Respeggt Circuit Makes US Debut: White and Brown Egg Sexing Now Available in US
Positive momentum for in-ovo sexing in the US continues as a third in-ovo sexing machine heads to the US market!
Respeggt, an in-ovo sexing technology supplier, and Hendrix ISA, a genetics company and hatchery operator, announced that a Respeggt Circuit will be delivered to the US in February 2025. The Circuit will be installed in Hendrix's Grand Island, Nebraska hatchery, which has the capacity to serve 10% of the US layer market.
This announcement marks a significant milestone, as the Respeggt machine will be the first in the US capable of identifying the sex of white layers in addition to brown layers–particularly notable given that white eggs comprise a majority of US production.
"We are very proud to make this first step in the United States.” Edwin Zeller, the Chief Commercial Officer of Respeggt said. At Eurotier in November, Respeggt also unveiled their latest technology, the Respeggt CQ7000. This new machine integrates its testing lab into the Circuit and features an optimized design that enables hatcheries to fully automate candling and post-test sorting in a seamless workflow.
Neal Martin, the General Manager of Hendrix ISA USA is also excited about the partnership. "We found the Respeggt technology to be the most cost-efficient, easily scalable, and capable of delivering the highest number of female chicks on the market. Additionally, Respeggt works for both brown and white genetics, which is, of course, a significant advantage considering the strong performance of our Dekalb White birds."
Robert Yaman, the CEO of Innovate Animal Ag, reflected on this important moment for the US. "The ability to determine sex in white eggs in the US represents a major milestone for our industry," Yaman said. "While there have been some concerns about technologies that require a hole in the eggshell, Hendrix's vote of confidence in the Respeggt system demonstrates that multiple viable approaches still exist in the marketplace. This healthy competition between different technological paradigms suggests that we're still in the early stages of innovation, and the ultimate leading technology remains to be determined. I commend everyone involved in advancing this important work."
This development follows the recent historic hatch of NestFresh's first US in-ovo sexed chicks, which were supplied by Agri Advanced Technology’s Cheggy machine operating at Hy-Line hatcheries in Iowa and Texas. In Europe, Cheggy has been slightly cheaper than other options, but can only identify the sex of brown layers. In-ovo sexing costs for both brown and white layers in Europe lead to less than 1 cent per table egg added on the shelf for consumers. It remains to be seen at what price point producers will sell eggs from in-ovo sexed hens in the US.
The rapid pace of the in-ovo sexing rollout in the US has surprised many industry observers, and it shows no signs of slowing down. In conversations with egg producers, retailers, and food service companies, it's clear that one of their primary focuses has been positioning themselves to secure in-ovo sexed hens and eggs to meet the expected growth in consumer interest.
For more detailed information on in-ovo sexing technologies and their impact on the poultry industry, visit our In-Ovo Sexing Overview.
