Members of the Sustainable Livestock Intergroup visited a hatchery in the Netherlands to explore how technology can support the phase-out of day-old male chick culling.
On 28 September 2026, MEPs Stefan Köhler and Christine Singer, along with a parliamentary assistant from MEP Benoît Cassart’s office, visited a hatchery in Bladel, the Netherlands. Hosted by Pluriton, the visit offered a first-hand look at how new technologies are changing hatchery practices.
From the facility’s viewing gallery, the MEPs watched the in-ovo sex determination system in action. The system at the hatchery uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to identify the sex of embryos before day 13 of incubation without opening the eggshell. By determining sex before hatching, the technology provides an alternative to the culling of day-old male chicks in the laying hen sector.
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After viewing the system in action, representatives from Pluriton, EW GROUP and European Layer Distribution (ELD) explained how the different technologies available across the sector compare. Drawing on their experience, they explained the differences in accuracy, which breeds each system works with and how early testing can take place
Company representatives also explained the importance of an EU-wide approach, explaining how different national rules could leave some producers at a disadvantage. They called for common rules and a shared implementation date, with requirements that reflect what available technologies can deliver.
The discussion also covered what this transition means for the wider hatching egg supply chain, including how to cover the additional costs and remain competitive in an international market.
The visit showed how innovation in the European hatching egg sector is already offering practical alternatives to day-old male chick culling. It also gave participants a better understanding of what these technologies can achieve and the challenges hatcheries face in putting them to use more widely.
Members of the Sustainable Livestock Intergroup visited a hatchery in the Netherlands to explore how technology can support the phase-out
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