The present invention relates to a method for non-destructively identifying a characteristic of a Gallus Gallus domesticus embryo in ovo, the method comprising: (a) obtaining a sample of material associated with an egg comprising the embryo, and (b) measuring a score value for the presence of, and concentration of at least a first biomarker in the sample indicative of the characteristic of the embryo, and (c) applying a threshold to the score value and concentration obtained in (b) to identify the characteristic for the embryo associated with the presence and concentration of the biomarker, wherein an at least first biomarker comprises an amino compound having a molecular weight in the range of from 140 to 190 g/mole, wherein step (c) further comprises: (i) correlating each relevant biomarker signal with a reference biomarker by matching the spectrum of each correlating signal with the expected spectrum of the correlating reference biomarker using a similarity measure, to define at least one positively correlating signal; (ii) measuring the intensity of each positively correlating signal and scoring its absolute and/or relative signal intensity; and (iii) applying a threshold to the score value obtained from a similarity function to determine the correlated embryo characteristic.

The present invention relates to a method for non-destructively identifying a characteristic of a Gallus Gallus domesticus embryo in ovo, the method comprising: (a) obtaining a sample of material associated with an egg comprising the embryo, and (b) measuring a score value for the presence of, and concentration of at least a first biomarker in the sample indicative of the characteristic of the embryo, and (c) applying a threshold to the score value and concentration obtained in (b) to identify the characteristic for the embryo associated with the presence and concentration of the biomarker, wherein an at least first biomarker comprises an amino compound having a molecular weight in the range of from 140 to 190 g/mole, wherein step (c) further comprises: (i) correlating each relevant biomarker signal with a reference biomarker by matching the spectrum of each correlating signal with the expected spectrum of the correlating reference biomarker using a similarity measure, to define at least one positively correlating signal; (ii) measuring the intensity of each positively correlating signal and scoring its absolute and/or relative signal intensity; and (iii) applying a threshold to the score value obtained from a similarity function to determine the correlated embryo characteristic.

An egg-examining device, comprising a sampling device, by which a liquid sample to be taken can be taken from an egg of a rack loaded with eggs, a feeding device for feeding the rack loaded with eggs to the sampling device, and a control unit, by which the feeding device and the sampling device can be controlled. The feeding device feeds the rack to the sampling device at an oblique angle of between 20 and 80 to a plane perpendicular to the direction of gravity. A lifting-out device is provided, by which the egg can be lifted out of the rack and by which the egg can be put into a sampling position, in which the liquid amount to be taken can be taken from the egg by the sampling device.

An egg-examining device, comprising a sampling device, by which a liquid sample to be taken can be taken from an egg of a rack loaded with eggs, a feeding device for feeding the rack loaded with eggs to the sampling device, and a control unit, by which the feeding device and the sampling device can be controlled. The feeding device feeds the rack to the sampling device at an oblique angle of between 20 and 80 to a plane perpendicular to the direction of gravity. A lifting-out device is provided, by which the egg can be lifted out of the rack and by which the egg can be put into a sampling position, in which the liquid amount to be taken can be taken from the egg by the sampling device.

Disclosed is a device for the automatic removal of rejected eggs from an incubation tray, whereby the device includes a suction power above the egg to suck up the egg, and the device further includes a blowing power against the bottom of the egg to blow away the egg, whereby the blowing power blows an air flow or overpressure against the bottom of the egg. Also disclosed is a method for the automatic removal of one or more rejected eggs from an incubation tray.

Disclosed is a device for the automatic removal of rejected eggs from an incubation tray, whereby the device includes a suction power above the egg to suck up the egg, and the device further includes a blowing power against the bottom of the egg to blow away the egg, whereby the blowing power blows an air flow or overpressure against the bottom of the egg. Also disclosed is a method for the automatic removal of one or more rejected eggs from an incubation tray.

Method and a device for the optical in ovo sex determination of fertilized and incubated birds' eggs. The method includes monitoring formation of at least one identifiable blood vessel, creating a hole in the shell of the egg, finding and irradiating the blood vessel with at least one laser beam source emitting an excitation wavelength, recording backscatter radiation of the irradiated blood vessel and evaluating backscatter radiation from recorded spectral intensity of fluorescence radiation in a spectral range redshifted to an excitation wavelength. Sex-specific properties of male and female blood are contained in the intensity and spectral profile of the recorded fluorescence radiation. where intensity levels for male blood has an evaluable value distinct from that of female blood. Further, determining the sex of the bird egg from difference values of the fluorescence intensity and displaying the sex determined for the embryo in the egg.

Method and a device for the optical in ovo sex determination of fertilized and incubated birds' eggs. The method includes monitoring formation of at least one identifiable blood vessel, creating a hole in the shell of the egg, finding and irradiating the blood vessel with at least one laser beam source emitting an excitation wavelength, recording backscatter radiation of the irradiated blood vessel and evaluating backscatter radiation from recorded spectral intensity of fluorescence radiation in a spectral range redshifted to an excitation wavelength. Sex-specific properties of male and female blood are contained in the intensity and spectral profile of the recorded fluorescence radiation. where intensity levels for male blood has an evaluable value distinct from that of female blood. Further, determining the sex of the bird egg from difference values of the fluorescence intensity and displaying the sex determined for the embryo in the egg.

An apparatus to identify upside-down eggs of a batch of eggs includes a heating module configured to expose an air cell in each egg of the batch of eggs to a radiation flux. The apparatus also includes an imaging module with a thermal camera configured to capture thermal images of the batch of eggs when the eggs are not exposed to the radiation flux. The apparatus further includes an analyzer module configured to detect the presence of a heated zone in the air cell of each egg from the thermal images and identify upside-down eggs based on the presence of the heated zone. A method to identify upside-down eggs from a batch of eggs includes heating the batch of eggs with a radiation source, such as an infrared source, so as to generate a hot zone inside an air cell of each egg without significantly heating the rest of the eggs. Thermal images of the eggs are captured while the eggs are not exposed to the radiation source, analyzed to detect the presence of the hot zone and to identify the upside down eggs.

An apparatus to identify upside-down eggs of a batch of eggs includes a heating module configured to expose an air cell in each egg of the batch of eggs to a radiation flux. The apparatus also includes an imaging module with a thermal camera configured to capture thermal images of the batch of eggs when the eggs are not exposed to the radiation flux. The apparatus further includes an analyzer module configured to detect the presence of a heated zone in the air cell of each egg from the thermal images and identify upside-down eggs based on the presence of the heated zone. A method to identify upside-down eggs from a batch of eggs includes heating the batch of eggs with a radiation source, such as an infrared source, so as to generate a hot zone inside an air cell of each egg without significantly heating the rest of the eggs. Thermal images of the eggs are captured while the eggs are not exposed to the radiation source, analyzed to detect the presence of the hot zone and to identify the upside down eggs.