Survey Of Production Of Eggs On 117 Farms

Press, Volume C, Issue 29510, 11 May 1961, Page 9

Survey Of Production Of Eggs On 117 Farms

A survey of egg production last year on a sample of 117 commercial poultry farms throughout the country has shown that egg production reaches its highest point in the winter, there is no marked spring flush, and production is at its lowest before Christmas. The flocks in the survey, which was conducted by the

Department of Agriculture, ranged from 750 birds to more than 3500, and at the period of the year when farms are carrying the maximum number of laying birds there were more than 205,000 birds in these flocks. Seventeen of the survey flocks were in the Canterbury area. “The Dominion average of 194 eggs a bird is a satisfactory one at this stage of development of poultry breeding in this country, and indicates that those breeders who elect to adopt modern methods of breeding have good stock to work on,” said Mr F. C. Bobby, chief advisory officer (poultry) of the Department of Agriculture, giving the results of the survey to the poultry farmers’ refresher course at Canterbury Agricultural College. The average for survey flocks in the South Island was 197.2, which was four eggs better than the North Island average. “Even Output” Mr Bobby said that one of the features of the survey was the comparatively even outpu,. over the year. The big fluctuations of the past had now disappeared. A noticeable feature was also the relatively high production obtained during the winter and the lack of a spring flush.

Perhaps even more interesting. he said, was the steady drop in production in both islands from October to December. Was this one of the factors affecting the supply of eggs required for the Christmas holiday period? Mr Bobby asked. He suggested that thought might be given to some autumn hatching, as there was a lot of space in the houses about October. Reviewing district figures, Mr Bobby said that those of greatest interest were for Otago - Southland, which showed a noticeably higher rate of production for the winter than other districts. This was not easy to account for, but three possible factors came to mind—the influence of breeding stock in the district, the smaller units of birds housed, and possibly the chance selection of flocks measured.

Mr Bobby said that average mortality levels for flocks were below those which people in the industry would have expected. Canterbury had the lowest average—B.l per cent.—and Wellington the highest at 12.3 per cent. “Although the number of flocks measured in Canterbury was only about half the number for the other three districts, the low rate of mortality recorded is noteworthy and satisfactory to producers in that district,” said Mr Bobby. Discussing the wide range in egg production in individual flocks in the survey. Mr Bobby noted that a Wellington flock of 2500 birds had returned an average of 248.1 eggs. This, he said, was a clear indication that stock could be produced in New Zealand that would lay a lot of eggs, and it meant that there was no need to have a dismal feeling about stock in this country.

The survey is to be continued for at least another year, and it is hoped that more farms will be included.