Desenvolvimento de um sistema automatizado de incubação de ovos

Abstract

In Brazil, the growing production of chicken meat has led to the search for new technologies to reduce losses, improving quality, and increasing production. For this, one of the stages within the production chain is that of incubation. In this stage, egg incubators are used, which are machines equipped with the ability to artificially provide the ideal conditions for the development of the embryo, by controlling temperature and humidity, turning the eggs, airflow, and gas exchange with the medium external. In the current scenario, in large and mainly small incubators, there are problems with the physical variables that prevent maximizing the hatching of the eggs and affect the post-hatch chick performance. To this end, an automated small incubator with a capacity of 50 eggs and proportional-integral-derivative temperature control (PID) system, on-off humidity control, automatic egg turning, was developed in this work. For family farming, with the objective of offering a better cost-benefit ratio for broilers of the same capabilities available on the market. As a thorough evaluation, the system was put to the test under real conditions of use, resulting in a good hatching index.