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. 2023 Jul 14;14:102. doi: 10.1186/s40104-023-00898-1

Table 1.

Advantages and disadvantages of the current situation in the laying hen industry versus in ovo sexing

Current situation In ovo sexing
Advantages Disadvantages Advantages Disadvantages
Consumer Low prices Unethical Ethical Higher prices
Industry Selling corpses as feed

Gruesome working conditions

No profit on male chicks

Ethical

Re-purposing culled eggs

Incubator space optimization

High investments
Male chicks NA

Naturalness infringementa

Pain and stress

No/less pain or stress Possible pain perception depending on incubation day
Environment

Efficient production

No waste

More energy necessary for incubation Lower electricity consumption Consumables waste

Information adapted from Bruijnis et al. [1]

NA Non-applicable

aNaturalness is one of the Five Freedoms in animal welfare, in which an animal should be allowed to demonstrate their animal behavior [11]. With culling male chicks, this possibility is not given to the male chicks. The culling is closely related to the lack of animal integrity the sector gives these male chicks, rendering as a non-ethical practice