Sex selection in layer chickens

Abstract

The ability to detect and remove male chicks pre-hatch would be a big step forward to the egg-laying and related industries. The current practice of culling male chicks post-hatch creates a major ethical dilemma for many countries. Hatching out and growing male layer chicks is not a sustainable option for farmers. A genetic based in ovo sex selection application would effectively negate the need to cull or grow out male chickens and would contribute to a more sustainable industry with a view to future food security. Recent advancements in avian gene technology allow specific marking of the sex-determining chromosome in chickens so that the males can be identified before hatching and removed before incubation. This provides a simple solution to meet a pressing need for the industry and a leading opportunity for the adoption of biotechnology in animal agriculture.