METHODS FOR CONTROLLING SEX OF OVIPAROUS EMBRYOS USING LIGHT SOURCES

• US 20160183499A1
• Filed: 02/24/2016
• Published: 06/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify North America Corporation (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Once Innovations Inc. (Signify N.V.)
• Inventors: GRAJCAR, Zdenko
• Granted Patent: US 10,455,819 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 41/00 Incubators for poultry
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 41/02 Heating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 45/007 Injecting or otherwise treating hatching eggs
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 61/17 Hatching, e.g. incubators
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 67/02 Breeding vertebrates
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/81 Aquaculture, e.g. of fish

Abstract

The sex of embryos in eggs is influenced or controlled through the application of light having selected wavelengths in order to promote the development of embryos of a selected sex. An incubating device is provided having an interior cavity that can be sealed from an outside, and having a plurality of lighting elements disposed on each of a plurality of trays disposed in the interior cavity. Eggs are disposed on the trays, and pre-determined environmental conditions are applied to the interior cavity to promote hatching of the eggs. Concurrently with the application of the environmental conditions, the eggs are irradiated according to pre-determined lighting conditions. The lighting conditions include applying light having wavelengths substantially concentrated in selected ranges, such as light wavelengths within the 390-419 nm, 410-450 nm, 420-450 nm, 450-495 nm, or other narrow range.

Claims

1. An incubating device comprising:

a body having an interior cavity;

a plurality of trays disposed in the interior cavity and receiving at least one egg for incubation;

a plurality of lighting elements positioned to emit light reaching substantially an entire outer surface of the at least one egg;

said plurality of lighting elements configured to emit light having a spectrum substantially concentrated within a pre-determined wavelength range for irradiating the at least one egg.

2. The incubating device of claim 1 wherein the pre-determined wavelength range is a red wavelength range.

3. The incubating device of claim 1, wherein the pre-determined wavelength range is one of a 410-450 nm wavelength range and a 450-495 nm wavelength range.

4. The incubating device of claim 1, wherein the at least one egg is irradiated with light having the pre-determined wavelength range substantially concentrated within a narrow range of wavelengths.

5. The incubating device of claim 4, wherein the at least one egg is only irradiated with light having the spectrum substantially concentrated within the narrow range of wavelengths while the at least one egg is incubated.

6. The incubating device of claim 4, wherein the narrow range of wavelengths are red wavelengths.

7. The incubating device of claim 4, wherein the narrow range of wavelengths are blue wavelengths.

8. The incubating device of claim 1, wherein the irradiating of the at least one egg comprises irradiating the at least one egg with light having an intensity of 3 lumens or less while the at least one egg is incubated.

9. The incubating device of claim 1 wherein the irradiating of the at least one egg promotes hatching of the at least one egg.

10. The incubating device of claim 1 wherein the irradiating of the at least one egg is irradiated in a narrow range of wavelengths based on a selected sex of embryo being promoted in the at least one egg.

19. The incubating device of claim 1 wherein the irradiating of the at least one egg promotes hatching of the at least one egg.

20. The incubating device of claim 1 wherein the irradiating of the at least one egg is irradiated in a narrow range of wavelengths based on a selected sex of embryo being promoted in the at least one egg.

11. An incubating device comprising:

a body having an interior cavity;

a plurality of trays disposed in the interior cavity and receiving at least one egg for incubation;

a plurality of lighting elements positioned to emit light on more than one side of the at least one egg;

said plurality of lighting elements emitting light having a spectrum substantially concentrated within a pre-determined wavelength range for irradiating the at least one egg.

12. The incubating device of claim 11 wherein the pre-determined wavelength range is a red wavelength range.

13. The incubating device of claim 11, wherein the pre-determined wavelength range is one of a 410-450 nm wavelength range and a 450-495 nm wavelength range.

14. The incubating device of claim 11, wherein the at least one egg is irradiated with light having the pre-determined wavelength range substantially concentrated within a narrow range of wavelengths.

15. The incubating device of claim 14, wherein the at least one egg is only irradiated with light having the spectrum substantially concentrated within the narrow range of wavelengths while the at least one egg is incubated.

16. The incubating device of claim 14, wherein the narrow range of wavelengths are red wavelengths.

17. The incubating device of claim 14, wherein the narrow range of wavelengths are blue wavelengths.

18. The incubating device of claim 11, wherein the irradiating of the at least one egg comprises irradiating the at least one egg with light having an intensity of 3 lumens or less while the at least one egg is incubated.

21. An incubating device comprising:

a body having an interior cavity;

a plurality of trays disposed in the interior cavity and receiving at least one egg for incubation;

a plurality of lighting elements positioned to emit light on the at least one egg;

said plurality of lighting elements comprising a first set of lighting elements emitting light having a spectrum substantially concentrated within a blue wavelength range and a second set of lighting elements emitting light having a spectrum substantially concentrated within the red wavelength range for irradiating the at least one egg.

22. The incubating device of claim 21 further comprising a lighting controller operative to activate the first and second sets of lighting elements.

23. The incubating device of claim 22 wherein the lighting controller is operative to control the predetermined lighting intensity of the first and second sets of lighting elements to promote hatching of the eggs.

24. The incubating device of claim 22 wherein the lighting controller activates the first and second sets of lighting elements on a continuous basis to promote hatching of the eggs.

25. The incubating device of claim 22 wherein the lighting controller activates the first and second sets of lighting elements in a time-varying basis to promote hatching of the eggs.

26. The incubating device of claim 22 wherein the lighting controller is operative to dim the first and second sets of lighting elements to promote hatching of the eggs.

27. The incubating device of claim 22 wherein the lighting controller is operative to synchronously activate the first and second sets of lighting elements to promote hatching of the eggs.

28. The incubating device of claim 22 wherein the lighting controller is operative to activate the first set of lighting elements for a first period of time and activate the second set of lighting elements for a second period of time to promote hatching of the eggs.

29. The incubating device of claim 28 wherein the first period of time and the second period of time are different.

30. The incubating device of claim 22 wherein the lighting controller is operative to prevent the emission of wavelengths of light not within the pre-determined wavelength range.