Aviagen global hatchery support specialists (top to bottom, left to right): Guo Jun, Eddy van Lierde, Tolga Erkus, Aline Ferreira, Dinah Nicholson and Ampai Nangsuay

On Oct. 4-5 in Edinburgh, members of the Aviagen Hatchery Support team presented at the World Poultry Science Association’s (WPSA’s) annual Incubation and Fertility Research Group (IFRG) meeting.

Dr Ampai Nangsuay and Dr Tolga Erkus addressed the developmental and hatchability benefits of the Short Periods of Incubation During Egg Storage (SPIDES) approach. SPIDES is an Aviagen hatchery innovation that results in improved hatchability by using a thermal process to repair cellular damage in eggs that have been stored for extended periods of time. Ampai talked about embryo development after lay and during transport and storage in tropical conditions, and how these might affect the impact of SPIDES treatments. Tolga focused on the impact of SPIDES duration on embryonic development and hatchability of eggs laid by young and older grandparent (GP) flocks.

The Aviagen Global Hatchery Support team also assisted Global Consultant Dr Murray Bakst in a hands-on, practical demonstration of how to isolate and stage an embryo.

About the WPSA and IFRG

The WPSA is a long-established organisation that strives to advance knowledge and understanding of all aspects of poultry science and the poultry industry by encouraging collaboration among research scientists and educators and those working in the many diverse sectors of the industry. As a non-profit organisation, it relies for its income almost entirely on membership subscriptions, although a number of poultry companies around the world provide generous sponsorship to help meet some of the production costs of the World's Poultry Science Journal.

The WPSA formed the Incubation Research Group in 1976, and the international meetings are attended by incubationists from all continents. Speakers are invited from research, commerce, industry and the academic world.

About Aviagen

Since 1923, Aviagen^® has established itself as the world's leading poultry breeding company, developing pedigree lines for the production of commercial broiler chickens under the Arbor Acres^®, Indian River^®, and Ross^® brand names. The Rowan Range^® and Specialty Males^® are specialty breeding stock from Aviagen that offer greater flexibility for customers to meet specific or niche market requirements. The company is based in Huntsville, Alabama, USA with a number of wholly-owned operations across the United Kingdom, Europe, Turkey, Latin America, India, Australia, New Zealand, and the U.S., and joint ventures in Asia. Aviagen employs more than 4,600 people and has a distribution network serving customers in more than 100 countries.

For further information, please visit www.aviagen.com.