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A Georgia supplier of fertile broiler breeder hatching eggs was getting reports of poor fertility from international customers. Poor hatchability results were being blamed on the Georgia egg supplier and demands were dictated regarding reimbursement for loss in fertility and hatchability. A UGA poultry scientist visited the Georgia hatching egg supplier and reviewed his facilities and breeder management. He collected 100 egg samples from each of the breeder flocks for fresh egg breakout analysis. The breeder facilities and management were first rate. The fertility he measured in Georgia ranged between 3 and 18 percent higher per flock than what was being recorded by international customers. The scientist found the problem lay in the age of the eggs and frequent temperature abuse during the long shipment. The results were a significant reduction in economic liability for the Georgia hatching egg supplier. If the Georgia supplier had to pay for the 10 percent loss in hatchability due to shipments of supposed infertile eggs, the cost would be about $11,000 per week or $572,000 per year. This represents only one of the many Georgia hatching supplier's international customers. Recommendations were made to the hatchery involving egg handling, hatchery ventilation, and sanitation to improve hatchability and chick quality from the shipped eggs.
