POULTRY NOTES

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 290, 6 December 1941, Page 9

POULTRY NOTES

COST OF PRODUCTION OF MARKET EGGS The Senior Investigational Officer, Mr. W. R. Paton, of the Investigational and Statistical Section of the Department of Agriculture, has presented some interesting figures relative to the cost of producing market eggs during the 1940-41 season (writes S. G. Haddon. in the Journal of Agriculture). The costs were obtained from 62 farms on a proportional representation sampling basis for flocks of 250 layers and over. According to the 1936 census, there are approximately 1000 flocks within this range, of which roughly 500 Tall within a group ranging from 250 to 500 layers, and a further 200 fall within a group ranging from 1000 and over; the remaining 300 fall between these two groups. Labour cost, as it is very involved, must be decided by negotiation rather than by costing processes. The size of flock is one of the principal factors governing hours of labour, and after excluding any private marketing and transport expenses, the total hours for all other duties have been ascertained as 2367 hours for a flock of 500 layers; 2950 for 750; 3333 for 1000; 3687 for 1250; 3973 for 1500; 4273 for 1750; and 4554 for 2000. Roughly two-thirds of these labour hours are taken up in feeding layers and in collecting and crating eggs, cull fowls, etc. The raising and feeding of replacement stock to laying age accounts for about one-fifth of the total hours of work for the year.

In working out costs per dozen eggs, the farm produced hatching eggs used for raising replacement pullets have been recorded as a charge against pro duction costs, and are therefore not included in arriving at the costs “per dozen eggs.” Subject to the foregoing exceptions, a net production cost of 14.66 d was obtained, being 15.68 d less credits (sales of culls and manure) of I.OBd. The break-up of these costs is 11.90 d for food, grit and milk; 0.29 d for litter, disinfectants and medicines; 0.14 d for repairs and upkeep; 0.21 d for cultiva* ‘tion, seeds, etc. (green feed); 0.46 d tot hatching and brooding costs, chick sexing, purchases (if any) of hatching eggs and/or young replacement stock; 0.30 d for sundry items; 0.16 d for rates on poultry land; 1.15 d for depreciation on poultry buildings, plant and equipment; and 1.07 d for interest on poultry enterprise capital. The preceding paragraph gives the general average, but considerable variations oecur between districts. For instance, 16.30 d is the figure for Auckland, 14.89 d for Wellington, 13.52 d for Canterbury, and 12.98 d for Otajgo. The ’weighted average for these four sets of [figures is, of course, the 14.66 d already mentioned for the Dominion.

Poultry farmers called on by Departmental officers for cost details cooperated wholeheartedly. Much additional information was also obtained from some 180 postal returns, and tho time and care which those poultrv farmers devoted to detailed compilations warrants commendation.