On-farm hatching of broiler chicks could reduce stress and improves broiler performance and industry sustainability.
“It’s a novel and future-proof way of hatching chicks and, at the same time, eliminate stress related to hatchery handlings and also transport of day-old chicks to the farm,” Erik Hoeven, general manager, NestBorn.
At the 2023 Poultry Tech Summit, Hoeven will highlight how on-farm hatching could help to reduce the various stressors associated with hatcheries, including hunger, thirst, handling and transportation and also result in better health and performance.
The Poultry Tech Summit, scheduled for November 6-8 at the Hilton Atlanta Airport in Atlanta, Georgia, focuses on the transition of innovative technologies into commercial applications to advance the poultry industry.
Registration for this event is now open. Early bird savings are available.
Benefits of on-farm hatching
In this scenario, pre-incubated eggs are shipped to a broiler farm, where they are hatched directly on the floor. This guarantees an uninterrupted early access to feed and water and an elimination of handling and transport.
Transitioning to on-farm broiler hatching has several welfare benefits, but importantly, it can also boost sustainability and productivity, as well as help the farmer’s bottom line. For hatcheries, it also offers opportunities to invest rather in a lean and clean “eggery,” and to hatch solely on farms.
“There is obviously an angle in terms of animal welfare, which translates to less mortality, less footpad dermatitis and things like that, but we also see that it provides opportunities to improve the health and technical parameters related to hatcheries and broiler production,” Hoeven said.
Attend the 2023 Poultry Tech Summit
Join an exclusive international gathering of industry-changing innovators, researchers, entrepreneurs, technology experts, investors and leading poultry producers at the 2023 edition of Poultry Tech Summit on November 6-8 at the Hilton Atlanta Airport in Atlanta, Georgia.
Attendees can expect the same groundbreaking innovation and insightful presentations that made the previous events well-attended with deep dialogue on new prospective solutions and next-generation technologies. Poultry Tech Summit focuses on the transition of innovative technologies into commercial applications to advance the poultry industry.
Registration for this event is now open. Early bird savings are available.
