Outstanding performance of Hy-Line Brown and Hy-Line W-80 Parent Stock
Genetic excellence leads to greater profitability
10 March 2025
2 minute read
By: The impact of rising costs in the egg supply chain is well known and maintaining control of these costs starts at the hatchery. It is important that the breeding stock perform at a high level supplying high quality fertile eggs to the hatchery allowing it to efficiently and sustainably meet the demand for day-old chicks.
Hy-Line Brown Breeders:
• 130+ chicks per breeder
• Average female hatch rate of 42%
• Egg-to-chick ratio 2.39
Hy-Line W-80 Breeders:
• 140+ chicks per breeder
• Average female hatch rate of 42–43%
• Egg-to-chick ratio 2.35–2.39
Breeder performance should not take a back seat to commercial layer performance. High-performing breeder stock can efficiently and sustainably meet demand for day-old chicks.
The traits of high rate of lay, persistency of lay, livability, shell quality and egg fertility are measured and improved each year through genetic selection at the pedigree level, which cascades down through the supply chain. More day-old chicks reduces the hatchery’s fixed costs per unit, helping keep costs to a minimum.
Today, Hy-Line sees extraordinary parent stock performance worldwide. Hy-Line recently recognized the distributor in Argentina, South America, Cabaña Avícola Feller, for achieving extraordinary performance in their Hy-Line breeders.
Cabaña Avícola Feller demonstrated high performance capabilities in both the Hy-Line W-80 and Hy-Line Brown breeding stock imported onto their farms. The 25-year distributor of Hy-Line chicks to Argentina exceeded 140 day-old chicks per breeder on their W-80 genetics, with average hatch rates of 42-43% female, requiring only 2.35-2.39 eggs to produce a chick. Their Hy-Line Brown flocks delivered more than 130 chicks per breeder hen with hatchability of 42% female, and an egg-to-chick ratio of 2.39, all excellent results.
Hy-Line is witnessing similarly significant gains in parent stock performance around the world, allowing more day-old chicks to be produced each generation from the same investment in breeding farm resources. This is sustainability in action for the hatchery business and part of Hy-Line’s efforts to contribute to a more sustainable worldwide egg supply chain.
