EGG PROCESSING

Automated detection of upside down eggs

Written by:

DR. Ephrem ADJANOHOUN

Director of NECTRA SAS

Over the last 2 decades, the shape of broiler breeder hatching eggs has changed significantly, becoming rounder or with both ends becoming symmetrical.

Current automatic farm packing and processing equipment relies on the nonsymmetrical shape of the eggs to identify the large end and to fill up incubation trays with the small side down.

As a consequence, they would not be able to position properly eggs that are too round and/or eggs with a symmetrical shape.

Therefore the level of upsidedown eggs have been rising through time mostly with broilerbreeder hatching eggs, often reaching 0,5% to 3% or sometimes more.

In addition, using a farm packer inside the hatchery increases manipulation of all the eggs in a tray. Removing and rolling tens of thousands eggs on the same belt would necessarily generate cracks and increase shell contamination. Add to this, the direct consequence of setting a small percentage of the eggs upside down leads to a corresponding loss of hatchability.

As shown in NECTRA internal tests on 500 eggs set upside down, 30% of them would either not hatch (mid and late dead) and 70% of those that manage to hatch, would be late, or would give lower (weak) day old chicks, compared to eggs set properly. In addition, if the eggs have to undergo Inovo vaccination at 18 days, the needle would go through the body of the embryo and kill it.

NECTRA has developed a technology that strictly focuses on the actual detection of the air chamber itself instead of using the egg shape to ‘’guess‘’ where the air chamber may be. It is called the Air Chamber Upside down Detection « ACUD ». Therefore, regardless of the shape of the eggs, NECTRA’s ACUD device will identify the air chamber of the eggs, without error, then identify those that have the air chamber pointed down and the eggs and automatically remove or reposition them within the tray.

Another very important point is that this technology does not require any contact with the eggs, which is a strong advantage to prevent air cracks and contamination.

NECTRA technology is based on the difference of inertia (or Inertness) between liquid and air.

The response is so specific that it is possible to map the air chamber through the shell, without touching or picking the eggs off the tray. ACUD technology comes with several options from simple detection to avoid inovo injection, as well as automated removal and automated repositioning within the tray, during candling and processing at the hatchery.

The economic advantaged are important and may help improve hatchability and chick quality.

In conclusion, NECTRA automated equipment such as ACUD provides a new way to ensure upside down eggs are not missed and further improve hatchability by a small percentage when you thought you could no longer make progress. This is coupled to an improvement in egg and overall chicks quality in the hatchery, even for fully automated hatcheries.

For more information, visit www.nectra-com.fr