Several trails were done repetitively. The complete procedure was limited to 1 hour, from start of fogging to taking out the trolleys for setting (personnel entry). In Table 2the methods and results are summarised. Due to the positive results and reactions from the field, CID Lines has further investigated the possibilities to also replace formaldehyde with Virocid for hatcher disinfection. After 18 days the eggs are transferred to the hatchers were they are ready for the final stage of the hatching process.
Before the hatching eggs can enter the hatchers, the hatchers should of course be well cleaned and disinfected. To support the hygienic circumstances during this period in which the chicks are finally going to hatch, the common practise today is to evaporate formalin in the hatcher. Hence this is a labour intensive activity and the goal is to ban formaldehyde completely from the hatchery, CID Lines has developed a fully automated protocol for hatcher disinfection.
Each hatcher is equipped with a spraying nozzle which automatically sprays the Virocid solution according to the time intervals that are set in the control box. Field trials (Table 3) have shown a significant lower mortality % during the first week of the birds’ lives when hatcher fumigation was being applied with a Virocid solution of 2%.