Egg sexing close to market

German retailer REWE is actively involved in egg sexing and cooperates with technology and reseach partners in develloping a machine. Working prototype 3.0 is already close to market. Photo: Seleggt

The race to bring egg sexing tech to market is extremely close. Different technologies are being developed in Germany, Israel, Canada and the Netherlands, and which one will reach market first is becoming clear. Here is a Poultry World update on which technology is expected to commercialise first.

In the egg business, incubating male eggs and infertile eggs is a colossal waste of resources. Right now, all hatchery eggs are incubated, and chicks are sexed a few weeks after hatching when it’s possible to determine gender. This occupies valuable hatchery resources, is very labour-intensive, and the subsequent slaughter of male chicks is a significant animal welfare concern. It’s no surprise then, that technologies are being developed to prevent all this. Here are the latest updates on the contenders – how each technology works, when each is expected to hit the market, speed, cost and more. Please note that some firms were not comfortable with providing some of the requested information.