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.

The present invention relates to a computer-controlled system for non-invasively identifying the location of the air cell of an egg and determining a preferred extraction point relative to the position of the air cell of the egg, the system comprising: a. an egg manipulator to hold and orient one or more eggs in a defined position; b. a candling unit comprising one or more light sources and one or more detectors; c. a system which is configured to run an algorithm for determining the location of the air cell of the egg and the preferred extraction point; and d. a system for positioning the egg relative to an extractor or an egg opener or vice versa from their initial position to the preferred extraction point.

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.

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 present invention relates to an automated egg analyzing and determining system, comprising: a conveyor system configured to transport one or more eggs to a sampling system; a sampling system configured to extract a sample from one or more eggs; a sample transfer system configured to receive the sample for transfer to an assaying system; and an assaying system configured to receive the sample from the sample transfer system and to determine one or more characteristics of one or more eggs or the sample or an aliquot of a sample thereof.

The present invention relates to an automated egg analyzing and determining system, comprising: a conveyor system configured to transport one or more eggs to a sampling system; a sampling system configured to extract a sample from one or more eggs; a sample transfer system configured to receive the sample for transfer to an assaying system; and an assaying system configured to receive the sample from the sample transfer system and to determine one or more characteristics of one or more eggs or the sample or an aliquot of a sample thereof.

A system for determining the gender and/or fertility status of avian eggs including a sampling apparatus and an electromagnetic radiation transmitter and detector. In certain embodiments, the transmitter operates in the terahertz range. The sampling apparatus can be coupled to an avian egg. The sampling apparatus includes a vacuum source, a gas collection device, and a membrane that can be positioned in the passageway coupling the vacuum source to the gas collection device. The membrane is capable of capturing volatile organic compounds. The sampling apparatus applies a vacuum from the vacuum source to the gas proximate to the avian egg and directs the gas captured from the vicinity of the egg toward the membrane. Subsequently, the membrane is positioned within the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the transmitter, generating a spectrum which can be analyzed to determine whether the egg is fertile or infertile, and if fertile, whether the egg is male or female. In an embodiment, the captured volatile organic compounds are transferred to a sample chamber where the captured gas is analyzed.

A system for determining the gender and/or fertility status of avian eggs including a sampling apparatus and an electromagnetic radiation transmitter and detector. In certain embodiments, the transmitter operates in the terahertz range. The sampling apparatus can be coupled to an avian egg. The sampling apparatus includes a vacuum source, a gas collection device, and a membrane that can be positioned in the passageway coupling the vacuum source to the gas collection device. The membrane is capable of capturing volatile organic compounds. The sampling apparatus applies a vacuum from the vacuum source to the gas proximate to the avian egg and directs the gas captured from the vicinity of the egg toward the membrane. Subsequently, the membrane is positioned within the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the transmitter, generating a spectrum which can be analyzed to determine whether the egg is fertile or infertile, and if fertile, whether the egg is male or female. In an embodiment, the captured volatile organic compounds are transferred to a sample chamber where the captured gas is analyzed.

The present invention relates to a method for spectroscopical in-ovo gender determination of fertilized and incubated bird eggs comprising the steps of: a. providing a number of passages in an egg shell of an egg for allowing entrance into an interior of the egg and/or exit from the interior of the egg of electromagnetic waves suitable for spectroscopy, b. introducing electromagnetic waves into the interior of the egg c. detecting electromagnetic waves exiting the egg; d. analysing, by spectroscopy, of the exiting electromagnetic waves at at least one passage of the number of passages; and e. determining the gender of a chicken embryo.