Israeli scientists have achieved a significant technological breakthrough that could prevent the slaughter of 7 billion male chicks each year globally.
A group of hens in Israel named Golda has become the first in the world to lay eggs that will only hatch female chicks.
Golda egg technology only produces hens in Israel. (Photo: timesofisrael.com)
According to reports from Israel, this technology has been developed over the past seven years through collaboration between a group of experts from the Volcani Agricultural Research Institute and the company Poultry by Huminn, which specializes in providing technological solutions for the poultry industry.
Scientists have determined that male chicks carry the Z chromosome while female chicks possess two Z chromosomes and one W chromosome. The combination of two Z chromosomes results in male chicks, while the combination of one W and one Z chromosome results in female chicks.
The Israeli research team has discovered a gene modification method in the Z chromosome of hens to ensure that eggs carrying male embryos will cease development in the early stages and not hatch.
This finding has the potential to prevent the hatching of male chicks, as well as eliminating the ethical concerns surrounding the current practices of culling male chicks.
The European Union has so far confirmed that it will not amend regulations regarding the business of hens and eggs produced through Israeli technology. Meanwhile, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently evaluating the research findings.
