Physiology of turkey embryos during pipping and hatching I. Hematology.

Blood samples were collected from turkey embryos during pipping and hatching, an age which corresponds to a time of elevated embryonic mortality. Samples were analyzed for erythrocyte counts (RBC), packed cell volume (PCV), hemoglobin concentration (Hb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC). An increase in RBC was significant (P less than .05) during piping and hatching. The PCV increased significantly (P less than .01) until pipping occurred and then declined significantly through hatching. The Hb concentration also increased significantly (P less than .05) as pipping and hatching occurred. The MCV declined significantly as development proceeded. Both MCH and MCH declined significantly (P less than .05) until the onset of pipping at which time both increased significantly (P less than .05) through hatching.