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Collaborative project: Possibilities of in ovo sex determination in domestic chickens (Gallus gallus var. dom) as an alternative to routine killings of male day-old chicks of laying breeds – Subproject 2

Project


Project code: 2813301107
Contract period: 01.04.2008 - 30.09.2011
Budget: 112,800 Euro
Purpose of research: Experimental development

The aim of our study was to find economically viable methods for sex determination in early stages of the chicken development. Knowledge of the localization of the germinal disc is crucial for the sex determination in unincubated eggs. As the shell forms an impenetrable barrier for a precise localization of the germinal disc using light of any wavelengths, the egg is scanned and the zenith of the shell is determined. Using a CO2-Laser, a small hole in the shell is incised. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is used for the localization of the germinal disc. A 'keyhole-scanning' optics for 3D OCT to acquire images was developed. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and UV-resonance Raman (UVRR) spectroscopy are used for sex determination. In these techniques, the difference in the DNA between the Z and W sex chromosomes is a very sensitive marker for sex determination. Only a very small amount of blastoderm cells must be analyzed. These methods also have the potential for in ovo-measurements without removing blastoderm cells. Furthermore, endocrine analysis of allantoic fluid revealed significant differences between males and females with a high hatching rate.

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