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.

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 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.

Method for processing a plurality of avian eggs, in particular unfertilized eggs, including:—conveying at least a first egg (E1) having a first eggshell color and a second egg (E2) having a second egg shell color along a conveying path, the first egg shell color being different from the second egg shell color;—illuminating the first egg (E1) with an illumination beam (B) of near infrared light, wherein at least part of the light is transmitted through the egg (E1) and is detected by a near infrared light detector (5);—illuminating the second egg (E2) with the illumination beam (B) of near infrared light, wherein at least part of the light is transmitted through the egg (E2) and is detected by the near infrared light detector (5); processing light detection results of the infrared light detector (5) for determining a condition of the shell of each of the eggs (E1, E2); wherein the illuminating of the eggs (E1, E2) and/or the detection of transmitted light is carried out under substantially the same illumination and/or detection conditions, respectively.

A device for the in-ovo determination of the sex of a fertilized bird egg, having a light source for emitting excitation radiation for exciting fluorescence in a region inside the bird egg, a spectroscopic apparatus for analysing, in a temporally and/or spectrally-resolved manner, fluorescence radiation emitted from the region inside the bird egg, an evaluation unit for determining the sex from the data determined by means of the spectro-scopic apparatus and a measuring head for jointly transmitting the excitation radiation into the bird egg and receiving the fluorescence radiation from the bird egg. The measuring head has an optical fibre system with a head end for transmitting the excitation radiation and receiving the fluorescence radiation.

A device for detecting a presence or concentration of an analyte on an egg shell or in an egg, the device comprising an emitter, wherein the emitter is configured to emit light into the egg, a detector, wherein the detector is configured to receive light emitted from an indicator molecule within the egg, a controller configured to analyze a change in a detectable quality of the indicator molecule based on the presence or concentration of the analyte.

An egg identification system for determining egg viability is provided. Such a system includes an emitter assembly for emitting electromagnetic radiation toward a plurality of eggs positioned proximate thereto. A detector assembly is positioned proximate to the emitter assembly. The detector assembly has a plurality of detectors fixedly positioned with respect to the emitter assembly and configured to detect electromagnetic radiation transmitted through the eggs. An optical shielding assembly is configured to move with respect to the detectors. A processor is in communication with detector assembly and is configured to determine viability of the eggs using the detected electromagnetic radiation. An associated method is also provided.

The present disclosure relates to methods and systems in egg hatching, based on hatching eggs in a tray (2), comprising arranging eggs in a pattern in or on the tray, comprising egg supporting positions and holes together defining the pattern, wherein the holes are dimensioned to allow chicks (27) after hatching to pass there through into a crate (4), detecting at least one of numbers of unhatched eggs (22) in or on the tray; numbers of dead chicks in the crate; and numbers of objectionable chicks in the crate, and supplementing or removing chicks to or from the crate in correspondence therewith.

An egg transfer system is provided. Such an egg transfer system includes a controller configured to receive a classification signal indicative of an egg classification status for each of a plurality of eggs carried by a flat. A transfer head assembly is in communication with the controller and is configured to remove a plurality of eggs from the flat. The eggs are grouped into at least a first and second subset based on the egg classification status. The controller is configured to direct the transfer head assembly to selectively release the first and second subsets separately based on the respective egg classification status of the eggs. An associated method is also provided.

A controller for controlling illumination emitted by lighting elements within an environment comprising animals and a respective filter between each of animal and the lighting elements, the controller configured to: control the lighting elements to emit illumination having a first spectral composition for a first time period to produce, on a first side of the filter, a first level of illumination as experienced by a visual system of the animals; control the lighting elements to emit illumination having a second, different spectral composition for a second, subsequent time period to produce, on the first side of the filter, a second, different level of illumination as experienced by the visual system of the animals; and control the lighting elements to emit illumination throughout the first and second time periods to maintain, on a second side of the filter, a minimum level of illumination as experienced by a visual system of the animals.