Australia’s egg industry reaches milestone with first delivery of in-ovo sexed chicks
Specialised Breeders Australia (SBA) has delivered the nation’s first commercial in-ovo sexed chicks to McLean Farms
16 June 2026
1 minute read
By: Specialised Breeders Australia (SBA), Australia's leading supplier of commercial layer genetics, has successfully delivered the country's first commercial in-ovo sexed day old chicks to McLean Farms.
The inaugural placement was made in June 2026, making McLean Farms the first commercial egg producer in Australia to receive chicks produced using in-ovo sex determination technology.
In May, SBA announced that it had become the first company in the Asia-Pacific region to introduce in-ovo sexing for commercial egg producers through the use of Agri Advanced Technology (AAT)’s Cheggy technology. Cheggy uses a non‑invasive, hyperspectral light‑based optical analysis to determine the sex of a chick prior to hatching at a commercially viable scale, enhancing animal welfare in egg production.
With the first commercial placement now complete, Australia joins a growing number of countries, including Germany, France, Brazil and the United States, where the technology is being used commercially. In the EU, in-ovo sexing technology has reached 28% market penetration.
According to Innovate Animal Ag's Australian consumer survey, conducted by Ipsos in August 2025 with 1,000 Australian consumers, there is strong market demand in Australia for eggs produced using in-ovo sexing. 84% of respondents expressed interest in purchasing in-ovo sexed eggs, and 66% were willing to pay a premium.
Eugene Viljoen, Chief Executive Officer of Specialised Breeders Australia, said: "The delivery of Australia's first commercial in-ovo sexed chicks is a proud moment for SBA and a genuine milestone for our industry. As Australia's market-leading supplier of commercial layer genetics, we are investing in innovations that support the long-term needs of egg producers: our belief is that Australian producers deserve access to the best technology the world has to offer and should be able to produce new products in response to changing consumer expectations.”
SBA will produce in-ovo sexed chicks as an additional product offering available from June 2026, registered with the “Certified Humane” trademark.
Melinda Hashimoto, Chief Executive Officer of Egg Farmers of Australia, said: "Australian egg farmers work tirelessly to produce high-quality eggs while meeting the evolving expectations of consumers and the community. The commercial delivery of in-ovo sexed chicks is a positive development for our industry, that will provide greater, high-welfare product options for layers and the end consumer. We congratulate SBA and McLean Farms on this milestone."
