POULTRY-KEEPING.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXVII, Issue 4, 20 October 1923, Page 264

POULTRY-KEEPING.

THE EXPORTATION OF EGGS.

With the object of ascertaining whether a payable outside market exists for New Zealand eggs when there is an excess over local requirements, the New Zealand Poultry Association arranged for two trial shipments of eggs to be sent to the London markets this season. The first consignment was shipped by the s.s. “ Corinthic,” which left the Dominion on 20th September. This comprised 1,580 cases of fresh eggs of thirty dozen each, six cases of preserved eggs, and about 2 tons of egg-pulp. The s.s. “Rotorua” left with the second shipment of about 2,000 cases on the 13th of this month. These shipments, have been made up by various egg societies at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin. The South Island quota will be disposed of under the supervision of Mr. J. B. Merrett, late secretary of the New Zealand Poultry Association, who accompanied the first shipment. The North Island quota has been consigned to reliable agents for disposal.

The eggs are packed in standard white - pine cases, with special cardboard fillers and flats. Woodwool pads are also used, one being placed on top, bottom, and centre respectively of each case ; these act as cushions to prevent jarring

and breakages. The case is made in such a way.'that there is free circulation of air through it at all times. The eggs are carried in a special chamber at a temperature of about 34 0 F.

It was realized that if these eggs were to hold their own against other competing countries a high standard of quality was the first essential. There being no regulations to enforce compulsory grading, an arrangement was made between the Department of Agriculture and the Poultry Association whereby the whole of the grading, testing, packing, &c., was carried out under the supervision of the Department’s Poultry Instructors. As the eggs came from the producer they were first unpacked and graded. All eggs found to be under 2 oz. in weight, or with dirty shells or of bad shape, were rejected. The good eggs were then.passed on for testing. The testing is carried out by placing the egg before a strong electric light, which is contained in a small box. In the latter there are two apertures barely the size of an ordinary egg. The operator takes an egg in each hand and places them before these apertures. By this means the internal quality can be at once detected. All eggs with large air-cells (indicating staleness) are rejected, while addled eggs or those containing pale yolks or blood spots are also discarded.

By this examination it was ensured that the eggs contained in these trial shipments were of excellent quality, good size, and clean and inviting in appearance. In addition they were carefully packed, while the case itself bore a well-got-up, attractive appearance. The loading on board ship was carried out in a most careful manner by those in charge of the work. Therefore, if the eggs retain their good qualities during transit in the cool chamber, there should be everything in favour’of their opening up at their destination in a satisfactory condition.

The next question, and one which is of the greatest importance, is whether or not the experiment will prove a financial success. Information bearing on this matter will be anxiously awaited by poultrymen generally.

It is pleasing to note that the egg-circle agents and others who were entrusted with the arrangements for the shipments on behalf of producers at the four centres did everything possible to help myself and assistants in having the work of grading, &c., carried out to a high standard. One of the worst features in connection with the work was the large number of inferior-quality eggs sent by producers to the collecting-depots. With a view to eliminating weaknesses likely to crop up in this respect, the Department recently issued a bulletin (reprinted from the Journal of July last) setting forth in a clear manner the class of eggs required for export and those that were unsuitable. This bulletin was distributed gratis to producers, but, judging by the very large number of poor eggs sent forward to some depots, it is questionable if many even took the trouble to read it. Unfortunately, the trouble was not confined to a few producers, but to all but a small minority. Some shocking examples of how not to market eggs were observed when sorting out the various lines. For days it was not uncommon to see from 50 to 70 per cent, of the eggs that came forward rejected, chiefly because they were undersized, stale, or in a dirty condition. It must be admitted that few overripe eggs were sent in, so that the great bulk of the rejected eggs were quite fit for human consumption. Some allowance might be made for a few small eggs finding their way to the collecting-depots, but there is no reason whatever, except carelessness on the part of the producer, for the large number of dirty-shelled eggs that came to hand. Thousands of eggs of the desired size, and wholesome in every other respect, had to be rejected for no other cause. Yet it is safe to say that, with few exceptions, they were deposited by the hen in a clean, fresh condition. Of course, all poultrymen were not alike in this respect so far as the export eggs were concerned, for at each centre lines of eggs were to be seen which were a credit to the producer. It was a pleasure to handle such eggs. Indeed, some lines were so good that with the exception of an odd egg containing a blood spot or a crack (which was no fault of the producer) the whole of the eggs in the line were ready for packing in the export cases. This is how it should be.

Another unsatisfactory feature of the whole business is that the cost of handling, such as unpacking, testing, grading, &c., must be borne by the smaller margin of eggs passed for export. —indeed, costly mistakes —have been made which cannot be rectified now, and care should be taken that these are not repeated.' If one man can send forward his eggs in a well-graded, clean condition, then surely others can do likewise. If further shipments are to be made, each producer must be made to realize his responsibility. Above all, he should be made to understand that the work of removing dirt from his eggs should be done at home

and not at a grading-depot. Some breeders even went so far as to send in eggs that had failed to hatch in an incubator.

During the process of grading, testing, &c., many persons visited the depots and took a keen interest in the work. Unfortunately, however, the work was not witnessed by many of those requiring the lesson —the producing community. Had the various poultry organizations arranged gatherings of producers it would have no doubt served . a most useful purpose by letting the careless poultryman judge for himself his own methods of marketing as compared with the methods of those who market their produce in a proper manner. Many breeders are pinning their . faith to an export trade as a means of relieving the summer, surplus, and rightly so, but it should be remembered that the critical oversea markets will not pay full rates for undersized and inferior-quality .eggs. Only the best will warrant the export business. Especially is it necessary to remember quality in initiating a trade.

Another point that should be borne in mind is that the freight of eggs is based on space measurement, which the producer must in the long-run pay. The export case and fillers are made to hold thirty dozen 2 oz—eggs or slightly over: It is therefore poor business to send undersized eggs abroad, in view of the fact that the larger product is of much greater value. Particularly is this so in these days of high freight charges.

ACTION BY THE EGG-LAYING COMPETITION EXECUTIVES

The egg-laying competitions have rendered the industry excellent service in developing the laying-power of certain breeds of poultry, but those who control them have realized that the number of eggs produced should not be the only object. It is now recognized that the weight of eggs laid by the respective pens in the competitions is of equal or greater importance than numbers. It is interesting to know the weight of eggs produced by competing pens. These figures disclose valuable data, clearly indicating specialists’ stock that fail to lay the required weight of egg. The management of the different competitions are to be congratulated on not allowing prizes to be won ■ by birds laying a second-grade product, and it is only by this means that the egg-standard will be raised throughout the Dominion. The eggs sent from the laying competitions to the export depots were a picture to look at, being of good size, clean, and fresh.

THE LOCAL EGG-MARKET

The unsatisfactory manner in which so many producers sent in their eggs for export (not only the small producers, but big ones as well, the latter in many cases being the worst offenders) obviously points to a weakness in the system under which the local trade is catered for. It was sufficient, indeed, to indicate that the marketing of - eggs calls for urgent reform from one end of the Dominion to the other. Under the present crude pooling - system by which eggs are generally marketed there is no encouragement to the producer to go to any special trouble in breeding birds to lay good-sized eggs, or to market them in the best possible condition, simply because these supplies of a high-grade quality article have to be sold at the value of the unsatisfactory lines. Usually it is the eggs of the latter class coming on the market which set a low value for eggs in general. Obviously the consumer will not be keen for them, so the price has to be reduced, perhaps a second and third time, till the rate is so tempting that sales are effected.

One of the best means of encouraging a greater local consumption of eggs will be by the institution of a system of grading and testing every egg before it reaches the consumer, as has been done in the case of eggs for export. If the various egg-circles operating in the Dominion are really anxious to build up a high-class local trade, which would be of real benefit to both the consumer and producer, they must have regard to this feature. The day is passing when the consumer will purchase eggs irrespective of quality. He will rightly demand that they be fresh, clean, and of a certain weight. The necessity, therefore, of defining a first- and second-grade egg for the local market becomes a matter of prime importance.

It is gratifying to note that at least some of the Wellington grocers have adopted the principle of selling eggs according to their weight. They are sold by count as formerly, but they are graded-to size.' This ensures that each grade is of about the same relative value so far as weight is concerned. This is how

it should be. Under the present general system of disposal by the dozen quite irrespective of their weight the purchaser must frequently, if not always, pay too much for small eggs and too little for large ones. For example, it is common to see lines of eggs in shop-windows ranging from i| oz. to if oz. and ticketed up at, say, 2s. a dozen, whereas probably in the next shop 2 oz. eggs and over may be seen marked up at exactly the same figure. Recently a poultry-keeper brought to the writer a line of eggs which scaled 30 oz. to the dozen, or 2| oz. each. He declared that in a wholesale way he got no more for this class of egg than the average line of if oz. , ,■

It has been decided that no egg under 2 oz. in weight can be considered as a first-grade exportable article, and here the question arises, Why should there be one grade for export and another for local. consumption ? If it is necessary to specially define what a first-grade egg should be in order to work up a successful oversea trade, then surely it is of equal importance to do likewise for the local market. The local consuming public is prepared to pay a good price for a good quantity and quality egg, but they cannot be expected to pay top prices for eggs of doubtful quality. It is only when the central egg-collecting depots resort to the grading and testing of eggs, as is being done for export, that the local market will be placed on a sound footing. It is at these places that, after being tested and graded, the eggs should be stamped according to their grade and guarantee of quality. Under the present general' system of organized control the producer applies the brand of the circle and his individual number, but this is next to useless as a guarantee of quality, as in too many cases the eggs are placed in the carriers just as they come from the nest, without regard to cleanliness or distinction as to size and colour. It would be interesting if some cases of eggs as packed for export were displayed in .one of the shop-windows of a leading grocer and offered for sale for preserving purposes. It is safe to say that such guaranteed quality would easily realize from 2d. to 3d. a dozen over ordinary market rates.

It is to be hoped that at the next conference of the New Zealand Poultry Association steps will be taken to place the marketing of eggs on a more satisfactory footing. The egg-laying competitions are making a special effort by means of weight clauses to increase the size of eggs produced in these tests. If now rests with the egg-circle movement to take up the matter ' in a similar manner by defining what a first-grade egg really is, and seeing that the market rate is based on this and not on the doubtful article.

— F. C. Brown,

Chief Poultry Instructor.