Where are the Birds? Insights into Hatchability Challenges

Where are the birds?!

Hatchability has become a top concern for the broiler breeder industry in the United States. Dr. Hugo Romero-Sanchez, Executive Manager, Global Poultry Technical Lead at NOVUS speaks on investigating the cause and how producers can support fertility and hatch.

“In recent years, the U.S. has seen some of the worst hatchability numbers since the late 1980s. The U.S. Department of Agriculture in January 2024 reported average hatchability at just 79.6%,” says Hugo Romero, Ph.D., NOVUS global poultry technology executive manager, who presented the talk. “During this presentation, I’ll want to examine the potential causes for this phenomenon and how adjustments to the ration can help combat it.”

Along with sharing the possible causes for the hatchability issues, Dr. Romero explains updated recommendations from poultry genetics companies on vitamin inclusion and discusses the impact amino acids and trace minerals have on breeder fertility and chick development.

With the potential for hatch numbers to continue their decline, geneticists, nutritionists, and producers need to understand the challenge – and their options – to ensure the financial sustainability of their operations.

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Hugo Romero-Sanchez, Ph.D.

Dr. Hugo Romero has a comprehensive understanding of the physiological, nutritional, environmental, and economic variables that affect broiler and layer performance. At NOVUS, he works with the Research and Development team to discover and innovate practical nutrition solutions that address customer challenges and support animal performance and industry sustainability.