Data availability
The datasets generated and/or analysed during the current study are not publicly available due to potential infringements on an IP agreement but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
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Acknowledgements
Michael van VLIET and Alida KINDT-DUNJKO are gratefully acknowledged for their support in data processing.
Funding
In Ovo Holding B.V. acknowledges support from the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, the European Innovation Council, Interreg North-West Europe and the European Investment Bank. Nicolas DROUIN acknowledges the financial support from Horizon 2020 Marie Sklodowska-Curie CO-FUND (Grant Agreement No: 707404).
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
W.S. Bruins has patent Gender, viability and/or developmental stage determination of avian embryos in ovo. Issued to In Ovo Holding B.V. W.S. Bruins has patent Method and system for the non-destructive in ovo determination of fowl gender. Issued to In Ovo Holding B.V. W.S. Bruins, T. Hankemeier, B. Teunissen, N. Drouin has patent Egg characteristic determining method and device. Pending to In Ovo Holding B.V. W.S. Bruins has patent Egg sample transferring device. Pending to In Ovo Holding B.V. Chang Liu has patent #Systems and Methods for Controlling Flow Through an Open Port Interface WO 2022/137120 A1 issued to Dh Technologies Development Pte. Ltd. All the remaining authors declare no competing interests.
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Drouin, N., Elfrink, H.L., Bruins, W. et al. Preventing chick culling in the poultry industry with a new biomarker for rapid in ovo gender screening. Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-42524-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-42524-w
