A novel method for sexing day-old chicks using endoscope system

Area of Science:

• Poultry Science
• Veterinary Endoscopy
• Animal Reproduction

Background:

• Accurate sex determination of day-old chicks is vital for efficient layer and broiler production.
• Traditional sexing methods can be labor-intensive and require specialized skills.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel endoscopic method for sexing day-old chicks.
• To assess the accuracy and practicality of this new technique in different breeds.

Main Methods:

• Insertion of an endoscope probe into the chick's cloaca and intestine.
• Observation of gonadal structures (testes or ovaries) through the intestinal wall via a monitor.
• Sexing performed on White Leghorn and Rhode Island Red chicks.

Main Results:

• Overall accuracy of 90.2% achieved in sexing day-old chicks.
• Accuracy rates of 91.1% in White Leghorn and 88.3% in Rhode Island Red chicks.
• Higher accuracy for male chicks (95.0%) compared to female chicks (86.0%).

Conclusions:

• The novel endoscope system provides a viable and accurate method for day-old chick sexing.
• The technique requires minimal specialized skills and can be learned with short-term training.
• This method has the potential to improve efficiency in poultry production by enabling early sex identification.