Embryo development and hatchery practice in poultry production

Part 1 Parental influences and embryo development

1. Genetic selection to improve reproductive traits in chickens: David Cavero and Maurice Raccoursier, H&N International, Germany;

2. Managing breeder poultry flocks to optimise hatchability and chick health: R. A. van Emous, Wageningen Livestock Research, The Netherlands;

3. Advances in understanding the development of defences against pathogens in the chicken egg: Maureen M. Bain, University of Glasgow, UK;

4. Assessing poultry semen quality: Murray R. Bakst, formerly USDA-ARS, USA;

5. Key stages of embryo development in poultry: Marleen Boerjan, formerly R&D Royal PasReform, The Netherlands;

6. Chicken egg storage and transport: Dinah Nicholson, Aviagen Ltd, UK;

7. In ovo sexing in poultry chicks: Anke F¶rster, Agri Advanced Technologies GmbH, Germany; and Thomas Bartels, Institute of Animal Welfare and Animal Husbandry, Germany;

8. In ovo vaccination of chicken eggs: Christopher J. Williams, Consultant, USA;

Part 2 Incubation

9. Incubator design for poultry eggs: principles and techniques: Ron Meijerhof, Poultry Performance Plus, The Netherlands;

10. Understanding the effects of incubator temperature on embryo and post-hatch chick development: R. Michael Hulet, Penn State University, USA; and Michael J. Wineland, North Carolina State University, USA;

11. Understanding the effects of light on embryo and post-hatch chick development: Israel Rozenboim, Liron Dishon, Natalie Avital-Cohen and Joanna Bartman, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel; and Ronen Shviki, BeyondEdge Inc, USA;

12. Understanding the effects of humidity/air composition on embryo and post-hatch chick development: E. David Peebles, Mississippi State University, USA;

13. The role of egg turning in embryo development: Okan Elibol, Ankara University, Turkey;

14. Poultry embryo development and skeletal growth: Edgar Orlando Oviedo-Rond³n, North Carolina State University, USA;

Part 3 Managing the hatching stage

15. Managing the poultry hatcher environment: Roos Molenaar and Henry van den Brand, Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands;

16. Alternative hatching systems for broilers: Henry van den Brand, Bas Kemp and Roos Molenaar, Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands;

17. Key issues in transportation of broiler and layer chicks: M. A. Mitchell, Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), UK;