The September 2010 edition of Egg Industry focuses on nutrition. Feed represents a significant proportion of production cost and competitive purchasing of ingredients and appropriate formulation are important determinants of profitably. Advances in nutrition and trends in selection of ingredients are highlighted in the interpretive summaries of presentations from the July 2010 meeting of the Poultry Science Association.
Feed additives have the potential to enhance productivity and profitability. The lead article in this edition classifies the categories of additives for hen diets and indicates the range of commercial products available and their suppliers. It is emphasized that feed additives must be both safe and effective. Products approved by regulatory agencies and manufactured by reputable companies conform to these requirements. In the context of commercial production is necessary to establish that an additive will provide a positive benefit to cost ratio which will contribute to incremental profit.
Strategic decisions are based on an evaluation of supply and demand factors relating to the market served by a producer. Statistics are available from the Egg Industry Center, incorporating the contributions of Don Bell, in addition to available data from the USDA-ERS and the USDA-AMS. Continuing the precedent established a few months ago, each edition of Egg Industry will provide a summary of the most recent data with interpretive comments.
The interview with Dr. Don Layman provides an insight into the activities of the Egg Nutrition Center funded by the AEB. This group has in the past contributed materially to changing the image of eggs in relation to cholesterol and public health. Future ENC research will concentrate on demonstrating the unique nutritional benefits of eggs.
We have experienced a long, hot summer. This has impacted shell quality, case weight and livability and detracted from optimal profitability. Hopefully, as we pass into fall, our flocks will respond positively. We have at least two more months of static low prices before the market moves upwards to the pre-Christmas period. Hopefully our placement and depletion programs and development of pullet flocks will allow for an optimum return on investment.
