF, and summary results indicate a significant increase in percent hatchability when eggs were treated with DHP in incubators and hatchers (p=.0001). When broken out by treatment group, there was no significant difference in hatchability for eggs treated in the incubator and hatcher, treated in the incubator but not in the hatcher, or not treated at all, but there was a significant difference in hatchability for eggs not treated in the incubator but treated in the hatcher when compared to 2022 baseline averages prior to the beginning of the trial (p=.01, one-way ANOVA). In conclusion, DHP, when used in addition to formaldehyde, may improve hatch throughout the hatchery.

Key Words: dry hydrogen peroxide, hatchery sanitation, formaldehyde, microbes.