“Managing egg quality requires keeping an eye on the details.” These are the words of Piet Simons in his new publication, Egg Signals.
Simons recently presented the first official book to Aalt Dijkhuizen, President of the Dutch Topsector, during the Holland Seminar at the VIV Asia. The Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs organized the seminar.
Along with the book launch comes a new website, www.Eggsignals.com. The site offers additional egg information.
Egg Signals follows the egg’s progress through all the links in the chain—from poultry farmer to packer, processor, and consumer. Simons describes the creation of the egg’s unique composition. Optimizing egg quality is one of the most important points in the entire poultry chain. He says that farmers can certainly influence an egg’s quality before the hen lays it, but it is critical to take steps to maintain egg quality after laying as well. Successful professionals know how to manage egg quality, keep it under control, and make decisions based on their production and their flock.
Maintaining quality involves an eye for detail, according to the author. Egg Signals explains how to develop and train that “eye.”
The author recommends that farmers regularly ask themselves questions like these: What do I see? What does it mean? What should I do? The answers help farmers gain firmer insight into the process.
In addition, Egg Signals provides answers to issues such as:
- How are optimal quality eggs created?
- What type of hen lays them?
- How do you prevent abnormalities?
- How do you add value?
The book features 650 photographs and images to illustrate the basis of thinking about quality and describes how to act accordingly. The publication employs real-life cases taken directly from practice, leading to satisfied poultry professionals and happy consumers.
About the author
Simons is a former researcher at the Spelderholt Poultry Research Centre and received his Ph.D. from Wageningen University in 1971. He was secretary/treasurer of the Dutch branch of the World’s Poultry Science Association from 1977 to 1991 and president up to 2002. He is an honorary past president of the World’s Poultry Science Association worldwide and was also secretary general for 12 years. In 2006 he received the McDougall Medal for exemplary services to WPSA. In 2008 he was honored to be selected for the International Poultry Hall of Fame. Piet is currently president of the Foundation for Promoting Poultry Science and the ambassador of Dutch Poultry Centre in the Netherlands.
