Influence of in ovo injection of glutamine and carbohydrates on digestive organs and pectoralis muscle mass in the duck

1. We hypothesise that administration of available glutamine and carbohydrates by in ovo injection may provide energy for small intestine and duck embryo activity, in turn alleviating energy lack, sparing the pectoralis muscle protein and increasing breast muscle mass. To test this hypothesis, 220 duck eggs at 21 d of incubation were chosen and assigned to two treatments. At 23 d of incubation, glutamine, digestible sucrose and maltose were injected into the amniotic fluid in the treatment group. 2. In ovo injection of glutamine and carbohydrates improved small intestine development, as reflected in the increase in weight and sucrase activity, though gizzard, proventriculus and liver weight were not affected by the in ovo injection. 3. Compared with control, pectoralis weight in treatment ducks was increased by 24% at 25 d of incubation and 15% at hatch and this advantage was sustained until 7 d posthatch. In ovo injection improved duck weight gain in the early days posthatch. 4. The results of the present study suggest that in ovo injection of glutamine and carbohydrates improves small intestine development and pectoralis mass, which is probably due to sparing of breast muscle protein.