In vivo nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of chicken embryos from two broiler strains of varying fat content

In vivo nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging and spectroscopy techniques were used to monitor changes in P- and H-containing molecules in embryos of two broiler strains (30 and 31) differing genetically in fat content and ranging in age from 0 to 20 days of incubation. Chemical analysis showed that Strain 30 has more carcass fat than Strain 31 at market age (7 wk). Proton (1H) and 31P spectra were obtained on four eggs per strain at Days 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 11, 12, 14, 16, 17, 19, and 20 of incubation. Fat:water, phosphomonoester (PME):phosphodiester (PDE), and adenosine triphosphate (ATP):PDE ratios were calculated. Chicks were hatched, grown to market weight (2,000 g for females and 2,300 g for males at 7 wk), and the whole intact carcasses were analyzed for crude fat. Hydrogen-1 NMR spectroscopy studies of incubated eggs indicated no significant difference (P > .05) in the fat:water ratio between the two strains. The difference in the PME:PDE ratios between the two strains as obtained by 31P-NMR spectroscopy over all days of incubation analyzed was not significant (P > .05); however, there was a significant difference in this ratio between the two strains at Days 4, 6, and 11. Up to Day 16, Strain 30 had a slightly, but not significantly (P > .05), higher ATP:PDE ratio as shown on 31P-NMR spectra, whereas after Day 17 the ATP:PDE ratio was significantly higher (P < .01) for Strain 31. Strain 31 birds had a significantly lower (P < .05) crude fat content. There was a significant difference (P < .05) in 7-wk carcass fat content between sexes, males having significantly (P < .01) less fat than females, which was correlated with a significantly higher (P < .01) ATP:PDE ratio in male embryos. It might be possible to use ATP:PDE ratios obtained during embryonic development by 31P-NMR to select strains of birds for low fat content at market weight and to distinguish between sexes during late embryonic development.