Page 21 - AWA Vol. 42-No.2 issue

POUlTRY

lunix™: in Ovo Sexing is Becoming

An industry Standard
1. Introduction – a concrete revolution claws, and is part of a strategy to reduce
in hatcheries interventions in breeding.
Grimaud Frères has developed an in
-ovo sexing technology called LUNIX™ 4. Towards Continuous Optimisation
that identifies the sex of the embryo Of Working Environments And Work-
inside the egg without invasive inter- flows
vention. This innovation is based on cut-
ting-edge techniques and addresses eth- The industrial deployment of LUNIX™
ical and animal welfare challenges while also paves the way for new projects. Con-
maintaining productive efficiency. and time-consuming operation, as well tinuous improvement in reading reliabil-
ity, productivity, technical performance
Long regarded as a technological feat, in as the candling procedure (checking the and streamlining of workflows remain
-ovo sexing of ducks is now an industrial fertility of the egg). By eliminating the priority areas of focus. The reorganisation
reality. need for these tasks, LUNIX™ contrib-
utes to better workflow organisation and of hatchery sites is essential in order to
Grimaud Frères, a pioneer in this field, integrate tools adapted to the new flows
has integrated LUNIX™ technology into a reduced drudgery. This translates into a of ducklings that have already been iden-
comprehensive approach aimed at struc- lower risk of injury for operators and im- tified. These developments will not only
turing, mechanising and streamlining the proved working conditions. make it easier for employees to do their
entire process, profoundly transforming 3. Technology That Fits Into A Com- work, but will also improve the conditions
traditional hatching practices. prehensive Approach in which the animals are kept, in line with
2. A Paradigm Shift For Teams Thanks to sexing, eggs are sorted ac- a philosophy of sustainable performance
cording to sex before hatching, thus
LUNIX™ makes it possible to determine avoiding the destruction of viable duck- and respect for living creatures.
the sex of the embryo as early as the lings. Although all eggs must be incu- 5. Innovation Serving The Industry
first third of the incubation cycle, without bated before their sex can be identified, And People
opening the egg or disrupting its devel- this method facilitates the organisation of With LUNIX™, deployed on an industrial
opment. flows and reduces the handling of duck- scale, in-ovo sexing has moved from the
In hatcheries, the integration of LUNIX™ lings, which improves their vitality and prototype stage to a fully operational and
has enabled a complete reorganisation also helps to reduce their stress, thereby proven solution. Grimaud Frères has sup-
of production lines. Production rates now enhancing their welfare. ported this transformation by providing
reach 10,000 eggs per hour, with a sexing LUNIX™ is part of a broader animal concrete tools designed to meet the real-
accuracy of nearly 95%. welfare strategy promoted by Grimaud ities on the ground, societal expectations
This advance eliminates the need for Frères. It complements other innovations and employee health and safety require-
manual post-hatching sexing, a repetitive such as laser treatment of beaks and ments. Circle 25 on enquiry card

How Barn Automation Reduces labor Costs And improves
Animal Performance in Poultry Farming

Poultry farms are under increasing pres- In practice, this results in:
sure to work more efficiently. As farms •More consistent development of the an-
continue to grow and processes become imals
more complex, experienced employees •Improved feed utilization
are becoming harder to find. This makes
it more challenging to keep daily barn •Fewer performance dips caused by en-
processes predictable and under control, vironmental fluctuations
while expectations for animal perfor- Automation improves animal perfor- Working more efficiently through
mance remain high. monitoring and stable processes
mance
Climate, ventilation, feed intake, and Manual checks and corrective actions
water intake must be managed consis- Stable conditions are a key prerequisite take up a significant amount of time. Barn
tently, regardless of staffing levels or for good animal performance. Temper- automation replaces these snapshots with
farm size. When these processes rely ature, ventilation, feed intake, and water 24/7 monitoring, allowing systems to pro-
largely on manual control, vulnerability intake play a major role in growth, health, actively adjust within predefined limits.
increases. Barn automation offers a struc- and the consistent development of the Deviations are detected immediately and
tural solution. By digitalizing recurring flock. When these factors fluctuate, ani- corrected early, before they affect the an-
and time-critical processes, farms gain mals respond with stress. Barn automation imals. This not only reduces daily walk-
greater control over daily operations. This maintains uniform conditions throughout throughs and ad hoc corrective work, but
reduces workload, limits labor costs, and the entire production cycle by adjusting also creates a calmer barn environment
ensures stable and reliable animal perfor- automatically and continuously, including and a more predictable workday.
mance. outside regular working hours. Circle 26 on enquiry card

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