An egg grasp device is provided. Such a device includes a body and a plurality of elongated members extending from the body. The elongated members are interlaced to form a sheath capable of retaining an egg. The sheath has a distal end and a proximal end at which the elongated members are operably engaged with the body. The elongated members cooperate to define an opening at the distal end through which an egg is received when the elongated members engage and deflect about an egg such that the egg is seated within the sheath. Associated systems and methods are also provided.

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.

The invention relates to a connected hatchery (1) comprising a plurality of devices (22, 23, 24, 25, 3, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 5, 62, 63, 64) for handling, processing or vaccinating eggs or chicks distributed along a production line, each of the devices being an automated device fitted with a programmable logic controller (231, 431, 451, 641) capable of producing at least one data stream (F23a, F23b, F23c, F23d, F43a, F43b, F43c, F43d, F43e, F43f, F45a, F45b, F45c, F45d, F45e, F64a, F64b, F64c, F64d) relating to the performance or operations of the said automated device, characterized in that it comprises a data centralizing and processing unit (7) arranged to collect the data streams produced by the programmable logic controllers of said automated devices in order to determine at least one performance indicator (I1, I2, I3) of the production line from one or more of said collected data streams and in order to transmit said performance indicator over a telecommunications network to a remote terminal.

Module for operational control of the guided advance/withdrawal device of the needle added to the smart substance injection device on board equipment for inoculating substances inside a fertile egg and smart method for injection inside a fertile egg, wherein the inoculation of substances inside a fertile egg, be this into the embryo, in the case of vaccines, and even into the amniotic fluid, in the case of a nutrient or nutritional vaccine complex, allows the injection needle (11) to be brought close at a controlled speed.

The invention relates to a stable disinfectant composition and the use of said composition for spraying hatching eggs prior to in ovo vaccination, for disinfecting vaccination equipment including vaccination needles, and for flushing vaccination equipment post vaccination cycles.

A harvesting apparatus adapted to harvest egg fluid from an avian egg is provided. Such an apparatus includes a frame. A harvesting assembly is operably engaged with the frame. The harvesting assembly includes a plurality of nozzles configured to remove egg fluid from an egg. The nozzles are configured to rotate from a vertically off-axis angled position toward a vertical position. A suction assembly is in fluid communication with the nozzles for harvesting egg fluid from an egg. An associated method is also provided.

An egg processing apparatus is provided. Such an apparatus includes a plurality of egg processing devices configured to interact with a plurality of eggs carried by an egg carrier. An egg support assembly is positioned beneath the egg processing devices such that an egg carrier is capable of being moved between the egg processing devices and the egg support assembly. The egg support assembly includes a plurality of pedestals, with each pedestal having a plurality of discrete egg support members cooperating to form a seating arrangement portion for contacting and supporting an end of an egg in the egg carrier. An associated assembly and method are also provided.

To determine the sex of a bird egg, a hole is produced at the blunt end of the bird egg, wherein the hole affects the calcareous shell and the outer shell membrane, whereas the inner shell membrane remains intact. In the region of the hole at the blunt end, beneath the intact inner shell membrane, at least one blood vessel is registered and the blood therein is excited by means of a preset incident radiation, the back-scattered radiation of which blood is measured, detected and evaluated for the sex determination.

The sex of embryos in eggs is influenced or controlled through the application of light having selected wavelengths in order to promote the development of embryos of a selected sex. An incubating device is provided having an interior cavity that can be sealed from an outside, and having a plurality of lighting elements disposed on each of a plurality of trays disposed in the interior cavity. Eggs are disposed on the trays, and pre-determined environmental conditions are applied to the interior cavity to promote hatching of the eggs. Concurrently with the application of the environmental conditions, the eggs are irradiated according to pre-determined lighting conditions. The lighting conditions include applying light having wavelengths substantially concentrated in selected ranges, such as light wavelengths within the 390-419 nm, 410-450 nm, 420-450 nm, 450-495 nm, or other narrow range.

The invention relates to a candling apparatus for the rapid discrimination, removal and relocation of non-live avian eggs. The invention further relates to methods of use of the candling apparatus for the candling, removal and relocation of avian eggs.