# One step closer to Embryo Sexing



## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Commercial poultry embryo sexing a step closer

May 13, 2016 5004 4 


A commercially viable test to determine embryo chick sexing will be available by early next year, German researchers have claimed.

The method, developed by scientists at the Dresden University of Technology and the University of Leipzig, uses spectroscopy to determine the sex of a chicken egg. It has the potential to remove the routine hatchery practice of killing day-old male chicks, which is increasingly arousing protests among consumer groups.

Increasing pressure on in-ovo chick sexing

Pressure has been particularly strong in Germany, with the German Ministry of Agriculture providing £2.4m (€3.04m) to make in-ovo chick sexing commercially viable. In April, the French Agriculture Minister Stephane Le Foll announced more than £3m (€3.9m)of funding in the same area.


Also interesting: End sought to male chick killings in France

An end to the practice of killing male layer chicks in hatcheries is being sought by a coalition of 36 members of parliament from all sides of the French government.

Dr Gerald Steiner, who is involved in the project, said the test involved using a laser beam to cut a small, circular hole at the top of the egg. Near-infrared spectroscopy is used to determine the sex of the embryo based on its DNA content, which is around 2% higher in male chicks. "To the naked eye, we cannot see the difference between male and female embryos, but the computer can – if it's programmed to do so," said Dr Steiner.

95% accuracy

The team is now able to sex each egg, with 95% accuracy, in less than a minute, he claimed. If an egg is determined to contain a female chick, the laser-cut hole is patched and return to the incubator. An automatic sexing machine is expected to be available early next year.

Gary Ford, poultry adviser in the UK farming organisation NFU, said there was huge interest in the ongoing research work around the world in determining the sex of embryos in eggs. "We have an active watching brief in this area. The Canadians have got a fairly accurate way of detecting the sex of embryos, which is 95% accurate and is working at 3,000-5,000 eggs an hour at a cost of 5p/egg.


Also interesting: German parliament rejects male chick cull ban

The German parliament has voted down the proposed ban on culling male chicks, instead opting to stick with the voluntary agreement to end the practice when it becomes commercially viable.

"Exciting and affordable technology"

"We are hoping that the technology being driven forward will become commercially available in the next 12 months. There are no extra labour costs as the eggs are graded by machine and are able also to identify infertile eggs, so this is exciting technology that is arguably affordable."

Ford stressed the male chicks were not wasted but a useful by-product, being fed to reptiles and raptors in zoos. However, Animal Aid said that, while the ending of male chick culling would be a step forward, it would not make eggs an ethical product. Campaign manager Isobel Hutchinson said: "The killing of male chicks is just one disturbing aspect of an unthinkably cruel industry."


----------



## WeeLittleChicken (Aug 31, 2012)

I saw that article pop up a few months back. Exciting news! Wonder if they'll ever make an affordable home version... What am I saying? They're Germans, they make everything efficient.


----------



## Cockadoodledoo (Jan 28, 2016)

That's so interesting!


----------



## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

True. Like Trump says our country is sooo behind. You look at China and all the hi tech buildings and stuff and here......... we actually go to a junkyard to find parts for our military fighters. I think Germany is cage free or almost cage free. Do these u.s. people realize that free range could just require fencing.


----------



## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

Yes free range!!! 200,000 hens at 80 hens per acre = 2500 acres @$3000 an acre(minimum) = $7,500,000 .


----------



## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

80 hens per acre?


----------



## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

seminolewind said:


> 80 hens per acre?


What number would you recommend for a full free range commercial setup?


----------



## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

80 hens per acre?I only have 35 chickens for 4 acres,I need 325 more chickens.God,I love this site!!!


----------



## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Well it depends on if they get layer feed or not. I imagine they do. 
For starters, how many chickens are loose in one building and how big is the building?-


----------



## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

Free Range is tricky.Some want free range table eggs to be purely from pasture diets.It all depends on the manure manage plan.It is easier to wash a concrete floor than to collect dung from a pasture.


----------



## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

So for complete free range tables egg how much space per hen?
How much space for cage free table eggs?


----------



## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I don't know but eventually don't the bugs run out?


----------



## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

Happy eggs stock 2000 per acre.
http://thehappyeggco.com/faq/


----------



## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Wow! Sounds nice. I guess I'm not talking about free ranging as much as being able to just go beyond the walls of the chicken house. You are right, these big companies can't afford free range.


----------

