The pursuit of flock-wide protection demands a smarter solution
Poultry producers, hatchery managers, processors, and farmers are navigating a fast-evolving landscape where staying competitive is anything but simple.
In 2020, poultry accounted for nearly 40% of global meat production, and demand continues to climb, with RaboResearch forecasting growth between 2.5% and 3% in 2025. As consumers increasingly rely on poultry as an affordable protein source, maintaining efficient, scalable production is critical to keeping supply stable and accessible.
Even with steady demand growth, producers face persistent challenges: rising input costs, labour shortages, and increasing pressure to improve bird health while reducing antibiotic reliance. Hatcheries, in particular, must balance throughput, welfare, and consistency at scale. These pressures are reshaping how operations plan, making technology-driven efficiency and reliability a critical priority for both large integrators and regional producers.
Protect your flock, protect your profits
Uniform flock immunity has long been a cornerstone of profitable poultry production, yet hatcheries have struggled to balance speed, welfare, and consistency when vaccinating day-old chicks.
Vaccination also plays a crucial role in strengthening birds’ immune responses and reducing reliance on antibiotics, addressing the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance. Studies show increasing resistance among poultry pathogens such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., and Mycoplasma spp., which can lead to treatment failures, economic losses, and food safety risks. Early and consistent immunisation strengthens birds’ immune responses, minimises disease outbreaks, and supports industry-wide efforts to curb antimicrobial resistance while maintaining production resilience.
Technology tailored for hatchery needs
Traditional vaccination methods like manual handling or spray systems become harder to manage as chick volumes grow. Speed is essential, but expanding labour isn’t always practical, especially with staffing challenges across the industry. Hatcheries need systems that can keep pace without adding strain. During development, Targan’s vaccine delivery technology is targeting throughput of 40,000 to 80,000 chicks per hour, depending on configuration, with the ability to expand beyond that. This enables large-scale operations to vaccinate efficiently and remain on schedule.
One of the biggest challenges in mass vaccination is consistency. Water and gel-based spray systems often result in uneven coverage. Some chicks receive too little, some too much, and some none at all. Overdosing can also cause chilling, where body temperature drops and health risks increase. AI imaging helps target each chick more accurately, improving coverage and reducing variability.
Manual vaccination also carries risks, from incorrect dosage to poor application technique. These errors can reduce vaccine effectiveness and increase waste. Automated systems use real-time imaging and controls to deliver the right dose in the right way at the right time.
Labour is another pressure point. Recruiting and retaining skilled staff for vaccine administration is increasingly difficult, with high turnover and rising costs. Automation helps reduce reliance on manual labour and supports consistent performance even when staffing is limited.
Preparing vaccines at scale also introduces risks. Incorrect dilution or mixing can affect results. Targan’s system uses precise dosing, delivering 10 to 20 microliters per chick, which reduces waste and improves uptake compared to traditional spray or gel methods.
Early and consistent vaccination remains one of the most effective ways to prevent disease and support flock health. By improving coverage and reducing gaps, automated systems can help reduce the need for antibiotics. This is becoming a key priority across poultry production.
Looking ahead
As the Vaccine Delivery System is still in its final development and validation phase, Targan is working closely with hatchery partners to refine and adapt the technology for real-world use. Early results show promise, especially in application of live cocci vaccines, where uniform dosing is critical to avoid overexposure to parasites or poor vaccine uptake. The team is also concentrating on vaccine compatibility, ensuring that the system can accommodate a wide range of commonly used vaccines, including those for infectious bronchitis, standard in US hatcheries, and other regional challenges.
Just as the company’s WingScan platform reshaped early sexing strategies, the Vaccine Delivery System is poised to redefine hatchery vaccination, setting a new standard for performance, welfare, and disease control.
To learn more, email [email protected] or visit www.targan.com/vaccine-system.