A method is described for creating a pattern on a natural material of human or animal origin. In embodiments, the method deposits a liquid treatment composition including at least one acid on a natural material, which comprises calcium carbonate.

An endless egg conveyor is provided. The conveyor includes an endless element running around a set of rotational wheels and a drive unit defining a conveying direction. The conveyor has an upper run and a lower run and head sections where the direction of movement of the endless element is reversed. The conveyor also includes an egg retaining pocket coupled to the endless element, moving in the conveying direction. The retaining pocket has a central axis and an upper receiving opening to receive an egg with a longitudinal axis of the egg aligned with the central axis. The retaining pocket is coupled to the endless element by a bearing structure allowing rotation of the retaining pocket around a rotational axis extending parallel to the rotational axes of the rotational wheels, allowing the retaining pockets to remain in an upright position in every position in the lane. Adjacent retaining pockets of different lanes define a pocket row, wherein, the conveyor includes carrying elements that carry the pockets of one row. The bearing structure of each pocket row includes a support arm on either lateral side of the conveyor. The support arm is positioned upright with respect to the circulating endless element and connected thereto. The bearing structure of the pocket row includes a spindle connected to the carrying element, which pivotally connects the carrying element to the support arms.

An endless egg conveyor is provided. The conveyor includes an endless element running around a set of rotational wheels and a drive unit defining a conveying direction. The conveyor has an upper run and a lower run and head sections where the direction of movement of the endless element is reversed. The conveyor also includes an egg retaining pocket coupled to the endless element, moving in the conveying direction. The retaining pocket has a central axis and an upper receiving opening to receive an egg with a longitudinal axis of the egg aligned with the central axis. The retaining pocket is coupled to the endless element by a bearing structure allowing rotation of the retaining pocket around a rotational axis extending parallel to the rotational axes of the rotational wheels, allowing the retaining pockets to remain in an upright position in every position in the lane. Adjacent retaining pockets of different lanes define a pocket row, wherein, the conveyor includes carrying elements that carry the pockets of one row. The bearing structure of each pocket row includes a support arm on either lateral side of the conveyor. The support arm is positioned upright with respect to the circulating endless element and connected thereto. The bearing structure of the pocket row includes a spindle connected to the carrying element, which pivotally connects the carrying element to the support arms.

An egg printing system comprises a printer (30, 31, 32) and an endless egg conveyor (1) that is adapted to move the eggs (50) past the printer. The conveyor including an endless element running around a set of rotational wheels and a drive unit defining a conveying direction of the conveyor. The egg conveyor includes a lane of egg retaining pockets (10) coupled to the endless element, said lane of retaining pockets in use moving in the conveying direction. Each retaining pocket has a central axis and an upper receiving opening to receive an egg with a longitudinal axis of the egg generally aligned with said central axis of the pocket. The pocket has a side opening at a side thereof facing in the conveying direction and/or in the opposite direction, leaving a side surface area exposed of the egg that is received in the pocket. The retaining pockets remain in an upright position in every position in the lane. The printer is positioned at one of the head sections of the conveyor with a printing head facing the corresponding lane being directed to said side opening in the pocket to allow printing on said side surface area of the egg.

An egg printing system comprises a printer (30, 31, 32) and an endless egg conveyor (1) that is adapted to move the eggs (50) past the printer. The conveyor including an endless element running around a set of rotational wheels and a drive unit defining a conveying direction of the conveyor. The egg conveyor includes a lane of egg retaining pockets (10) coupled to the endless element, said lane of retaining pockets in use moving in the conveying direction. Each retaining pocket has a central axis and an upper receiving opening to receive an egg with a longitudinal axis of the egg generally aligned with said central axis of the pocket. The pocket has a side opening at a side thereof facing in the conveying direction and/or in the opposite direction, leaving a side surface area exposed of the egg that is received in the pocket. The retaining pockets remain in an upright position in every position in the lane. The printer is positioned at one of the head sections of the conveyor with a printing head facing the corresponding lane being directed to said side opening in the pocket to allow printing on said side surface area of the egg.

An endless egg conveyor includes an endless element running around a set of rotational wheels and a drive unit defining a conveying direction of the conveyor. The conveyor has an upper run and a lower run and head sections Where the direction of movement of the endless element between the upper run and the lower run is reversed. The conveyor furthermore includes at least one lane of egg retaining pockets coupled to the endless element, moving in the conveying direction. Each of the retaining pockets has a central axis and an tipper receiving opening to receive an egg with a longitudinal axis of the egg generally aligned with said central axis. The retaining pockets are each coupled to the endless element by a bearing structure allowing rotation of the retaining pocket around a rotational axis extending parallel to the rotational axes of said rotational wheels, allowing the retaining pockets to remain in an upright position in every position in the lane. Adjacent retaining pockets of different lanes define a pocket row, wherein, the conveyor comprises carrying elements that carry the pockets of one row. The bearing structure of each pocket row comprises a support arm on either lateral side of the conveyor. The support arm is positioned upright with respect to the circulating endless element and rigidly connected thereto. The bearing structure of said pocket row comprises at least one spindle rigidly connected to the carrying element which pivotally connects the carrying element to the support arms.

The invention relates to a method for producing chicken at a hatchery, the method comprising; incubating a batch of eggs in an incubating device during an incubating period of between about 7 to about 20 days, and then, for each egg of the batch, detecting the presence of a hatchable chicken embryo, based on the presence of a hatchable chicken embryo, dividing the batch of eggs into at least a hatchable batch portions and a not-hatchable batch portion, hatching the hatchable batch portion until hatching occurs, rearing of chicken hatched from said hatchable batch portion,
wherein the method comprises at the hatchery processing the not-hatchable batch portion into feed and administering said feed at the hatchery to hatched chickens during rearing.

The invention relates to a method for producing chicken at a hatchery, the method comprising; incubating a batch of eggs in an incubating device during an incubating period of between about 7 to about 20 days, and then, for each egg of the batch, detecting the presence of a hatchable chicken embryo, based on the presence of a hatchable chicken embryo, dividing the batch of eggs into at least a hatchable batch portions and a not-hatchable batch portion, hatching the hatchable batch portion until hatching occurs, rearing of chicken hatched from said hatchable batch portion,
wherein the method comprises at the hatchery processing the not-hatchable batch portion into feed and administering said feed at the hatchery to hatched chickens during rearing.

The present disclosure includes a method and system for applying ink markings on a food product in such a manner to form a permanent marking thereon. The markings include text and graphics, and can include an advertisement, freshness information, traceability data, or other types of relevant information, or any combination thereof. The method preferably forms the markings on the food product while the product moves through a predetermined region of a food processing system. Preferably, the ink marking assembly is located above the food products to be marked and the products are marked while passing thereunder. The performance or characteristics of the marking device may be adjusted in response to selected characteristics of the food product, environmental conditions, processing conditions, compliance requirements, and the like, in order to optimize the marking process.

The present disclosure includes a method and system for applying ink markings on a food product in such a manner to form a permanent marking thereon. The markings include text and graphics, and can include an advertisement, freshness information, traceability data, or other types of relevant information, or any combination thereof. The method preferably forms the markings on the food product while the product moves through a predetermined region of a food processing system. Preferably, the ink marking assembly is located above the food products to be marked and the products are marked while passing thereunder. The performance or characteristics of the marking device may be adjusted in response to selected characteristics of the food product, environmental conditions, processing conditions, compliance requirements, and the like, in order to optimize the marking process.