Peter van Horne, poultry economist at Wageningen UR, gives an financial replace
26 April 2024
3 minute learn
Peter van Horne, Poultry Economist at Wageningen College & Analysis, spoke with The Poultry Web site’s Melanie Epp on the Worldwide Egg Fee (IEC) Enterprise Convention in Edinburgh, Scotland. Van Horne supplied an financial replace on the adoption of in-ovo sexing expertise in international locations which have pledged to finish the culling of day-old male chicks.
Since in-ovo sexing expertise first hit the market, a lot has modified. In his IEC presentation, Van Horne centered on three key developments which have helped form this evolving area since 2022: altering laws in Germany, the reducing value of in-ovo sexing expertise, and technological enhancements which have led to a decline within the variety of male hens being produced for meat.
The adoption of in-ovo sexing expertise started in Germany the place laws banning the culling of day-old male chicks was launched in January 2022. Initially, legislators stated that in-ovo sexing expertise should be capable to decide chick embryo intercourse by day 7 of improvement. Nevertheless, that was later amended to day 12.
“There was proof that on day 12 there was no mind exercise within the embryo,” stated Van Horne.
The analysis that led to the legislative change discovered that growing chicks can not and don’t really feel ache earlier than day 13 of improvement.
The second improvement that’s helped form the market is that the price of in-ovo sexing expertise has declined significantly since 2022. Worth was not a barrier for the German market, Van Horne stated, as a result of laws was already in place and few choices for correct in-ovo sexing have been accessible at the moment.
Within the early phases of improvement, adoption of in-ovo sexing expertise price hatcheries a further €4.00+ per male chicken. Two years in the past, that value dropped to €3.50 per male chicken. At the moment, in-ovo sexing provides prices quantity to roughly €3.10 per male chicken.
“That is the price for intercourse willpower per male chicken,” Van Horne defined. “So I added on the price of the pullet – the farmer has to pay €3.20 extra for the pullet – so the pullet goes from €4.00 to €7.20,” he stated.
“That is not related for the Germans, however for a lot of different international locations in Europe, they’re ready for a lower in value,” Van Horne added.
The third issue that’s helped push the adoption of in-ovo sexing expertise is the enhancements seen within the expertise itself. The business’s 5 largest gamers – Seleggt, AAT, Plantegg, In Ovo and Orbem – have made important enhancements by way of pace and scale. Sexing errors have declined from 4–5% to 1%, which suggests fewer male hens are being raised for meat. In earlier shows for IEC, Van Horne has been clear that male hen manufacturing isn’t the way in which ahead, as they require rather more feed to placed on little or no meat and have a a lot bigger carbon footprint.
Competitors between expertise suppliers can be tightening.
“We’ve got extra corporations and we’ve competitors now between these corporations, in order that’s additionally decreasing the value,” Van Horne stated.
Van Horne expects this area to proceed to quickly evolve. At the moment, he stated, retailers in The Netherlands are discussing the opportunity of labelling egg cartons with the carbon footprint of the various kinds of manufacturing. He expects in-ovo sexing expertise will play a job within the potential scheme.
The Worldwide Egg Fee Enterprise Convention happened in Edinburgh, Scotland on April 14-16.
