Effects of in Ovo Injection of Ascorbic Acid and Creatine Pyruvate on Hatchability, Chick Weight and Muscular Growth in Broiler Chickens

Document Type : Original Paper

Authors

1 Anatomy and Embryology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, 12211 Egypt

2 Physiology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, 12211 Egypt

10.22069/psj.2025.24028.2405

Abstract

The aim of the research was to determine the impact of an in Ovo injection of ascorbic acid and creatine pyruvate in the amnion of viable eggs on day 17 of incubation through evaluation of hatchability percentage as well as antioxidant status (Reduced glutathione (GSH) and Malondialdehyde (MDA)) and creatine kinase in pectoral muscles, blood glucose level and histopathology of liver and intestine. After the non-fertilized eggs were removed, 180 eggs that were to hatch were divided into three groups of 60. The first group was the control group, which did not receive any treatment; the positive control group received 0.6 ml of physiological saline; and the treated group received an injection of a mixture of ascorbic acid and creatine pyruvate (12 mg of creatine pyruvate and 3 mg of pure ascorbic acid were dissolved in 0.6 ml of saline). The results indicated that the treated group showed a significant increase in chick weight, hatchability percentages, creatine kinase, GSH activities in pectoral muscle tissue and blood glucose level when compared with the control and positive control groups. Moreover, the treated group showed a significant decrease in MDA concentrations in pectoral muscle tissue when compared with the control and positive control groups at P < 0.05. Furthermore, the intestinal villi of the treated group exhibited increased villus length and width as well as enhanced muscle size relative to the control and positive control, whereas there was a notable reduction in hepatocyte cellular vacuolation in the treated group when compared with the control and positive control. These results imply that the incubation of viable chicken eggs can be optimized through the administration of ascorbic acid and creatine pyruvate injections

Keywords

References

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Poultry Science Journal
Volume 14, Issue 1
January 2026
Pages 131-137

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