Table 1 Effects of in ovo sodium butyrate administration on the body weight and average daily gain of broiler chickens with different hatch weights

HW

SB

HHW

Control

55.18

399

1,917^ab

2,418^b

24.85^bc

71.96^bc

72.73^c

56.87^bc

SB1

55.08

411

1,891^ab

2,365^bc

25.78^bc

70.45^c

67.45^d

54.93^cd

SB3

55.06

397

2,028^ab

2,571^ab

24.74^c

76.15^a

75.92^bc

59.42^b

SB5

55.20

335

1,668^c

2,282^bc

20.34^d

63.50^d

84.60^a

54.91^cd

LHW

Control

45.12

377

1,723^bc

2,201^c

24.01^c

64.80^d

67.87^d

51.80^d

SB1

45.48

441

1,944^ab

2,499^ab

28.55^a

71.26^bc

79.05^b

59.23^b

SB3

46.05

416

2,050^a

2,651^a

26.77^ab

77.48^a

87.01^a

63.36^a

SB5

45.78

379

1,912^ab

2,342^bc

24.10^c

72.67^b

61.93^e

53.68^cd

SD

2.301

54.5

221.3

238.7

3.112

4.831

8.434

3.773

Main effects

HW

 HHW

55.13^a

386

1,876

2,409

23.93^b

70.52^b

75.18^a

56.53

 LHW

45.61^b

403

1,907

2,423

25.86^a

71.55^a

73.97^b

57.02

SB

 Control

50.15

388

1,820^b

2,310^c

24.43^c

68.38^c

70.30^c

54.34^c

 SB1

50.28

426

1,918^ab

2,432^b

27.17^a

70.86^b

73.25^b

57.08^b

 SB3

50.56

408

2,039^a

2,611^a

25.76^b

76.82^a

81.47^a

61.39^a

 SB5

50.49

357

1,790^b

2,312^c

22.22^d

68.09^c

73.27^b

54.30^c

P value

 HW

< 0.001

0.087

0.576

0.668

0.079

0.029

0.027

0.256

 SB

0.4191

0.108

< 0.001

0.025

0.023

< 0.001

< 0.001

< 0.001

 HW × SB

0.419

0.061

0.029

0.045

< 0.001

< 0.001

< 0.001

< 0.001