SIZE OF EGG

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 128, 1 June 1935, Page 28

SIZE OF EGG

The-standard for-a hen egg is two ounces, but very few, poultrymen, and certainly far less of the public, can tell the difference between an egg weighing a fraction under two ounces and one just over two ounces and there are those' who profit from this ignorance. It has been stated on good authority that 75 per cent, of the eggs sold in the United States weigh less than twenty-four ounces to the dozen. England is more particular about size of egg, and some Continental countries produce super large dark brown eggs for the London trade. Any poultry club could stage a most interesting debate, and the writer would gladly lead the affirmative if the subject was "that the producer of the small egg makes more profit than the producer of the large egg." ■ Expert poultry breeders and Government poultry instructors strongly advise the production of two-ounce eggs and better; egg^ merchants pay out on a grade basis and make a premium on specials; only two-ounce eggs are suitable for our export trade; and from an idealistic point of view only two-ounce eggs should be produced. In practice, however, the large poultryman whose eggs weigh just a fraction under two ounces will show the best returns. This preamble on egg size has been leading, up to body size in White Leghorns. The New Zealand White Leghorn is known as the largest Leghorn in the world, whilst the American is the smallest. The average Australian Leghorn'is much smaller than ours. There is full evidence that egg size is closely co-related with body size. The three to three and a half pound American hen cannot produce eggs weighing twenty-four ounces to the dozen in her pullet year, though some of her second-year eggs may weight two ounces. The American standard calls for a pullet weighing „ 3Jlbs, whilst in this country our pullets are expected to weigh at least 4| lbs and many weigh out much heavier. Just what is the ideal to aim at is a debatable point, and a solution results if poultrymen will realise that there is a distinct difference between the ideal body weight of a commercial egg producer and a first-class breeder. Most of the high egg records established in our egg-laying contests have been made by small-bodied Leghorns. Poultrymen call them "flyers," describing them as racy. Such birds are very tight in feather, fine in bone, and carry little surplus condition. As a rule their eggs are only just large enough to qualify under the egg weight clauses. Breed from this type of .layer, and degeneration must result. It seems that Nature .will allow man to go just so far and then calls a halt. Once the super-fine egg record-breaker is produced, the clever breeder endeavours to hold it rather than attempt to make further improvements. Any improvements that might be made cannot be along breeding methods, but rather by housing and feeding methods.