"incubation
as nature intended" increases yields for
precious eggs
Brinsea
Products, the incubation specialists, has launched
the CONTAQ X8, the first incubator to use Contact
Incubation Technology (CIT). CIT uses academic
research on egg incubation and embryo development
to create an environment that is a combination
of the best natural features of the bird and the
nest. It is ideal for the expert breeder of parrots,
birds of prey, endangered species or other situations
where eggs are rare or expensive.
Contaq
X8
 "Current
artificial incubation was originally developed
for the poultry industry," explained Ian
Pearce, Managing Director of Brinsea Products
Limited. "Many generations of poultry have
self selected for success in artificial incubation.
But for other species this is not the right environment."
Contaq
X3
In the nest, heat is passed from the bird's brood
patch to the top of the egg, and there is a temperature
differential between top and bottom that can exceed
ten degrees centigrade. During incubation the
bird will move away from the eggs, allowing them
to cool, and rearranges the eggs in a relatively
random pattern. University research has established
that the heat flow through the egg, passed downward
from the contact area, is quite different from
the near static thermal balance created by conventional
incubators, and is probably important in determining
embryo growth and successful incubation.
Trials of CIT equipment have shown that more eggs
hatch with CIT than with other artificial methods,
and the resulting chicks appeared to be stronger
than those conventionally artificially incubated,
with a higher survival rate in the first few days.
One test showed that CIT incubation produced 30%
more live chicks than conventional incubation.
The CONTAQ X8 is the first production incubator
to incorporate CIT. It reproduces the bird's brood
area by inflating a plastic skin with warm air.
As it inflates, the skin presses gently but firmly
on eggs sitting on rollers or the moveable base.
Air can flow through this base, creating an environment
that mimics the nest. Deflating the skin simulates
the bird standing while moving the base reproduces
in a controlled manner the natural egg movements.
The CONTAQ X8 is the complete combination of bird
and nest.
While the technology is new, its implementation
is very conservative, following Brinsea's tradition
of producing robust and reliable equipment. The
electronic controls, based on well-proven technology,
can be used to define precisely the environment
required, controlling temperature of the skin,
the time it spends sitting on the eggs and away
from the eggs and the amount of movement to take
place for each change of egg position.
Although CIT aims at reproducing the environment
of bird and nest, with Contaq X8 the incubation
environment can be seen as better than the real
nest. There are no predators and no egg damage
from inexperienced brood birds.
"The
professional breeder or advanced amateur now has
an incubator which can be relied on to produce
consistently higher yields of precious eggs, for
birds of prey, for parrots and for endangered
species," said Ian Pearce. "CIT provides
incubation as nature intended, but without the
risks of predation, damage or disturbance of the
natural nest."
Trials
Before
designing the CONTAQ X8, Brinsea had prototype
incubators under evaluation with breeders in the
UK and the USA. These have included the specialist
breeders, Hunting Falcons International in Wales,
The National Birds of Prey Centre in Gloucestershire,
San Diego Zoo, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center,
Maryland, USA and the former ABRC, (Avicultural
Breeding and Research Center), Florida, USA.
The
results of these trials showed convincingly that
more eggs hatch with CIT than with other artificial
methods. A slightly more unexpected result was
that the resulting chicks appeared to be stronger
than conventionally artificially incubated chicks,
with a higher survival rate in the first few days.
At The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, Slimbridge,
Gloucestershire, a prototype CIT machine was used
in a controlled experiment for breeding Chilean
flamingos. The results on this one test showed
that CIT incubation produced 30% more live chicks
than conventional incubation.
CONTAQ
X8
- $5,995.00 - BUY
NOW
CONTAQ
X3 -
$4,595
BUY
NOW
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Brochure please Click
Here
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