Researchers develop machine for determining the gender of chicken embryos

USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation announced the completion of a funded research project at the University of Delaware in Newark, Del., regarding a new method to determine the gender of chicken embryos. The project is part of the association's comprehensive research program encompassing all phases of poultry and egg production and processing.
A complete report, along with information on other association research, may be obtained by going to USPOULTRY's website.
In a recently completed research project funded by USPOULTRY, researchers at the University of Delaware, led by Dr. S. Golovan, successfully developed a first-generation prototype of an imaging system to determine fertilization and gender of chicken embryos. The system uses machine vision hardware and algorithms in a light environment to image eggs during the first 30 hours of incubation. The machine proved to be 89 percent accurate for fertilization and 76 percent accurate for sex determination in these early studies.
This process has the potential to be very useful for the poultry industry, allowing removal of infertile eggs from incubation and separation of eggs according to the sex of the embryos. Future studies will focus on improving accuracy and determination of the ideal time for imaging.

Hatchers need to check data, says poultry clinic

"Make sure you are inspecting what you expect," said Joe Steed, hatchery manager for Perdue Farms, at United States Egg & Poultry Association's 2013 Hatchery-Breeder Clinic held in Birmingham, Ala. The clinic gathered hatchery and breeder managers from the poultry and egg industry to discuss issues impacting the industry.
Steed emphasized the importance of checking the data and numbers generated for the setter, hatcher hall and hatcher rooms in his presentation, Monitoring Pull Times and Temperatures for Optimum Hatchability and Chick Quality. "Do not assume people know how to use the tools provided. Check the data that you have. Check your numbers," he said.
Dale Simpkins, breeder manager for Longenecker's Hatchery, gave a presentation on optimum brooding conditions and house set-up. He said the first three days is the most critical time in a chick's life. During this time, it is import to allow for yolk sac absorption, maternal antibodies absorption and the utilization of nutrients and vitamins. Chicks have to eat and drink for these changes to occur.
Simpkins continued that water is the most important factor in chickens getting an optimum start Producers need to watch and listen to the chicks and communicate regularly with growers. "The better the breeder chick starts, the better the breeder flock," he said.
In his presentation on egg hatching, Scott Martin, hatchery specialist with Cobb-Vantress, emphasized the importance of gathering eggs properly and not wetting the eggs. Martin addressed the optimum conditions needed for proper sanitation, handling and storage of hatching eggs.
Paul Bredwell, vice president of environmental programs for the U.S. Egg & Poultry Association, gave an update on the environmental concerns for hatcheries and breeder farms. He discussed existing litigation involving the industry and reviewed new information collection efforts, the estimation of emissions from farms, adoption of numeric nutrient criteria and increased regulation by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Cobb hosts broiler farmers, poultry specialists in Czech Republic

The effect of proper transportation on the health of day-old chicks was among topics discussed at Cobb's broiler seminars.

More than 130 broiler farmers and poultry specialists recently participated in seminars hosted by Cobb Germany and two Czech hatcheries, Mach and Xavergen. The broiler seminars took place at Litomysl and Havlickuv Brod, in the Czech Republic.
James Truscott, director of Cobb Germany, spoke about the poultry industry's role in providing for the growing global population, focusing on the increasing emphasis on feed conversion. Hatchery expert Dr. Ron Meijerhof, of Poultry Performance Plus, spoke about the importance of accurate temperatures during transport and brooding in order to provide day-old chicks with the best start. Saeid Najati, broiler and breeder specialist, spoke about his experiences with Cobb broilers in Germany, covering both light programs and nutritional strategies. Finally, Lubor Skalka, technical manager in the Czech and Slovak Republics, stressed to attendees the importance of ventilation and heating in achieving good environmental conditions.

UK publishes beak trimming regulations

The UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has published a document on poultry beak trimming subsequent to the adoption of welfare regulations, effective Jan. 1. 
For general purposes, chicks can be trimmed before ten days of age using infrared equipment providing that not more than one-third of the beak is removed. Under exceptional conditions, such as when outbreaks of pecking and cannibalism occur, flocks can be beak-trimmed “as a last resort.”
The details of the regulatinos can be accessed here.

Aviagen annual Russian seminar held in Moscow

Aviagen's annual Russian seminar was held recently in Moscow promoting the theme of "quality counts."
Over 100 people attended the event, which took a look at the entire lifecycle of a broiler from hatching through processing. Presentations focused on such topics as hatchery practice, assessing chick quality, broiler economics and research on cost-effective nutrition.