Just over a year ago, LOHMANN Germany installed their first Respeggt technological solution for in-ovo sexing at its hatchery. To meet the ongoing increased demand for in-ovo sexing, LOHMANN Deutschland has decided to install a second Circuit at the Ankum hatchery, according to a company press release.

“We are very pleased to be able to double our capacity for in-ovo sexing at LOHMANN Deutschland in Ankum. This shows that we have been able to prove our practice and capacity maturity over the past year. Despite the difficult economic situation in Europe last year, animal welfare and the production of more animal-friendly foodstuffs continue to be in high demand. Our sustainable solution to end chick culling means we can serve this demand well,” says Martijn Haarman, CEO of the Respeggt Group.

“To be able to meet the increased demand for in-ovo sexed chicks using the Respeggt process, an additional Circuit will be commissioned at the hatchery in Ankum in the near future. This will
provide us with sufficient capacity to fulfil our customers’ demand for 5xD-ready Respeggt chicks,” says Tobias Ferling, Managing Director of LOHMANN Deutschland.

Since the autumn of 2022, the collaboration between LOHMANN Deutschland and Respeggt has enabled the hatching of respeggt laying hens, which then lay respeggt eggs carrying the ‘Free of Chick Culling’ promise for the German and other KAT-certified egg markets. The extension of this collaboration between the two companies is an important step in the promotion of 5xD in German egg production: hatched, raised, fed, laid and packed in Germany.

LOHMANN Deutschland is the leading breeding establishment for chicks and pullets of LOHMANN genetics in Germany. With its own parent stock, hatcheries and pullet rearing facilities, the company covers the entire value chain in Germany. As a pioneer in the market, the company is the only national hatchery that employs in-ovo sexing methods. Respeggt is a service and technology provider for in-ovo sexing. 

Respeggt technology is in operation in several European countries and has a 99% accuracy rate. In the German market, Respeggt is the most widely used technological solution in-ovo sexing. In addition, Respeggt promises the added value of ‘Free of Chick Culling’ by verifying the entire supply chain. The heart-shaped Respeggt label on the packaging of egg boxes or egg products guarantees consumers that their eggs are, indeed, produced free of chick culling.