Climate during transport
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Trolley covers
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Nowadays, most trailers that transport eggs are accurately temperature and humidity controlled so the eggs can be transported under the optimal conditions. In that case, sunshine is not a problem. And when the trailer is moving, there is no immediate risk of overheating as the movement creates a cooling breeze. If there is no climate control in the trailer, the temperature of the hatching eggs may increase. If the temperature rises above 25°C, the contents of the egg (egg white, yolk and embryo) will also slowly warm. This can cause higher early embryonic mortality during the first days of the incubation process.
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This trailer is held up in congestion in sunny weather. Is this a problem?
The climate conditions during transport should replicate the climate in the storage room as closely as possible. Load the trolleys into the trailer one at a time. So do not place all the trolleys of eggs outside and then start loading the trailer. In other words, avoid exposing the eggs to sunlight, rain or freezing cold air. Make sure the loading bay is as close as possible to the doors of the storage room. Transport over short distances is not always done in climate-controlled vehicles. Ideally, the temperature inside the trailer should equal the temperature in the storage room at the breeder farm. Loading more eggs collected from other breeding farms is inadvisable as there is always a temperature difference. This practice can cause condensation with the inherent risk of contamination.
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LOOK-THINK-ACT
You can use trolley covers to protect the eggs from outside temperature influences during loading and unloading. This prevents condensation. Be careful when using these covers in sunny weather, they can also cause very rapid warming! Do not use trolley covers in hot, sunny weather. Condensation can also form on the outside of the covers, especially when they are cold because the trolleys were already covered the evening before. And the combination of a cold cover around warm eggs produces condensation on the inside of the covers.
The conditions during transport can be monitored using climate data loggers in the trailer. If the climate conditions during transport have not been properly controlled, hatchability will be affected. It is important that the hatchery manager can review the climate data immediately when the eggs arrive so any interventions can be anticipated.
Transporting eggs and day-old chicks? Sometimes the same trailer is used to transport eggs and day-old chicks. This is not necessarily a problem providing two conditions are met: 1. Always clean, disinfect and dry the trailer properly before use! 2. Check the climate settings with the driver: chicks need a higher temperature setting (25-28°C) during transport than eggs (18-20°C).
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A certified company should regularly inspect and calibrate the measuring sensors in the trailer. Ha tc he ry S i gnal s
