Australian egg
production
Australia has approximately
400 egg producers. Collectively, their 14 million hens produce
254 million dozen table eggs each year for consumption by Australia's
21 million people. The production value of these enterprises is
estimated at $356 million per annum.
Approximately 85
per cent of all eggs produced are sold in shell form, mostly through
major retail grocery chains. The rest are processed into liquid,
frozen and dried egg products for use in food service industries
and by processed food sectors.
Queensland's egg
producers
Queensland has
approximately 80 commercial egg producers who between them, operate140
registered egg farms. Most egg farms are located as near as is
practical to Queensland's major centres of population whilst
being close to essential food growing regions. Many larger egg
producers also raise, harvest and process their own crops,
to ensure that their flocks receive a balanced, nutritious diet.
A
chicken feed silo.
Queensland's commercial
egg farms house approximately two million laying hens. A further
three million chickens ranging from day-old to 18 weeks are raised
for replacement stock in specially designed controlled environment
rearing sheds (see picture at the top of this page).
Today, these rearing
sheds incorporate the very latest computerised technology to ensure
the safety and well-being of the young chickens. In summer, evaporative
cooling systems ensure the young birds are housed in comfortable
conditions while in cooler months, gas fired heaters keep the
chickens warm, dry and comfortable. 24-hour monitoring systems
automatically control temperatures to within a 2°C. range.
In the event of a failure, these systems also raise an alarm that
alerts farm staff to any problem.
Fully
computerised temperature control unit.
Large commercial
farms include protective bio-security measures. Rearing sheds
are generally located at least 5 kilometres from the nearest egg
farm to reduce the possibility for the spread of any infectious
disease among young birds. Security controlled entry to rearing
sheds ensures that no potentially contaminated material or objects
are carried into the rearing sheds on employees' shoes, clothing
or hair. Disease control has been further enhanced by the elimination
of anti-bacterial supplements from the young chickens' diet. This
measure has been taken to increase the chickens' natural immunity
to bacterial diseases which in recent years has become mutated and resistant to all but the most powerful forms of treatment.
Collectively, the
Queensland industry is valued at over $100 million.
Grading
and distribution
Once
laid, all eggs are collected, graded and distributed through one
of three methods:-
-
At the farm gate
-
Through marketing organisations
-
Through representatives acting on behalf of the marketing organisations.
 In
Queensland, major grading floors grade approximately 90 per cent
of eggs produced, small scale operations handling independent
producer markets and those in isolated locations. After grading,
eggs are examined externally and internally before being categorised
as first quality market eggs, cracked and dirty eggs. Market quality eggs are then distributed to
retail outlets, normally within four days of being laid.
All eggs and cartons are required to be stamped with the producers
mark and 'use best before date'.
Since
deregulation of the Queensland egg industry in 1994, accurate
State figures are difficult to obtain. However, the Australian
Egg Industry Association (AEIA) estimates that between 50 per
cent and 55 per cent of total egg sales are made through major
supermarket chains and a further 15 per cent either through smaller
retail outlets or as farm sales. AEIA also estimates that the
food service and institutional sectors, including restaurants,
cafes, fast food chains, hotels, airlines, defence forces, hospitals
and nursing homes account for 15 per cent of egg production. A
further 15 per cent of egg production is processed and used as
ingredients in food processing and by bakeries, pasta, biscuit
and ice cream manufacturers. (AEIA Report to Productivity Commission,
Sept 1998, pp 4).
Some current production
statistics
Currently, it costs
in excess of $1 million to construct a modern, climate controlled
laying shed to house 60,000 birds.
Under new (2008) animal
welfare recommendations, the following space regulations per
bird are: 1
bird per cage requires 1000cm² space 2
birds per cage requires 575cm² space per bird 3
birds per cage requires 550cm² space per bird
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