In a transformative step for animal welfare, NestFresh has announced the successful birth of the first chicks hatched using in-ovo sexing technology in the US. The company recently unveiled its new Humanely Hatched packaging, featuring eggs sourced from hens selected using this innovative in-ovo technology, paving the way for greater transparency and animal welfare improvements.
NestFresh stands out as the first egg producer in the United States to eradicate the long-standing practice of culling male chicks, which has raised ethical concerns within the industry. Their Humanely Hatched program leverages the Cheggy in-ovo sexing technology to accurately determine the sex of chicks before they are born.
The impact of this initiative has been notable:
- More than 245,000 male chicks have been saved thus far.
- The program has been verified by Certified Humane, making it a first in the US egg industry.
- It provides a scalable, science-backed model for the entire sector.
Commitment to Transparency and Welfare
The introduction of the Humanely Hatched eggs not only underscores NestFresh’s leadership in ethical practices but also reflects the company’s commitment to transparency in the industry. While these eggs undergo independent verification under the Certified Humane standards, the Humanely Hatched brand remains proprietary to NestFresh.
“NestFresh didn’t just adopt this technology – we spearheaded the effort to bring it to market in the US.” – Jasen Urena, Executive VP of NestFresh
How Cheggy Technology Works
The Cheggy technology, developed by Agri-Advanced Technologies (AAT) based in Germany, is revolutionizing in-ovo sexing with unparalleled accuracy and speed. This advanced system is capable of sorting up to 25,000 eggs per hour, making it the fastest of its kind available. By analyzing light spectra, the technology determines the gender of a chick based on feather color without penetrating the eggshell. This non-invasive method protects the embryo’s integrity and drastically reduces the necessity of euthanizing male chicks, setting a new standard for humane egg production.
“We are excited to bring our well-proven, scalable solution to the US that puts animal welfare at the forefront of egg production.” – Jörg Hurlin, Managing Director at AAT
