Effects of maternal energy and protein intakes on the incidence of malformations and malpositions of the embryo and time of death during incubation

1. Broiler parent stock were fed daily allowances of 1.88, 1.73 or 1.52 MJ apparent metabolisable energy (AME) per bird at two different daily protein intakes (27.0 and 21.3 g crude protein (CP) per bird from 21 to 64 weeks of age. 2. The decrease in hatchability that occurred on the high protein (27.0 g CP), low energy (1.52 MJ AME) allowance from 26 to 36 weeks of age was due to an increase in the percentage of dead embryos in the second week of incubation and an increase in the number of “pipped” eggs at the end of incubation. 3. The low hatchability of eggs from birds on the 1.88 MJ AME allowance from 37 to 64 weeks could be related to the incidence of deaths in the first 5 d of the incubation period. 4. Malformations and malpositions of the embryo were not affected by maternal energy or protein allowance.