NestFresh welcomes first in-ovo sexed flock in the US
First in-ovo eggs processed in Iowa and Texas
18 December 2024
3 minute read
By: NestFresh announced yesterday a milestone for the US egg industry: the first set of in-ovo sexed chicks has been born and delivered to a NestFresh farm in Texas. This giant leap in animal welfare is made possible by the adoption of Cheggy, innovative in-ovo sexing technology.
The non-invasive system determines the sex of chicks in brown layer eggs before hatching and will enable NestFresh to introduce the first eggs sourced from in-ovo sexed hens to the US market by June 2025.
Last week, members from NestFresh, Certified Humane, ASPCA, and Innovate Animal Agriculture came together to witness the first-ever in-ovo sexed eggs processed through the Cheggy system at hatcheries in Wilton, Iowa, and Bryan, Texas, marking a monumental achievement for NestFresh and the entire US egg industry.
NestFresh is the first company in the US to adopt Cheggy technology.
"This is a transformative moment for the egg industry and animal welfare in the United States," said Jasen Urena, executive vice president at NestFresh.
"By being the first US egg company to adopt in-ovo sexing technology, we are tackling one of the most difficult ethical issues in egg production and raising the standard for animal welfare—starting before our hens are even born," Urena added. "Our customers can now be even more confident that when they choose NestFresh, they're supporting a brand that continuously looks for ways to increase animal welfare, improve environmental sustainability, and preserve the small family farm way of life."
Developed by German-based Agri-Advanced Technologies (AAT), Cheggy offers accuracy, speed, and efficiency.
Capable of sorting up to 25,000 brown layer hatching eggs per hour, it claims to be the fastest system of its kind. It features a compact design that can be integrated into existing production lines.
Utilising hyperspectral measurement technology, Cheggy analyses light spectra to determine chick gender based on feather colour—without penetrating the eggshell. This non-invasive process safeguards embryo quality and reduces the need to euthanise male chicks after hatching by up to 97%. Cheggy's approach addresses one of the egg industry's most pressing ethical challenges and sets a new benchmark for humane and modern egg production.
"Cheggy is an exciting step forward in NestFresh's long history of improving animal welfare and sustainability," said Mike Sencer, executive vice president at NestFresh. "For over 30 years, our customers have counted on us to do the right thing, and this technology is one more way we're keeping that promise. We're proud to keep raising the bar and finding new ways to care for our hens and produce eggs more responsibly."
The introduction of Cheggy technology to NestFresh operations follows its successful implementation in Europe, where it has become a market leader in brown layer in-ovo sexing. By bringing this solution to the US, NestFresh says it is paving the way for more responsible egg production practices across the industry.
