Monitoring embryo development in chicken eggs using acoustic resonance analysis

Early embryonic development was monitored using acoustic resonance frequency analysis. Based on the course of the resonance frequency (RF) of a chicken egg during incubation, detection of viable and infertile eggs or eggs in which the embryo died during the first days of incubation was possible at the beginning of day 5. A sudden decrease of the RF of viable eggs was noticed after 96-104 h of incubation, whereas infertile eggs or eggs in which the embryo died during the first days of incubation showed a smooth, continuous increase of RF during the entire period of observation. Furthermore, the interruption of the embryonic development by cold storage after 24 or 84 h of incubation delayed the moment of decreasing RF. This proves that the sudden decrease of RF corresponds to a certain stage of development. This application of acoustic resonance frequency analysis offers the potential of early, automatic detection of inviable embryo's in eggs during incubation.