Effect of dimethyl sulfoxide on embryonic survival and subsequent chick performance.

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) was injected into the yolk of fertile White Leghorn chicken eggs at levels of 0.0, 0.025; 0.05, 0.10 and 0.20 ml./egg. Injection with 0.20 ml. DMSO/egg resulted in 100% mortality of chick embryos within six days of incubation. Injection with 0.10 ml. DMSO/egg resulted in 22.2% embryonic mortality by 14 days of incubation and 51.9% hatchability of fertile eggs compared to 84.6% for control eggs. Chicks hatched from eggs injected with 0.10 ml. DMSO/egg exhibited a decreased growth rate and high mortality. Injection of 0.05 ml. DMSO/egg or less had no effect on embryonic survival, hatchability of chick performance. The embryos from eggs injected with higher levels of DMSO exhibited hemorrhagic areas of the brain and head region and a retarded vitelline and allantoic circulatory system and were characterized by anopthalmia and celosomia. DMSO had no effect on the packed cell volume of chicks from eggs injected with DMSO.