Pathological investigation of late embryonic death in ostrich hatcheries and their economic impact in Egypt.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the pathological causes of late embryonic death in ostrich hatcheries and their economic impact in Egypt. METHODS: The study was conducted from February 2023 through December 2024. The pathological causes, microbiological analysis, and financial impact of late embryonic deaths across 9 ostrich hatcheries in Egypt were investigated. RESULTS: A total of 1,250 fertile ostrich eggs failed to hatch. The highest mortality rate was observed in Ismailia at 28.88%, whereas the lowest was recorded in Giza at 15.62%. The cumulative economic loss across all hatcheries was estimated at 1,750,000 Egyptian pounds. The bacterial infections were the leading cause of late embryonic death, accounting for 813 cases (65.04%), followed by improper incubation conditions, such as elevated temperatures (22.48%), edema (5.12%), malpositioning (3.6%), improper egg turning (2.56%), and fungal infections (1.2%). The most commonly isolated bacterial were Enterococcus spp, Salmonella spp, Proteus spp, and Klebsiella spp. Gross post mortem examination of dead-in-shell embryos revealed consistent lesions, including anasarca, SC and visceral congestion, unabsorbed yolk sacs, and malpositioning. Microscopic evaluation of embryos that died due to bacterial infections revealed severe inflammatory changes in multiple organs. CONCLUSIONS: The infectious and noninfectious factors contribute to late embryonic mortality in ostrich hatcheries, with bacterial contamination being the dominant cause. The embryos that died revealed severe pathological lesions in various organs. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The study highlights the urgent need for improved hatchery hygiene, biosecurity, and strict control of incubation conditions to enhance hatchability and reduce economic losses in the ostrich industry in Egypt.