Patent ID: 9179651
Filing Date: 2015-11-10
Classification: A01K,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method of non-invasive embryonic determination of avian sex, the method comprising the steps of: (a) producing a training set of avian eggs from an avian strain cross designed to produce a sex-related difference in feather colour having feather colour differentiation genetic characteristics; (b) exposing the training set of avian eggs to electromagnetic energy comprising a plurality of different wavelengths of between about 380 nm and 740 nm, wherein the training set of avian eggs has been incubated for a period of time less than 14 days; (c) determining an amount of absorption, diffusion, refraction, reflection, or a combination of any of the forgoing, the electromagnetic energy for each of the plurality of different wavelengths of each avian egg in the training set of avian eggs, the amount caused by the feather colour differentiation genetic characteristics; (d) determining the sex of embryos or avians of the training set of avian eggs; (e) correlating the amount determined in step (c) to the sex determined in step (d); (f) determining standard value ranges of the amounts determined in step (c) that are indicative of the sex of the avian egg from an avian breed having the feather colour differentiation genetic characteristics, wherein a standard value range is determined for males at each of said plurality of wavelengths and a standard value range is determined for females at each of said plurality of wavelengths; (g) storing said standard value ranges in a database; (h) exposing a test set of avian eggs from the same avian breed as the training set of avian eggs to electromagnetic energy comprising the same plurality of wavelengths used on the training set of avian eggs, wherein the test set of avian eggs has been incubated for a period of time less than 14 days; and (i) determining an amount of absorption, diffusion, refraction, reflection, or a combination of any of the forgoing, of the electromagnetic energy for each of the plurality of different wavelengths by the test set of avian eggs, (j) comparing the amount determined in step (i) to the standard value ranges stored in the database to determine the sex of each egg in the test set of avian eggs; and (k) culling the avian eggs determined to be male in the comparing step.