Quick Chick Pick

Researchers at the Dresden University of Technology can now determine the sex of a chicken before it hatches – in under a minute.

A small hole is cut into the shell and near-infrared spectroscopy is used to identify the DNA content, which is around 2 percent higher in male chicks. The female embryos are then patched up before being returned to incubation, while the eggs containing male chicks are disposed of. Once automated, it is hoped the technique, which has an accuracy rate of 95 percent, will put an end to the current practice of shredding male chicks after birth...

Credit: Stephan Wiegand, Dresden University of Technology

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