In ovo analysis of an embryo from an avian egg

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for preparing avian eggs for the purpose of characterizing an avian embryo contained within an egg. The method comprises the following steps carried out in a preparation station (4) after a period of incubation in a hatchery: - positioning an egg horizontally on a support, the longitudinal axis of the egg being parallel to the support on which it rests; - leaving the egg thus positioned to allow the embryo to migrate upwards along its longitudinal axis. Figure for the abstract: No figure

Description

Title of the invention: In ovo analysis of an embryo from an avian egg technical field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of poultry production and in particular to the non-invasive characterization of poultry eggs during incubation. STATE OF THE ART

[0002] Poultry production pursues various objectives on a global scale.

[0003] While the majority of production is intended to collect the meat or egg of the animal, there are certain specific branches of production, such as that of foie gras in Europe, and particularly in France.

[0004] By way of example, annual French production amounts to 30 million fattened ducks, 48 ​​million laying hens, and nearly one billion chickens. These waterfowl and poultry farming activities imply, for certain types of production, that only the male or female individuals produced are kept.

[0005] For example, for quality reasons, foie gras production is carried out exclusively by fattening male ducks, as the livers of females are too veined. Conversely, for the production of chicken eggs, only females are kept. In this specific case, sexing is carried out after hatching and involves the elimination of millions of animals only a few hours old.

[0006] To characterize avian eggs, invasive methods can also be used. However, this type of method presents the risk of aborting the embryo.

[0007] Thus, it is observed that the characterization of avian eggs is done mainly after hatching with the disadvantage of eliminating chicks or ducklings at birth and incompatible with the issues relating to animal welfare. Description of the invention

[0008] The invention makes it possible to improve the analysis of avian eggs.

[0009] To this end, the invention proposes, according to a first aspect, a method for preparing avian eggs in order to characterize an avian embryo contained in an egg, the method comprising the following steps implemented in a preparation station after a period of incubation in a hatchery:

[0010] - positioning of an egg in a horizontal position on a support, the longitudinal axis of the egg being parallel to the support on which it rests;

[0011] - putting the egg thus positioned on hold so that the embryo of the egg migrates towards the top of the egg taken lengthwise along its longitudinal axis.

[0012] The invention, according to the first aspect, is advantageously complemented by the following features, taken alone or in any of their technical combinations: only possible:

[0013] - the positioning steps and / or the waiting and / or the agitation are put in work is carried out under a temperature-controlled atmosphere;

[0014] - wherein the agitation consists of rolling the egg on itself around its axis longitudinal;

[0015] - the agitation is carried out in the longitudinal direction of the egg;

[0016] - the temperature is between 25 °C and 40 °C, preferably 37 °C;

[0017] - the standby time is between 1 second and 30 minutes, from preference for a time greater than 3 minutes;

[0018] The invention proposes, according to a second aspect, a positioning step of a set of eggs in a position between 45° and 90° taken on their longitudinal axis;

[0019] The process, according to the second aspect, comprises a preparation step including the implementation of a preparation process according to the invention;

[0020] Advantageously, in the process according to the second aspect of the invention, the eggs are held in a vertical or inclined position for a determined period of time between 1 and 20 minutes.

[0021] Advantageously, the process according to the second aspect of the invention includes a step of characterizing the embryo of the egg.

[0022] Advantageously, the characterization includes candling the egg to visualize the embryo and includes acquiring an image of the egg thus candled.

[0023] Advantageously, the characterization allows the detection of physical signals or spectral information and includes the acquisition of images or spectra of the egg thus candled. PRESENTATION OF THE FIGURES

[0024] Other features, purposes and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, which is purely illustrative and not limiting, and which should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which [Fig.1] and [Fig.2] illustrate steps aimed at characterizing an avian embryo from an avian egg.

[0025] Throughout the figures, similar elements bear identical references. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] In relation to [Fig.1] and [Fig.2], a method for analyzing an avian embryo contained in an egg 1 is implemented after an incubation period less than or equal to the first third of the egg incubation period according to the rate of development of the species (step E0) in a hatchery 2.

[0027] After a certain period of incubation, the embryo of an egg may need to be analyzed in order to be characterized.

[0028] Such characterization could be, for example, determining the sex of the embryo. Such sexing is particularly advantageous at the embryonic stage for determining the sex of an embryo in a chicken or duck egg.

[0029] The idea is to be able to characterize an embryo at the earliest possible stage. For chicken eggs, such characterization is carried out before the 8th day from the start of incubation. For duck eggs, such characterization is carried out before the 12th day from the start of incubation. More generally, characterization is performed during the first third of the incubation period.

[0030] The incubation (step E0) is implemented in a known manner.

[0031] Eggs 1 are placed on incubation grids 3 in an incubator 2 having a controlled atmosphere in terms of temperature, humidity, pressure, etc. Conventionally, the temperature in an incubator 2 is controlled at around 37.5°C. During incubation (step E0), the eggs 2 are placed in a vertical or slightly inclined position. The vertical and inclined positions are understood to be relative to the longitudinal axis X of the egg 1.

[0032] Following incubation (step E0) for a certain period, the eggs 1 are transferred from the incubator 1 to a preparation station 4. In particular, the incubation grids 3 are positioned horizontally relative to the ground during the transfer.

[0033] Arriving at the preparation station 4, the eggs are held immobile in a vertical position (90°) or slightly inclined (45°) or more generally between these two positions (step El).

[0034] Next, the analysis itself can begin (step E2). In this respect, the eggs 2 are positioned on a preparation support 41 in a horizontal position on the support 41, with the longitudinal axis X of the egg 2 parallel to the support 41 on which it rests (step E21). Such a support 41 is a plate, a mat, a specific compartment, etc. Thus, the eggs 2 are changed from the position used during the transfer. The horizontal position allows the internal components of the egg to migrate to a new position. Indeed, since the internal components are not fixed to the shell, any change in the egg's position results in a displacement of these components.

[0035] Next, the two eggs are held (step E22) in this horizontal position to allow the egg components to migrate to a new position. The yolk, or vitellus, will always float on the albumen due to their difference in density. As for the embryo, it will move towards the highest point of the yolk. Consequently, the embryo always migrates towards the highest point of the shell. This horizontal positioning lasts between 1 and 30 minutes.

[0036] Maintaining it in this position allows time for the constituents of the egg to settle. bilis in the supine position of the egg.

[0037] Advantageously, the eggs are kept in a horizontal position in a controlled atmosphere, particularly in terms of temperature, in order to avoid cooling the eggs and thus improve the detectability of the constituents.

[0038] Next, the eggs are brought (step E23) to a characterization station 6, still in a horizontal and motionless horizontal position. Ideally, the eggs should not rotate during transfer from the preparation station to the analysis station 6 for characterizing egg 1. During characterization, egg 2 is positioned on a support 62 in a horizontal position in the same state as it was after preparation.

[0039] Such preparation (step E2) improves the subsequent characterization. The visibility of the internal constituents of the egg (which are already known) is maximal when the egg is lying down: The air cell acts as a physical barrier. It is generally located on the wider part of the egg (opposite the pointed end of the egg along its longitudinal axis). When the egg is lying horizontally, the air cell remains fixed in its position, and the internal structures migrate to an area where the air cell cannot conceal them. - The surface area occupied by the components of the egg is greater in a lying position and the internal components of the egg spread out more.

[0040] The characterization station 6 allows for the characterization (step E3) of the egg and includes, for example, a camera 61 and a device configured to illuminate (step E31) the egg in order to perform candling if necessary. This is typically an egg candler that projects a powerful light onto the egg to allow viewing inside. Under this illumination, the camera 61, for example, acquires images which are then processed.

[0041] The control of the camera 61, the egg candler 62 and the image acquisition is carried out by a processing unit 63. Such a processing unit is in particular a processor configured to implement processing on data.

[0042] Other devices for characterizing the inside of an egg can be used at the characterization station 6.

[0043] To characterize egg 2, algorithms based on artificial intelligence can be implemented and based on different acquired parameters.

[0044] In addition, during the characterization process, an egg agitation step (step E33) is implemented. This step causes the embryo to migrate against or near the eggshell. This facilitates embryo detection.

[0045] The agitation (step E33) of the egg consists of rolling the egg on itself around its longitudinal axis or initiating back-and-forth movements of the egg according to its longitudinal axis X, at a defined speed and angle.

[0046] Analysis of egg 1 leads, for example, to determining the eye color of the embryo in the egg: a male Muscovy duck has a black eye.

[0047] Egg analysis leads, for example, to the detection of physical signals or spectral information in chicks, for the purpose of male-female distinction or qualitative analysis of the egg

[0048] Once characterized, some eggs return to incubation to complete their incubation process until hatching.

Claims

Demands

1. A method for preparing (E2) avian eggs for the purpose of characterizing an avian embryo contained in an egg, the method comprising the following steps carried out in a preparation station (4) after an incubation period (EO) in a hatchery (2): - positioning (E21) an egg in a horizontal position on a support (41) the longitudinal axis (X) of the egg (1) being parallel to the support (41) on which it rests; - holding (E22) the egg (1) thus positioned so that the embryo in the egg migrates towards the highest point of the egg, - agitation (E33) of the egg (1) consisting of initiating back-and-forth movements of the egg along its longitudinal axis X so as to cause the embryo to migrate against or near the shell of the egg.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the positioning steps and / or holding and / or stirring are carried out under a temperature-controlled atmosphere.

3. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the agitation (E23) further consists of rolling the egg on itself around its longitudinal axis.

4. A method according to any one of claims 2 to 3, wherein the temperature is between 25°C and 40°C, preferably 37°C.

5. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the standby (E22) has a duration of between 1 second and 30 minutes, preferably greater than 3 minutes.

6. Method for analyzing an avian egg, comprising - a positioning step (E1) of a set of eggs in a position between 45° and 90° taken on their longitudinal axis, - a preparation step (E2) comprising the implementation of a preparation method according to any one of the preceding claims.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the eggs are held in a vertical or inclined position for a specified period of time between 1 and 20 minutes.

8. A method according to any one of claims 6 to 7, comprising a characterization step (E3) of the embryo of the egg (2).

9. A method according to the preceding claim, wherein the characterization (E3) comprises candling the egg to visualize the embryo of in order to detect physical signals or spectral information and includes the acquisition of images or spectra of the egg thus candled.

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