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Each year, more than 7 billion day-old male chicks are culled worldwide — a staggering figure that underscores one of the most pressing animal welfare challenges in the poultry industry. But could a groundbreaking genetic innovation change that story for good?

In a recent episode of Unplucked, the Poultry Science Association’s original podcast, PSA Executive Director Andy Vance sat down with Dr. Yuval Cinnamon, principal investigator at the Agricultural Research Organization’s Volcani Center in Israel and founder of NextGen. Together, they explored how Dr. Cinnamon’s pioneering research could offer a sustainable, scalable, and humane alternative to male chick culling.

A Different Kind of Genetics Lesson

Unlike humans — where the male determines the sex of the offspring — in chickens, it’s the mother hen who carries the deciding chromosomes. If she passes along a Z chromosome, the chick will be male; if she passes a W chromosome, the chick will be female.

While scientists have studied ways to identify the sex of an embryo before hatching for decades, early solutions faced major hurdles. Most methods required expensive DNA testing or were only effective in specific breeds, making widespread adoption impractical.

“The challenge is that male and female embryos develop nearly identically until very late stages,” Dr. Cinnamon explains. “So sorting technologies often come with mistakes — and mistakes in this context can be very costly.”

A Genetic Game-Changer

Rather than trying to sort chicks after they hatch, Dr. Cinnamon’s team approached the problem at its source: the genetic level.

By targeting the maternal Z chromosome, they introduced a genetic trait that prevents male embryos from developing — without impacting female chicks at all. The result? Only healthy, unmodified female chicks hatch, eliminating the need for sorting or culling entirely.

Better yet, the end products — table eggs and hens — are non-GMO under international definitions, including regulations from the FDA and EFSA. “The hens and eggs are considered non-GMO because the modification affects only the mother hen, not her offspring,” Dr. Cinnamon notes.

Win-Win for the Industry and Welfare

This innovative approach could be a major win not just for animal welfare, but for poultry economics and sustainability, too.

• Efficiency gains: Hatcheries could save more than 50% of incubation space, cutting energy and operational costs.

• Reduced waste: No male chicks means no costly disposal processes.

• Sustainability boost: Fewer resources are needed overall, lowering the industry's environmental footprint.

Importantly, the technology integrates seamlessly into existing hatchery workflows, requiring minimal changes for producers.

“The industry prefers solutions that don’t disrupt operations,” says Dr. Cinnamon. “This fits right into current practices but delivers huge savings in time, labor, and money.”

Looking Ahead

While regulatory and public acceptance of genetic technologies can be complex, Dr. Cinnamon believes the benefits are too significant to ignore. Particularly in regions like Europe, where male chick culling is already banned, the need for solutions like NextGen’s technology is urgent.

And it's not just about animal welfare. As Andy Vance notes, the potential economic gains — from reduced costs to improved production efficiency — make a compelling case for adoption across global markets.

“The sky’s the limit,” Dr. Cinnamon says. “Once it’s introduced into the major breeding companies, I believe it will spread worldwide.”

Listen and Learn More

Catch the full, thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Yuval Cinnamon on Unplucked — PSA’s original podcast that digs deeper into the science, challenges, and innovations shaping the future of poultry production.

🎧 Listen here.