Eggs are placed on a tray in the old hatchery.
In November the eyed eggs are moved from aluminum troughs to the Combi tanks to continue development. In December, the eggs hatch into sac fry. By the first week of January the egg sac has been completely absorbed and the fry are ready to consume food.
Greg demonstrates how the eggs are measured for the tray. Each tray can hold 18 ounces of eggs. Fifty-six trays of eggs are placed in the troughs in the Old Hatchery.
The egg trays are placed in the trough under water.
In the “Old Hatchery” eggs are enumerated before placement on egg trays which are stacked into aluminum troughs and submerged in flowing gravity fed well water in the “old” hatchery. The eggs continue incubating in the “old” hatchery until the eyes of the developing embryo appear as two small black dots that can be seen with the naked eye.
The Old Hatchery was constructed in the 1970’s and retrofitted for use of well water in the 1990’s. Artesian flow well water is used for early incubation eliminating electricity costs from pumps.
Egg size is determined by using a Von Bayer trough.
Eggs are placed in a Von Bayer trough
for enumeration
The number of eggs required to fill the Von Bayer trough in a single line are determined by Tim Knedler.
Individual eggs are counted and compared to a chart to derive the number of eggs per ounce.
Eggs are measured by volume to determine the total number produced.
Non viable eggs turn white and are removed daily.
Egg trays are filled to capacity with 18 ounces of eggs per tray.
Non viable eggs turn white and are removed
daily.
Close up photo of Von Bayer trough with single row of eggs.
Eggs are measured by volume to determine the total number produced
Submerged egg tray with developing embryos in trough with 3 gallons of well water per minute flowing through.
Finished product developing.
Eggs are measured by volume to determine the total number produced.
Close up photo of eggs
Non viable eggs turn white and are removed daily.
Aluminum troughs on right are used for early incubation. Circular tanks on left are used for fry rearing.
Freshly spawned and fertilized eggs are placed in buckets and set in troughs to allow for water hardening and acclimation.
