This industry information page is exclusively for members of the Freeranger Club.
If you need any further information about free range farming, accreditation systems or any aspect of the egg industry in Australia please email us or send a query through our Contact Us page. When you decide to set up a free range egg farm, take the time to plan it properly. Find out the zoning of the land and talk to your local Council planning department about their requirements. It’s also worth contacting the State Department of Agriculture. You can find on-line resources in most states. Once that is sorted, talk to your Council Environmental Health Department about any specific requirements they have before you get underway.
Unfair competition for genuine free range egg producers
The action of Australian politicians in allowing poultry farms with stocking densities of 10,000 hens per hectare to describe their eggs as free range, opens up some major issues. One is the level of unfair competition from big business against small family farms.It’s unlikely that consumers will accept that definition and most planning authorities will not accept such a density because of issues like odour, contamination of land, aquifers and waterways. Many planning authorities will refuse permits for new free range farms because of the absurdly high standards developed by politicians.
Unfair competition for genuine free range egg producers
The action of Australian politicians in allowing poultry farms with stocking densities of 10,000 hens per hectare to describe their eggs as free range, opens up some major issues. One is the level of unfair competition from big business against small family farms.It’s unlikely that consumers will accept that definition and most planning authorities will not accept such a density because of issues like odour, contamination of land, aquifers and waterways. Many planning authorities will refuse permits for new free range farms because of the absurdly high standards developed by politicians.
Industry News
Animal welfare
Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals (Domestic Poultry has been replaced by a set of animal welfare standards and guidelines prepared by Animal Health Australia. The standards apply in every state and territory.
All State Ministers for Consumer Affairs/Fair Trading have agreed to a pathetic national standard for free range egg production. They have allowed farms with stocking densities of 10,000 hens per hectare to label their eggs as free range. Hard to believe. but true.
The lobbying was heavy from the big end of town which pushed for intensive production systems to be the 'free range' definition.
The new standard will not improve the integrity of the labelling system and will not give consumers confidence in the egg industry. Hopefully the new standard won't discourage people from setting up genuine free range farms.
The density allowed by the Ministers does not comply with consumer expectations (as already decided by the Federal Court).
The ACCC has produced a guide to help hen egg farmers of all sizes understand their fair trading rights and obligations when promoting or selling free range eggs. The guide also informs consumers and the public about the ACCC’s approach to free range egg claims, which are made on labels.
On 31 March 2016 Australian Consumer Affairs Ministers said they wanted an information standard for free range eggs to be in place within 12 months. The information standard is not currently enforceable as reforms to give effect to the new regulations have not been introduced or passed by Parliament. The ACCC will amend its guidance as the information standard progresses.
On top of that the intensive stocking density will not meet planning requirements and will almost certainly mean that such operations will be treated as feed lots and require a planning permit.
Egg farm sustainability
Egg production in Australia and throughout the world has increased in recent decades, and has reached an annual volume of 68 million tons worldwide. Australian production has hit 460 million dozen. The main reasons are that chicken eggs are a valuable source of protein and are also inexpensive.The huge demand for eggs has led to more intensive production, replacing traditional free range methods. This has resulted in serious environmental impacts. Those impacts will almost certainly increase with a high density outdoor stocking rate of 10,000 hens per hectare approved by Australian Ministers for Consumer Affairs.
Currently, about 7 million tons of eggs are produced each year in the European Union. Spain is one of the largest producers with 1,260 farms and an average of 67,700 chickens each. Together with France, Spain represents about 25 percent of European production, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Environment.
In addition, the production of eggs, like other intensive produce, generates negative effects on the environment, including the emission of greenhouse gases or the contamination of soil and water.
It was not until the 1980s that intensive livestock farming began to be considered an environmental problem, and since then, few studies have focused on the impact of laying hen farms on the ecosystem. To determine the environmental implications of egg production in Europe, a team of Spanish researchers has taken as model an intensive poultry farm located in Asturias, with 55,000 laying hens and an annual production of more than 13 million eggs. The results are published in the Journal of Cleaner Production.
One of the biggest initial issues with setting up a free range egg farm is deciding on the type of shedding. Fixed, permanent sheds will require planning and building permits. Mobile sheds are an ideal alternative. Many people looking to start a free range egg farm have limited funds available, so they need to look for low-cost solutions for shedding to get the business established. This may mean building the sheds on farm, converting caravans, buying them second hand or getting a local business to custom-make them to order. Tell your fabricator what you want and he will build it.
If money isn't a problem there are several high-cost alternatives available. Here are some: http://www.pebbleridge.com.au/poultry-housing-systems/ http://chickencaravan.com/ http://leghornindustries.com.au/
Big fine for false egg labelling
A $300,000 fine plus costs was handed down by the Federal Court against a NSW farm Pirovic Enterprises which claimed its eggs were free range. It was hoped that this decision would help to stamp out consumer deception in the way many eggs are labelled. But the new national standard dashed those hopes Thanks to gutless politicians. The ACCC brought a couple more successful actions in the Federal Court against crooked egg producers. One of these resulted in a WA egg producer having to pay $1 million in fines and costs for deceptive labelling.
Egg farms hit with avian flu costs
All egg farmers in Australia are being forced to pay for the costs of the avian
influenza outbreak in New South Wales even though it was caused by poor
on-farm practices and inadequate biosecurity procedures on the individual farms
involved.
A new levy of 1.4 cents on every chick purchased by farmers is being charged, on top of existing levies.
The levy is to repay $395,000 to the Australian Government for the egg industry’s share of costs incurred for the responses associated with an outbreak of LPAI among ducks during January 2012; an outbreak of HPAI among laying hens in
November 2012; and another outbreak of HPAI among laying hens in October 2013.
Specialist poultry industry vet, Dr Peter Scott has said that free range farms should not be established alongside intensive farms and dams should not be sited near poultry flocks (both these problems were evident on the farm at the centre of the latest outbreak).
IEC Biosecurity checklistThe International Egg Commission (IEC) has developed a Practical Biosecurity Check List designed to help egg businesses improve their overall biosecurity.. The comprehensive Biosecurity Check List has been developed. This new resource is freely available to the egg industry. It provides practical guidelines for egg farmers and producer businesses, to help reduce the risk of infection.
factors affecting egg shell quality
For home consumption, the quality of eggs shells is not a big issue, but eggs offered for sale need to be as perfect as possible.
Many factors affect the quality of an egg shell prior to the egg being laid. The thickness of the shell is determined by the amount of time it spends in the shell gland the rate of calcium deposition during shell formation. If the egg spends little time in the shell gland, the thickness will be less. Also, the time of the day when the egg is laid determines the thickness of the shell. In general, the earlier in the day, the thicker the shell will be.
Diseases like infectious bronchitis (IB), Newcastle disease (ND), avian influenza (AI) and egg drop syndrome (EDS) affect the shell quality. IB virus causes soft/rough shelled eggs, discolouration and wrinkling of the shell. EDS virus affects only the shell gland but with ND or IB, every portion of the reproductive tract can be affected.
Poor housing and high ambient temperatures can also affect shell quality.
Suppliers
Getting to know where to purchase various supplies can be tricky. There are often many sources (including eBay) but here is a brief list to start you off:
Feed: Reid Stockfeeds 54 329273 56 332222
Open Range Poultry mix - available at many feed supply stores
Country Heritage Feeds - available at many feed supply stores
Peters Poultry Mix - available at many feed supply stores
Replacement pullets: Victoria Yellingbo Freerange Hens Kevin Crehan
yellingbofreerangehens.com.au/
planner2@bigpond.com
Abundant Layers Nar Nar Goon http://www.abundantlayers.com.au/
Aussie Chook Supplies
https://www.aussiechooksupplies.com.au
Specialised Breeders Australia Hyline Brown and Lohmann
specialisedbreeders.com.au
NSW Brian Larkin Laying Pullets
Queensland: http://www.heritagehatchingandhens.com.au/
Darling Downs Hatchery
South Australia Heaven poultry, Hillier
Day Old Chicks: Baiada http://www.baiada.com.au/operations/hatcheries.htm
Research has been conducted for about 10 years on ways to identify male embryos in eggs at hatcheries, to remove those eggs in the very early stages of incubation. Here are some details https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/may/27/chicken-embryo-tests-can-prevent-practice-of-gassing-billions-of-cockerels?CMP=share_btn_fbs
Egg Cartons
Carton Packaging Pty Ltd Dingley Ave. Dandenong
0397946310
Budget Pack Laverton
http://www.budgetpack.com.au/
Cartons/trays: Australia Pak Footscray
http://www.australiapak.com.au
HiPac Packaging Queanbeyan NSW
www.hipac.net.au
Huhtamaki Preston
http://www2.huhtamaki.com/web/molded-fiber/egg-packaging/australia order through aoe@bigpond.net.au
MyPak Australia http://www.mypak.com
Wagners Coldstream http://www.wagnerspoultry.com.au/egg_cartons.htm
Outer boxes: Echo Cartons Braeside 18 Industrial Drive Braeside Vic
3195 Phone: 03 9587 7955
sales@echocartons.com.au
Eggs - common shell problems: http://www.alltech.com/sites/default/files/alltech-egg-shell-quality-poster.pdf
Polystyrene boxes for keeping eggs cool: Frontier Industries Clayton Vic
http://www.frontierindustries.com.au/
Polyfoam Australia Dandenong South Vic
http://www.polyfoam.com.au/polystyrene-product.php?All-Boxes-47
Labels: Sheets of self adhesive labels suitable for printing : Austab Labels www.austab.com.au Online Labels
sales@onlinelabels.com.au
Officeworks
http://www.officeworks.com.au/retail/products/Office-Supplies/Labelling
Printed labels for egg cartons can be made by virtually any commercial printer, including Tilba Street Labels at Reservoir email: labels@tilbastreet.com.au
Poultry Equipment: Farmer Little, Hastings
https://farmerlittle.com.au
Horsley Wholesale NSW http://horsleywholesale.com.au/catalog/POULTRY_CHICKEN_BIRD_SUPPLIES-114-1.html
New regulations mean that all eggs must be stamped with a code to identify the farm. Full details on the new regulations in Victoria and Food Safety for Egg Producers can be found at
http://www.depi.vic.gov.au/agriculture-and-food/livestock/poultry-and-eggs/poultry-legislation-regulations-and-standards/food-safety-for-egg-producers
Egg Stamping
Here are a heap of egg stamping options readily available to meet the requirements of the national regulations.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHudDY7Cj7k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMed_VAIj3o
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=egg+stamping&qpvt=egg+stamping&FORM=VQFRML#view=detail&mid=395EAAAAD574ADB71896395EAAAAD574ADB71896
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjiLeHisqH0
Domino: http://www.insignia.com.au/
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=hedipack&sm=12
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klvXtF-eAYo
http://www.stampsdirect.co.uk/pre-inked-easy-egg-stamp-1064-p.asp
http://www.eggstamp.com.au/Eggid-Eggmarking-The-Stamp-for-Eggs-Eggprinting.19.0.html
http://eshop.bellsouth.com.au/epages/bellsouth.sf/en_AU/?ObjectPath=/Shops/bellsouth/Categories/Eggs/Egg_Printing
http://www.nuovo.ch/_gb_index.html
http://www.fikser.nl/Eistempels/producten_e.html
Agriequip Pty Ltd www.agriequip.com.au
Egg Labelling requirements are reasonably straightforward. A guide is available to download. One of the requirements is a Nutrition Information Panel (seems unnecessary as eggs are not processed and there is no requirement for other fresh foods such as meat, fish or vegetables to
have a NIP). The requirements for a Nutrition Info Panel can be seen here: http://www.incredibleegg.org/health-and-nutrition/egg-nutrients/nutrient-label
http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/labelling/panels/Pages/default.aspx
Egg Grading & Candling Here's some info from the US about candling and grading eggs - the details are relevant here, except we don't believe that eggs should be washed.
http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2902/2902-1091/2902-1091.html
Egg Washing If nest boxes are kept clean, and there is no mud around sheds, eggs should be clean. If eggs need to be washed, there is a management problem and it's best to address that problem rather than install a washing machine - but if you feel the need for an egg washer, have a look at http://eshop.bellsouth.com.au/epages/bellsouth.sf/en_AU/?ObjectPath=/Shops/bellsouth/Categories/Eggs/Egg_Washers/Sanitouch_Systems or:
http://www.dunoganfarmtech.com.au/Egg%20Washers.htm
Food safety and eggs. FSANZ has a leaflet about safe egg production:
http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/publications/documents/Eggs_healthandsafety.pdf
Environmental Management System
We can help if you wish to set up an Environmental Management System for your business guidelines for the egg industry are available.
POULTRY DISEASES
Low stocking densities on free range farms tend to reduce disease and infection problems, as long as good biosecurity measures are in place. Wild birds (particularly ducks and other water fowl may create problems. so ensure the range area does include a dam or other open water source which may attract ducks.
Talk to your vet if you suspect your chooks are suffering from a disease. You may get information you need about diagnosis by contacting the Poultry CRC or consult a booklet produced by Intervet - Important Poultry Diseases. or you can read the US publication Diseases of Poultry edited by David Swayne. Some veterinary drug manufacturers publish information sheets on specific diseases.
We are constantly adding to our range of information sheets and they can all be downloaded here:
| cleaning_a_stamper.pdf |
| food_safety_-_eggs_checklist.pdf |
| generic_food_safety__qa_program.pdf |
| environmental_guidelines_for_the_australian_egg_industry.pdf |
| salmonella.pdf |
| sustainability.pdf |
| sustainability_study.pdf |
| feasibility__sustainability_of_extensive_free_range_egg_production_2001.pdf |
| nutrientloadingonfreerangeeggfarms.pdf |
| regenerative_agriculture.pdf |
| brittle_landscapes.pdf |
| range_enrichment_aw2011.pdf |
| animal_protein.pdf |
| aecl_research_results.pdf |
| nutrientloadingonfreerangeeggfarms.pdf |
| egg_farm_nutrients.pdf |
| what_is_free_range.pdf |
| freeranger_egg_farm_cv.pdf |
| free_range.pdf |
| free_range_1.pdf |
| pirovic.pdf |
| benefits_of_pastured_eggs.pdf |
| freeranger.pdf |
| freeranger_1fff.pdf |
| free_range_biosecurity.pdf |
| nsw-biosecurity-guidelines-for-free-range-poultry-farms.pdf |
| free_range_regulation.pdf |
| model_code_development.pdf |
| egg_production_systems.pdf |
| fact_sheet1.pdf |
| good_flock_husbandry.pdf |
| aecl_avian_flu_backdown_001.jpg |
| egg_production_systems.pdf |
| grading_and_packing.pdf |
| egomatic_grader.pdf |
| download11.php_vivideo1 |
| three_pillars.pdf |
| deep_ecology.pdf |
| accreditation_3.pdf |
| accreditation_farce.pdf |
| allergies.pdf |
| bede_burke.pdf |
| questions.pdf |
| living_withwildlife.pdf |
| carbon_footprint.pdf |
| carbon_footprint_1.pdf |
| aecl_carbon_footprint.pdf |
| model_code_development.pdf |
| feather_cover.pdf |
| beak_trimming.pdf |
| cleaning_a_stamper.pdf |
| egg-labelling-guide-march-2013.pdf |
| protein_in_poultry_feed.pdf |
| egg_labelling_review_2.pdf |
| stocking_rate.pdf |
| 1_hectare.pdf |
| accc_result.pdf |
| the_fight_begins.pdf |
Anatomy of a chicken. Here's a useful guide from the Poultry CRC.
http://www.poultryhub.org/anatomy-of-the-chicken.swf
http://www.poultryhub.org/anatomy-of-the-chicken.swf
Layer shed requirements
| layer_shed_requirements.pdf |
