Multivariate Analysis of Microbiological and Incubation Parameters in Hatching Eggs Sanitized with or Without Essential Oils

Aspects related to the contamination of hatching eggs, sanitary management during pre-incubation, and the performance of the incubation process can compromise productive efficiency in poultry farming. When these factors negatively influence poultry farming, they can destabilize the generation and distribution of financial resources throughout the production chain, as well as limit public access to poultry-derived proteins. Understanding how these aspects are interrelated is essential for making decisions that benefit poultry health and productivity. Therefore, we conducted a multivariate analysis of microbiological and incubation parameters to evaluate whether bacterial contamination of the eggshell and yolk sac negatively affects HI and to compare the effectiveness of different sanitization protocols in reducing bacterial contamination in these regions. To achieve this, we utilized the raw data from our previous research on the sanitization of hatching eggs and conducted a detailed statistical analysis to evaluate the relationships between the studied variables. The correlation analysis revealed that eggshell mesophilic bacterial contamination (EGM) was strongly associated with yolk sac mesophilic bacterial contamination (YSM) (r = 0.76) and yolk sac contamination by Enterobacteriaceae (YSE) (r = 0.73). The principal component analysis indicated a negative association between HI performance and eggshell and yolk sac contamination. Results indicated beneficial associations between the reduction of contamination in hatching eggs and increased hatchability rates when using essential oils. The bacterial load of hatching eggs contributes to reduced productivity, reaffirming the need for proper egg sanitization, especially using essential oils.