Ga. Santos et Fg. Silversides, A METHOD FOR SEPARATING SEX-LINKED IMPERFECT ALBINO (S-ASTERISK-ALS) AND NONALBINO EMBRYOS BEFORE HATCH, Poultry science, 75(5), 1996, pp. 585-588
The feasibility of using the sex-linked gene for imperfect albinism (S
ALS) to sex chicks during incubation by candling was studied. With th
is technique, the dark eye of nonalbino embryos can be positively iden
tified. Two trials were performed. In a first trial, 66.5 and 89.5% of
the 254 nonalbino and 210 albino chicks produced in four hatches were
correctly identified by candling at 7 d of incubation. Of 191 eggs pr
edicted to be nonalbinos, 22 were albinos, resulting in an overall acc
uracy of 88.5% for identification of nonalbino embryos. In a second tr
ial, the accuracy of the technique from 7 to 10 d of incubation was ev
aluated. Increased age resulted in a tendency for lower accuracy, but
candling at 8, 9, or 10 d of incubation allowed identification of a gr
eater (P < 0.05) proportion of the nonalbino population than at 7 d of
incubation. Candling at 8 d of incubation allowed identification of n
onalbinos and albinos with an accuracy of 81.3 and 84.9%, respectively
, suggesting that the ALS gene could be used to sex chicks during inc
ubation when used in a sex-linked cross. This technique may prove adva
ntageous to the laying industry because of savings of incubator and ha
tcher space. The males of commercial layer lines are normally killed a
t hatch. Reducing the number that hatch by eliminating them before 10
d of incubation could diminish animal welfare concerns.