EGG INDUSTRY MATTERS – SUMMER 2015–2016

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Building consumer trust in the egg industry

AECL launches biosecurity manual

Managing fowl behaviour

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Editor’s NOTE

EGGSTRA! EGGSTRA! Contributors James Kellaway AECL Managing Director [email protected] Jojo Jackson AECL Program Manager – RD&E [email protected] Raymond Chia AECL Project Manager – RD&E [email protected] David Mogford AECL Program Manager – Marketing [email protected] AECL PROGRAM/OFFICE Coordinator Lorraine Mills [email protected] Editor-IN-CHIEF Kai Ianssen, AECL Communications Manager [email protected] EDITOR John Fitzsimmons [email protected] Phone: 0418 552541 Design Black Wattle Consulting ADVERTISING Max Hyde, Hyde Media Pty Ltd [email protected] 03 5659 5292 Office Australian Egg Corporation Limited Level 4, 107 Mount Street North Sydney NSW 2060

The 22nd AECL Industry Forum in Hobart in November was considered an enormous success. Congratulations to the organisers and thank you to everyone who contributed to the event and the program in any way large or small. In reviewing material after the Forum for this issue of Eggstra! Eggstra! I was struck by the value, as an asset, of this industry’s collective experience, both personal and corporate. Much is on record but so much is also still locked up in living memory. Much of this valuable knowledge and experience has been, and is being, harnessed for the broader industry good. Just consider what our leading veterinarians and researchers carry around in their heads, and the majority of egg producers who have each accumulated decades of experience. As examples found in this issue of Eggstra! Eggstra! consider Victorian producer Swampy Marsh and his recollections of the earlier industry around Melbourne. Then, in contrast, consider the knowledge, experience and science our industry now has access to through the likes of AECL R&D Project Manager Dr Raymond Chia – across microbiology broadly, Salmonella in particular, water, chicken meat, beef and now eggs. Then add in the collective knowledge of the individuals and organisations engaged in industry R&D programs, marketing and communication. As we begin a New Year just give a thought to the benefits we can gain from that amazing asset. A safe and prosperous New Year to all.

CONTENTS 05 MARKET NEWS

24 RESEARCHER PROFILE

Situation analysis



08 22nd AECL INDUSTRY

Dr Raymond Chia

26 EGG FARMERS AUSTRALIA

FORUM – HOBART

10 BUILDING CONSUMER TRUST IN THE EGG INDUSTRY

12 RSPCA – WORKING WITH INDUSTRY

SUBMISSIONON FREE RANGE LABEL STANDARD

29 TO REFRIGERATE OR NOT TO REFRIGERATE EGGS

TO IMPROVE ANIMAL WELFARE

31 IN THE MEDIA

16

WORLD EGG DAY 2015

32 MANAGING FOWL BEHAVIOUR

18

EGG RECIPES

Cannibalism and feather pecking

20 ODDBALL – A DOG’S TALE WITH AN EGGY FLAVOUR

23 AECL LAUNCHES BIOSECURITY

35 DISEASE FILE Enteric viruses

36 FOR THE DIARY

MANUAL FOR EGG FARMERS

Phone: 02 9409 6909 Fax: 02 9954 3133 www.aecl.org

COPYRIGHT WARNING. The opinions expressed in Eggstra! Eggstra! are not necessarily those of AECL. All material appearing in Eggstra! Eggstra! is the subject of copyright owned by AECL and is protected under the Australian Copyright Act (1968), international copyright and trademark law. No portion may be reproduced or duplicated by any process without the prior written permission of AECL. DISCLAIMER. This publication is for information purposes only. The publisher and It’s agents or employees shall not be liable for any loss or damage suffered by any person as a result of reliance on any of the contents hereof, whether such loss or damage arises from the negligence or misrepresentation or any act or omission of the publisher or its agents.



Page 20

Page 24

Swampy Marsh – Oddball the man and the movie

AECL R&D Project Manager Dr Raymond Chia

EGGSTRA! EGGSTRA! EGG INDUSTRY MATTERS SUMMER 2016

3

MD’S REPORT

James Kellaway

On the eve of Christmas and New Year festivities it was interesting to reflect on the year just gone and the new year that will emerge. While there were plenty of industry challenges we all confronted in 2015, these will no doubt continue in 2016 for the industry but where there are challenges, there are also opportunities. It is in this positive light that AECL confronts its purpose and work program to generate meaningful outcomes for the egg industry through the investment of statutory levy funds in agreed program areas. It was a pleasure to convene and host the 22nd AECL Industry Forum over two days in Hobart during November. We had a near record number in attendance with a range of speakers presenting on a number of AECL projects and industry issues. As always, we will review all the feedback provided to keep improving the Forum format for the future. This includes reviewing how many are held each year. Currently, AECL convenes three every two years and there has been some thought to convene one every year in/around November. Additionally, we ensure that presentations are available as a videocast on our website under the producer log-in for those who cannot attend any of the Forum events. We welcome your feedback on Forum frequency and content. In addition to our layer and egg supply forecast report, produced each month, AECL is now producing an egg sales report each month commencing in January. This is in addition to a new egg export report, which will be produced every six months reporting on the previous 12 month period. Copies of these reports will be available from the producer-only section of the AECL website.

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Promoting egg consumption is a cornerstone of AECL investments and as such, we have re-appointed our creative advertising agency and appointed a new Public Relations (PR) agency to assist us have impact on the awareness, demand, sales and consumption of eggs. Stakeholders had an opportunity to hear from our new PR agency and gain an insight into World Egg Day activities undertaken by AECL at the 22nd AECL Industry Forum. We have also recently appointed a new media strategist and buyer to ensure AECL is receiving the best bang for the invested dollar through the placement of advertising. Our advertising with the new Unbeatable campaign directed towards consumers will commence in late January and extend through February and early March with a second burst of advertising in late April and May. The 15 second TVCs will be aired both in metropolitan and regional stations with the majority of air time purchased being at peak times. The TV advertising is in addition to the social/ digital advertising where eggs will have a significant presence on Facebook and the YouTube network at the same time as the TVCs. This is in addition to the ongoing PR schedule of activities throughout the year.

One such PR event after World Egg Day activities in October was a focus on egg consumption during pregnancy. Eggs are a highly nutrient dense food for pregnant women. Eggs are a source of folate, choline and iron which are specifically required for pregnancy and healthy mums and babies. An email with the benefits of eggs was sent to our mailing list of more than 7,000 HealthCare Professionals (HCPs) as well as posts in social media including our 80,000 fans on Facebook and Twitter. The post on Twitter included a short video highlighting the essential nutrient folate, as well as 11 vitamins and minerals, and promoting that women can eat eggs every day. Gaining awareness of the health benefits of eggs all through pregnancy is an excellent way to confirm a lifetime of egg consumption for baby and mum. AECL recently attended the GP conference in Melbourne and had the Egg Nutrition Council (ENC) present a seminar session all of which is targeting our key influencers of egg consumption, HCPs. Like consumers are a key target, so are HCPs, to ensure we are talking to those ‘gatekeepers’ who give permission to consumers to eat more eggs. Most consumers seek dietary advice from GPs and it is important that AECL is communicating with GPs about the health benefits of eating eggs. Our next conference will be the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) conference in May this year where more than 1000 dietitians are expected to attend. The Heart Foundation of Australia has advised all licensees across the food sector of its decision to ‘retire’ and phase out the Heart Tick. AECL is communicating with all egg producer sub-licensees regarding this and is conversing with the Heart Foundation to determine what this now means for the egg industry. We will keep all sub-licensees appraised of information as it comes to hand. The Heart Tick has been a real winner for the egg industry when we were first granted and started using the Tick on-pack in 2004. New dietary guidelines and the introduction of the Health Star system has caused the Heart Foundation to re-assess its ongoing promotion of the Tick. I wish all readers a happy new year and let 2016 be a healthy and happy one for the egg industry. May prosperity be a reality for the egg industry in 2016.

MARKET NEWS

By James Kellaway

Market news – situation analysis According to AZTEC, the grocery sales volume for the 12 months ending December 2015 totalled 200 million dozen, up by 6% on the previous 12 months of 188 million dozen and up by 15% on the previous 5-year average of 174 million dozen. Average monthly sales over the most recent 12 months totalled 16.6 million dozen compared to the previous 12-month average of 15.7 million and the previous 5-year monthly average of 14.5 million dozen. Please note, grocery sales represent about 55% of the total egg market with additional volumes being sold to other retail outlets, to the food service sector and to processing for food manufacturing. The grocery sales value for the 12 months ending December 2015 totalled $859 million, up by 4% on the previous 12 months of $826 million and up by 25% on the previous 5-year average of $685 million. Average monthly sales over the most recent 12 months have totalled $72 million compared to the previous 12-month average of $69 million and the 5-year monthly average of $57 million. According to AZTEC data sources, grocery price points for the 12 months ending December 2015 averaged $4.30 per dozen, down by 2% on the previous 12 month average of $4.39 per dozen and up by 10% on the previous 5-year average of $3.91 per dozen. On a segment basis, cage egg prices averaged $3.22 per dozen over the

most recent 12 months, down by 6% on the previous 12 month average prices. For barn-laid eggs, retail prices for the last 12 months averaged $4.67 per dozen, down by 5% on the previous year with free range eggs averaging $5.45 per dozen at retail, down by less than 1% on the average dozen price of the previous year. Specialty eggs averaged $9.26 per dozen over the same period, up by less than 1% on the previous year. Using a base of average sales over the 4-year period prior to the formation of AECL (2000 to 2003), the performance of AECL and the egg industry in providing a return on the invested Egg Promotion Levy dollar is critical to monitor and determine the success and value of AECL promotional programs and their associated outcomes for all egg producers. Using the ‘Freebairn’ model developed by Professor John Freebairn at the University of Melbourne and reviewed in 2012 by Economic Research Associates (ERA), a return of 68% above the sales target has been realised for 2015 with this increase representing 5 million dozen. This increase reflects the investment of egg producer levy dollars in programs that are building egg awareness, demand, sales and consumption. Further information: James Kellaway T: (02) 9409 6906; E: [email protected]

Egg Grocery Sales Value – Monthly 2015 compared to 2014 & previous 5-year averages

Egg Grocery Sales Volume – Monthly 2015 compared to 2014 & previous 5-year average 2014

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previous 5-year ave

2015

16.0 15.5 15.0 14.5 14.0 13.5 13.0 12.5

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

65 60

Nov

45

Dec

2015

$4.60

2014

MILLION DOZEN

$4.30 $4.20 $4.10 $4.00 $3.90 $3.80 $3.70

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

MONTH

Mar

Apr

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

MONTH

previous 5-year ave

$4.40

Feb

Feb

Oct

Nov

Dec

Source: Aztec

Return on Egg Promotion Levy investment – retail egg sales calendar year basis

$4.50

Jan

Jan

Source: Aztec

$4.70

AVERAGE UNIT VALUE

70

50

Egg Grocery Sales Unit Value – Monthly 2015 compared to 2014 & previous 5-year averages



previous 5-year ave

55

MONTH

$3.60

2014

75 A$ MILLION

MILLION DOZEN EQUIVALENT

2015

18.5 18.0 17.5 17.0 16.5

Dec

Source: Aztec

13.0 12.5 12.0 11.5 11.0 10.5 10.0 9.5 9.0 8.5 8.0 7.5 7.0 6.5

2000–2003 2004 2005 base

ROI sales target

2006

2007

2008

2009

actual retail sales

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

MONTHLY AVERAGE

EGGSTRA! EGGSTRA! EGG INDUSTRY MATTERS SUMMER 2016

5

OBITUARY

Vale John Simpson (8.2.48 – 23.11.15) The Australian egg industry recently said goodbye to a valued member who will be greatly missed by all who knew him both professionally and personally – John Simpson. The farm had very good door sales, as the property was situated only 20 minutes from Perth city. What fun they had holding the roof on the chicken shed during a wild wind storm while trying to nail it down, or chasing teenagers trying to steal eggs for Halloween trick or treats. Manual egg collection on rickety trolleys, a petrol/push feed cart, a fogger system for cooling and plenty of natural ventilation between the picketed walls are among other memories.

John was not always an egg farmer. Aged 18 he was accepted into the ANZ bank. Two years later as supervisor he was introduced to Nola Chamberlain. It was her first day in the bank and the ledger keeper stated to Nola, “This is John Simpson, he will look after you.” Nola can honestly say, “He always did.” John began asking Nola to marry him when she was just 16. Nola stipulated she could not marry him until he equalled her bank savings $1500. To this end he opted for part time employment to supplement his bank wage. Part time jobs undertaken over several years included being a Swan Taxi truck removalist, gourmet chef at KFC, and swimming pool attendant. He achieved his goal and they were married in February 1972. In 1987, deciding it was time for a change from banking, John and Nola were attracted to the egg industry because it was licensed and regulated. The Western Australian Egg Marketing Board was a statutory marketing authority created by an act of Parliament. They purchased a small farm of 5,000 layers in Thornlie (WA). John and Nola left the bank in 1988 and purchased extra fowl licences.

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John joined the Poultry Farmers Association (now the Commercial Egg Producers Association - CEPA), remaining a member for 28 years. He was the Association’s Southern Districts Branch President, then elected as Vice President of the State Association in 1993. Nine years later he was elected CEPA President and worked in this capacity for the next 13 years. He was awarded Life Membership for service this year (2015). John was also state delegate to the Australian Council of Egg Producers and Australian Egg Industry Association. He represented the Association and the industry on a number of government consultative groups at a state and national level through Australia’s egg industry lobby group Egg Farmers of Australia (EFA). In 1988 he was elected Chairman of the Cost of Production Committee set up by the state government of the time. Two years later John purchased another farm in Jandakot. The number of layers combined totalled 25,000 whilst still rearing 6,000 hens from day old. In 1996 old facilities and residential encroachment encouraged John and five other egg producers to pool their fowl licenses to build a fully automated environmentally controlled farm in Gin Gin, forming AAA Egg Company Pty Ltd. (AAA) In 1999 John sold both farm properties, remaining a shareholder in the largest egg production, packing and marketing company in WA. With deregulation of the industry and

introduction of new layer hen welfare regulations, 42 shareholders were attracted to join AAA. John held a position as a director of AAA for ten years. In 2002 he became the inaugural Chairman of the Agricultural Produce Commission – Egg Producers Committee for a period of four years, then remained a committee member. John was held in high regard by his peers, industry, stakeholders and government. He led the industry through the turbulent times of the egg industry deregulation in 2005 and held a steady hand when the going got rough. He created valuable networks on behalf of industry on both sides of parliament. John always conducted himself professionally. He was a strategic thinker and ethical decision maker who showed strong leadership throughout the years. He devoted countless hours to benefit the egg industry. John was also a very dedicated Rotarian, joining the Maddington club whilst ANZ branch manager in 1987. During his 32 years as a Rotarian he was president on two occasions and proudly received multiple sapphire Paul Harris Fellowship Rotary awards. In 2003 John joined the Committee of Management board for Cyrenian House (alcohol and other drug treatment service) at the request of a friend. Within two years he assumed the role of president of the management committee and continued in the role being awarded a Life Membership for Service in 2015. John was proud of his daughters Clairly (1989) and Cheralyn (1990). He felt fortunate to have travelled extensively with them in Australia and overseas and took great pride in their achievements. Documenting a life lived to the full, dedicated to family and community, John’s motto was – ‘be fair and aim for a win-win’.

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AECL FORUM

By John Fitzsimmons

Hobart welcomes egg industry Hobart welcomed the egg industry recently when the 22nd AECL Forum came to iconic Wrest Point in the apple isle’s capital for the first time. The setting was, as always, impressive, and the weather could not have been better. The official program kicked off on the Wednesday morning with the traditional Trade Expo opening and an open social media workshop before the formal sessions began after the Welcome lunch.

A quality panel of speakers covered subjects ranging from lowering greenhouse gas emissions caused by manure production, the launch of both a new Farm Biosecurity Manual and a Feather Pecking Mitigation Manual to addresses by the industry’s Nuffield and Horizon Scholars. Special guest Senator Fiona Nash, Deputy Minister for Health and Deputy Leader of the Nationals in the Senate, also addressed delegates.

Interest was sustained the following day with delegates briefed on industry marketing and communication programs, the ‘re-birth’ of the AECL QA program, and a technical address by international specialists from Lohmann on the hot topic of breeding for free range and aviary production systems. The formal sessions closed on an energetic note with newly appointed RSPCA Chair Gary Humphries addressing delegates and discussing the concept of “a life worth living” and the RSPCA’s position on cage production. Not unexpectedly he faced close and extended questioning from the audience. However the highlight was surely the cruise south to the Peppermint Bay Restaurant at Woodbridge, opposite Bruny Island. The Peppermint Bay II transported delegates in fine style over untroubled waters to their destination where pre-dinner hospitality was served on the lawns at the end of a perfect blue sky day. The dinner that followed capped the experience at a high level. Appreciation is extended to the sponsors who supported the Forum’s hospitality including Feedworks, Hy-Line Layers, Lohmann Layers, Big Dutchman, MOBA and Zoetis.

Delegates gather on the lawns against the backdrop of scenic Peppermint Bay.

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Judy O’Keefe of DSM Nutritional Products (left) and Elise Devine of Ridley Agriproducts chat in the trade area.

Dr Peter Scott launches the Farm Biosecurity Manual.

(L to R) Bruce Meaney from Lienert Australia, Peter Wilkinson from Feed Works and Elise Devine of Ridley Agriproducts.

(L to R) Rick Carter from Kemin Industries, Tugrul Dirali from Alltech Biotechnology, and Matt Henry from Kemin Industries.



Delegates settle in for the cruise to the Forum dinner aboard Peppermint Bay II.

Horizon Scholar Jack Mooney (left) with Nuffield Scholar Lachlan Green.

Special guest Senator F iona Nash, Federal Deputy Minister for Health.

(L to R) Richard Beevis of Potters Poultry, Brad Tresidder of Tresidder Insurance Brokers, Lorraine Mills of AECL and James Kellaway, Managing Director of AECL.

EGGSTRA! EGGSTRA! EGG INDUSTRY MATTERS SUMMER 2016

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BUILDING TRUST

By Steve Sheppard, Brand Story

Building consumer trust in the egg industry Egg consumption in Australia is growing, eggs are considered healthier than ever before, a safe food to eat and most people think that the eggs we consume are produced in Australia (although there is clearly some uncertainty in this regard). So why does the egg industry need to build consumer trust? There is sufficient consumer research evidence derived from recent studies to suggest that consumers (when probed) do not completely trust egg farming system claims. A range of factors underpin this mistrust and today widespread scepticism exists relating to industry practices and claims. Activist groups are conspicuous and polarising. The ongoing flight to ‘free range quality’ is driven by perceived better humane treatment of hens, supported by the belief among some that they are, in turn, healthier for you and better tasting. However this belief is not universal and a big question remains for many consumers: “How do we really know they are free range?”

Recruitment of participants covered three key areas:

The majority of consumers consider their general knowledge about egg farming to be low and simply want clearer direction and labeling to assist them in their choice of eggs and to navigate the category.

The pragmatic vs idealistic view of egg farming

Brand Story, a leading Sydney-based strategic research company, was commissioned by AECL to conduct two related qualitative consumer research studies in the second half of 2015, to explore in depth the key issues of trust in the industry, egg labelling, understanding of production systems, the need for standards and how to best communicate with consumers. The qualitative research was based on quantitative research conducted by Newspoll in 2015. The following summarises the opportunities that exist for the egg industry to build consumer trust and embrace legislative change.

•

k ey attitudinal segments (based on the Everett Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation Theory) including; Innovators, Early Adopters, Early Majority and Late Majority together with a mix of agreement levels in relation to the humane treatment of farm animals;

•

buyers of the key farming systems;

•

main grocery buyers comprising a mix of gender and ages.

Understanding consumers from a range of perspectives

Most consumers understand and support the pragmatic view of egg farming but few, if any actually put themselves at the extremes of either end (see Figure). There is widespread understanding (across all segments) of the need to feed a growing population and why this necessitates intensive farming, even if many consumers don’t want to be reminded of it. The majority want a degree of balance and therefore position themselves to the left or right of the centre depending upon their attitudes to hen welfare and which egg production system they most consume/favour.

Understanding of, and attitudes towards, the main production systems

Cage eggs Most understand this system to be a space and cost efficient means to feed the population with affordable protein:

“We’ve all got to live in this world and chooks are down the totem … it’s a factory process.” However it is considered less than ideal from a hen welfare point of view but justify it on the basis of price. Being ‘fit for purpose’ also plays a role, such as for use in cooking e.g. baking where taste is considered less important. In addition, a key driver for purchasing cage eggs is the belief that free range isn’t really free range and therefore the price is not justifiable:

“I’m not going to buy free range when I don’t know if there’s a standard.” Free range Consumers who choose free range do so based on a range of beliefs, such as: the hens are free to roam as they choose, they are able to behave naturally and therefore experience less stress, and as a result the eggs are healthier and better tasting.

Methodology and sample The studies comprised a combination of standard focus groups and longer co-creation groups in Sydney and Melbourne. The latter is a form of collaborative creativity that allows consumers to develop solutions with brands and organisations, rather than simply evaluate solutions. This approach helped participants decide what was important to them.

10

Early/late majority

Early adopters

Pragmatic

IDEALISTIC caged eggs free range eggs organic eggs

fed, which makes them less healthy and therefore the eggs less tasty and nutritious.

Barn laid This is the most confused of the three main systems and seen by many as just marketing spin that muddies the waters. One response was:

along the following lines; ‘free range means all hens are free to roam outdoors as they please during daylight hours’. •

 tocking density: this needs education s and context to be properly understood. The important point to note is that stocking density is primarily about hen welfare in the minds of consumers.

•

 ntibiotics and hormones: as discussed a above, there’s a widespread belief amongst free range purchasers that the absence or reduction of these leads to better tasting eggs and better nutrition. This information needs to be available to the minority who will want to read it. What is fed to hens is primarily about consumer rather than hen welfare needs:

“I tend not to buy them because I don’t really know what they are.” What do consumers want to know that will help build trust? Whether you’re an ‘early adopter’ who believes that laying hens are not treated humanely, or an ambivalent cage egg purchaser, the need for facts and a free range standard (at least) that works for all (the consumer’s hip pocket, the hens and the farmer’s business) is universal.

Egg consumers want a standard for free range

However, most believe there is no regulated standard which has perceived negative implications for hen welfare and can raise assorted questions about stocking density, treatment of hens (what they are fed, how they are raised, conditions of farms and more) and even animal husbandry for the minority that are ‘in the know’. It’s the lack of facts and a regulated standard that has created a sense of mistrust over time. Most do not understand the concept of stocking density especially in the context of a commercial facility, because they have never experienced one and know little about hen behaviour. However, once educated on hen behaviour and what constitutes a hectare, the concept of one hen per square metre (10,000/ha) is considered perfectly acceptable. Consumers are more interested in what hens are not fed, such as hormones and antibiotics, because there is a widespread view or hope (for some) that they shouldn’t be fed these if they are free range. This desire is also based on the belief that this is what cage hens are



All want a standard that has been developed by the government in collaboration with independent bodies that they can easily understand and be comfortable with. All research findings to date suggest that once a standard has been put in place the majority of consumers will simply look for on carton messaging that the eggs they buy comply with the standard and have been certified. The minority will want to read more and this information needs to be easily accessible, easy to understand and unambiguous. In contrast, cage egg buyers are far less interested in a standard for cage eggs (although many believe there should be one). Once again this information should be available for those who want it.

What should a free range standard comprise of? •

f reedom to roam: this is the core area, driven by both hen welfare and a belief that, if the hen is allowed to behave as a hen should, then the eggs it produces will taste better and be healthier. This is the easiest area to communicate on-carton and the optimal definition needs to convey in simple, unambiguous terms something

“what is fed to a hen ultimately goes in my stomach.” Some key ways to build trust and communicate trust-building information: •

introduction of a free range standard: first and foremost trust building will commence with the announcement that a government developed (in collaboration with independent bodies such as the RSPCA and scientists) free range standard has been put in place that egg producers must adhere to.

•

on carton: this is the most critical real estate the industry has and this is where consumers want to get their information for ‘at a glance’ reassurance that the eggs they buy comply.

•

a website: this accommodates those wanting more information on key areas relating to hen welfare, production systems, stocking densities, husbandry, quality assurance and more. It should be factual, objective, comprehensive, easy to understand and unambiguous.

•

 ugmented reality (3D real life video): A providing information in this type of format is easy to access via an app, this is likely to be a simple and engaging way of seeing hens and learning about their welfare and the conditions in the different production systems.

*Note: AECL intends to use the knowledge gained from such research to guide a campaign to build trust in the egg industry.

EGGSTRA! EGGSTRA! EGG INDUSTRY MATTERS SUMMER 2016

11

AECL INDUSTRY FORUM

RSPCA – working with industry to improve animal welfare The newly appointed Chair of the RSPCA’s Board of Directors, Gary Humphries, addressed the AECL’s recent 22nd Industry Forum in Hobart. Not unexpectedly his address was followed by close questioning from the audience. This is an edited transcript of Mr Humphries’ address. I see outside in the foyer there a sign that says “for us the chicken comes first” and the answer to that question, “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?”, pretty well describes the perspective of the RSPCA as well. First and foremost, we believe we have a responsibility to the animals in our care, whether they’re our companions or whether they provide us with food. That’s a responsibility to give them an environment that meets their behavioural as well as their physical needs. As one of Australia’s most trusted charities and the nation’s leading animal welfare organisation, RSPCA works tirelessly to prevent animal cruelty and establish a culture of continuous improvement for animals’ welfare at all levels: farm animals, companion animals, animals used in research, animals that work for us, animals in sport, entertainment, and of course animals in the wild; and we do this by taking a science-based approach to this issue, raising awareness about the issues, proposing solutions, and looking at influencing behaviour of people who interact with animals, and that’s pretty well all of us. We’re well-known, of course, for working with dogs and cats but it’s less well-known, perhaps, that we’ve got a very strong record of working with the livestock sector in Australia to achieve improvements in farm animal welfare. In doing this we recognise the need to balance animal welfare with commercial reality, to ensure a viable livestock sector where farmers have the means to properly care for their animals and the needs of individual animals are met, while at the same time providing the community with food

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and fibre through a productive and profitable livestock sector.

… animal welfare science is defining and measuring what is ‘a life worth living.’ This pragmatic approach to improving animal welfare sees the RSPCA working with and discussing current and future animal welfare issues and solutions in a collaborative manner with hundreds of individual farmers, PICA organisations, animal research and farming groups, and many companies and individuals in the industry. We don’t always agree as a result of those interchanges but, despite those differences, I think we can point to some very substantial improvements that have been made in animal welfare in recent years as a result of that dialogue and collaboration. People come to the RSPCA and get involved with it because they are passionate about the welfare of animals but the policies that the organisation advances into the public domain are based in science. This approach, through combining the knowledge and expertise gained through monitoring overseas and Australian leading practises, and engaging in livestock industries and with governments, ensures the RSPCA is thorough, accurate and well-informed in its approach to improving the welfare of animals. The agenda for this was really set in the 1960s in Britain with the Brambell Committee, which responded to a landmark book by Ruth Harrison, ‘Animal Machines’, which talked about the use and confinement of animals on farms, and out of that grew an agenda on animal welfare which has been taken up in many other parts of the world. Over the decades since then, research has progressively reinforced that animal welfare can vary on a continuum from very bad to very good and this has fuelled an unprecedented amount of discussion in the public domain about animal welfare issues associated with livestock production.

There is now, of course, increased demand for animals to be treated in a way that recognises that they have the capacity to suffer like any of us. A growing group of consumers expects that farm animals are not only provided with adequate food, water and shelter, and handled appropriately, but that they’re also given the opportunity to have a life worth living. And I want to come back to that phrase, that concept of a life worth living. That approach is one that goes simply beyond, of course, simply preventing pain or suffering, to one that focuses on providing positive experiences to animals and giving them a better quality of life, while ensuring that they continue to provide benefits to humans. While the animal welfare science is defining and measuring what is a life worth living, as well as the other end of the scale: a life not worth living, a lot of farm infrastructure, animal housing and husbandry practises are designed only to ensure that livestock have their basic survival needs met, for example that they are provided with life-sustaining resources of adequate food, water and ventilation, and that this is done at the lowest possible price. The current poultry code, plus most of Australia’s other welfare codes and standards, are concentrated on that end of the spectrum, the sustaining of animals’ physical needs. So what does make a life worth living for a hen, in particular? Or for any animal, for that matter? We can ask these sorts of questions. What opportunities are provided for the animal’s comfort, pleasure, confidence and interest? What environmental choices will be available that will encourage exploratory and food acquisition activities that are rewarding? How will the expression of normal behaviour for that species be encouraged? What provisions have been made to enable social species to engage in bonding and bond affirming activities and play behaviour? We believe that the standards that result from the review of the model code for poultry must deliver the provision of basic resources for survival and health, of course, as well as

flap their wings, and we should not be limited to thinking this just means small flocks in large outdoor ranges. Sustainable systems of the future should take into account bird welfare, be managed in an environmentally responsible way, and make the farmer a good living. Hen sheds which incorporate verandas is an example of outside-the-box thinking that satisfies these criteria.

providing for those positive experiences for the animals we use for our sustainment. While all hens deserve a life worth living, they also deserve a good death. There is much to be done to improve the handling and killing of layer hens both at farm and at processing plants. When it comes to hens in cages, of course the RSPCA has had a very long and consistent view about the appropriateness or inappropriateness of that practise. And I think it’s true to say that the science today is rather clearer about these matters than it was when we last made a submission on the development of the current code. Cages don’t allow hens to have positive experiences or, frankly, to have a life worth living. Cages don’t allow hens to lay their eggs in a nest, to stretch their wings, to scratch, to dust bathe, to perch. Cages result in chronic frustration of these normal behaviours as well as constraints on bird movement that can contribute to physical problems such as bone weakness. Cages are focused on making it easy for humans to raise large groups of animals but of course that doesn’t equate to the best option, the best outcome for the hens themselves. We acknowledge that biosecurity today is a more prevalent concern than it was in the past but, again, we don’t believe that that should mean the housing of hens in cages. It does mean more rigour in farm design and practises, and ongoing investment in disease prevention research and development, and then the application of that research into



farming situations so that that research can be applied and used. We know that some of you have cages that can be modified to be furnished, although we understand that there are no egg producers at the moment in Australia that have added these elements to their cages to date. The science also tells us that the way in which furnished cages are being used in Europe does not properly cater for the full range of hens’ needs either. Even though furnished cages are bigger than their predecessors, they are often stocked at densities that mean that other birds have difficulty moving freely and away from each other. This can be exacerbated by the position of the perches. Available headroom is decreased when birds are perching. There are no facilities for dust bathing. The scratching area is inadequate in terms of size and material used. And finally the nesting area, although designed to be discreet and offer privacy, is used as a thoroughfare. As with barren cages, it is still likely to be difficult to inspect birds at the bottom and the top tiers of the furnished cage facility. From an animal welfare perspective, a cage is still a cage, and I think consumers would take that view as well. The RSPCA supports housing systems that protect welfare of individual birds and in which hens can perch, roost, dust bathe, forage and lay their eggs in a nest. Stocking density needs to be such that hens can properly stand, walk freely and stretch and

We know that there’s a variety of ways of meeting these criteria. There’s no one set solution or answer. For hens to have a life worth living, we believe the minimum standards system, the minimum housing system should be one where there will be an indoor cage-free barn system that is either floor-based or a single or multi-tier aviary. It will have densities less than that allowed today. The housing will require perching and substrates that encourage scratching and dust bathing behaviours, and there will be sufficient nest boxes for all hens to lay their eggs. At the other end of the continuum we see eggs that are sold as free range to come from outdoor systems that are defined holistically, with a focus on the internal shed conditions and the quality of the range, not just the number of hens on the range. In our recent submission to the government on the free range information standard we recommend that eggs labelled as having been sourced in the free range system have provided hens with an environment that includes: one nest box for every 120 hens, perching, things for hens to do such as objects for pecking, an indoor stocking density of no more than nine birds per square metre; outdoors: easy access to the range, shade, palatable vegetation, a stocking density on the range of 1,500 birds per hectare or 2,500 if the land can be rotated. Induced moulting is not allowed and beak trimming, if it must occur, happens consistently using infrared trimming at the hatchery. If free range were defined like that, it potentially creates a new category that could include many of the current free range production systems that are operating at higher densities on the range. continued next page

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We urge the egg industry to move quickly and proactively to name this category and define it, so minimum requirements will be consistent across all users and marketed to consumers. While a very small part of the current market and not a term that’s well-understood by consumers, the RSPCA sees great opportunity for more well-managed barn systems that cater for hens’ needs and deliver a cage-free egg aimed at a price sensitive consumer. We know that new facilities need to be built and existing cage facilities retrofitted, and as this happens you need to do this in an environment of certainty, both legislative certainty and some understanding of where consumer demand is heading. There’s no doubt that consumer demand for cage-free eggs is on the rise. With increasing awareness that cages prevent hens doing the things hens need to do, this trend will continue. The challenge for everybody here is to deliver this life worth living for the animals you raise at price points that various segments of consumers are prepared to pay. The numbers of consumers that are focussed on supply chain ethics is on the rise. These consumers seek out labels demonstrating product integrity. Add to this group the home chefs keen on cooking restaurant-quality food that are focussing on higher welfare production practises to get better products on their plates and we can see where significant parts of the market are heading. And of course big and small retailers, and specialist shops and brands are responding very strongly to that impulse. Retail eggs, of course, are only half of the story. To get all hens out of cages, we’re shifting our focus to the other major egg users, to the McDonald’s, the Subways, the Simplots of this world, to help them make the switch from cage to cage-free eggs in a planned way. We’re also raising awareness for those consumers who buy cage-free carton eggs but then go to cafés and restaurants and unintentionally eat eggs which are delivered from hens in cages.

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Choose Wisely is one of the important initiatives of the RSPCA that makes it easy for consumers to find cafés and restaurants that put humane food on the menu. Choosewisely.org.au also provides an avenue for businesses that are using cage-free eggs, and higher-welfare chicken and pork, to shout about it to their customers. The coming few years will see us using our supporters base to boost consumer demand for cage-free eggs in this food service and food manufacturing sector. This will contribute to business confidence and certainty so that all of you in this room can make investments into production and housing systems as well as ongoing research and development that will indeed give hens that life worth living. Most of you will be aware that the RSPCA also operates the Approved Farming scheme that provides producers and consumers with a product they can be confident comes from farms that meet the RSPCA’s animal welfare standards. The Approved Farming scheme standards convert animal welfare science to practise in a commercial setting. We recognise that, in order to meet consumer demand, animal production occurs at a large scale. But we also believe that this can be done with good animal welfare in mind. The standards are voluntary and they go beyond what’s required in the law. The goal of this scheme is to produce as many farm animals living with those higher standards as possible and I’m very pleased to report that half a billion, that’s right, 500 million animals in this country have now been raised to RSPCA Approved scheme standards. Last year alone the scheme delivered a better life and better welfare for 312 million meat chickens, layer hens and turkeys, a better life that could have been achieved if the minimum legislative standards had been complied with. And I want to take the opportunity today to congratulate and thank every primary producer that has contributed to that fantastic outcome. We’re confident that the coming years will continue to see growth in consumer demand for eggs meeting RSPCA Approved Farming scheme standards and we’re keen to talk to any of you in this room and beyond who are interested in joining the scheme. We know that consumers who understand the benefits of higher welfare production systems also have a higher willingness to pay more for

those products, and paying a bit more often means real difference in the life of the hen, or the chick, or the turkey. Sometimes price wars break out and sometimes that appears to give an advantage to the lowest cost producers, the ones who produce at a discount to the welfare of the animals that they get their products from, but as an economist said recently, “Let supermarkets promote tea bags rather than let animals be the victims of price wars.” This change in climate where consumers and others are becoming more interested in how our food is raise also provides an opportunity for industry to be proactive and engage with the Australian community by increasing openness of farming operations. Openness can help inform and educate the public about different farming practises. Building trust between farmers and the general public can be created, for example, by allowing people to visit real farming operations through a virtual tour. Such initiatives show you are proud of what you do and you have nothing to hide. It may even provide companies with a point of differentiation in marketing and quality assurance. Some in the poultry industry, in the past at least, have perceived community expectations to be an unfair intrusion. But it’s no longer, I think, a viable position to view community concerns about animal welfare as part of the food chain as simply a matter of city folk ignorance. Taking into account the concerns of your customers is a good recipe for long-term success. We don’t always have to agree with the nature of such concerns but ignoring them is not an option. On the other hand, those who see animal welfare as an opportunity to be embraced and those who invest in improving animal standards within their operations will be well-placed to capitalise on consumer trends occurring here in Australia and overseas. For the animals you raise and the consumers of tomorrow we certainly hope that you do take the opportunity that these new developments present and we look forward very much to being part of the journey with you. We stand ready and willing to cooperate closely with this industry to get the kind of outcomes that certainly consumers in this country increasingly have come to expect.

MARKETING

By Sophie Moll, Pulse Communications

World Egg Day 2015 Engaging media, consumers and influencers in the ‘Unbeatable Eggs’ story By making an impact on consumers on World Egg Day 2015, the objective was to raise awareness of the health benefits of eggs, and to help increase the per capita egg consumption from 217 per year to 240. To do this, we aimed to bring the existing Unbeatable Egg campaign to life with a bold and impactful idea. The concept needed to gain nationwide coverage, rather than be solely Sydneycentric, and needed relevance in an otherwise staged news cycle. In addition, the campaign had to generate social media engagement to further spread awareness, encourage conversations and ultimately drive consumers to consume 33 more eggs each year. It was important to highlight the benefits of eating eggs through consumer public relations. Whilst advertising can tell and inform people that eggs are indeed unbeatable, PR can credibly show and prove the health benefits of eggs, thereby reaffirming the facts and busting the many myths surrounding eggs. We needed to tell the story in a way that reflected the simplicity, directness and natural purity of eggs. This led to the launch of our campaign platform, the ‘All New Unbeatable Egg’ - so through our communications, key media, influencers and consumers would understand that the egg truly is unbeatable, as it has always been. We reviewed a 30-day snapshot of social conversations about eggs in Australia. Overwhelmingly, Australians love eggs with lda Pier the famous St Ki World Egg Day at ere”. “th re we s oji gm in Melbourne - Eg

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72% of the posts positive toward eggs – often citing them as a tried and true favourite. More than most foods, eggs are highly photogenic. Nearly 25% of all egg mentions contained a photo - from people dining out or cooking at home. Eggs are a favourite even outside of breakfast. There were 750+ posts from people talking about having eggs for lunch or dinner - or as a snack. Eggs have been mentioned as having a wide array of powers and benefits. Ultimately, we had an opportunity to tap into Australians’ love of the egg, and through content celebrate all of the incredible and surprising benefits.

breakfast. The following outlines the PR, social media and Healthcare Practitioner (HCP) engagement strategy for amplifying World Egg Day, 9 October 2015, and beyond.

Execution There were three key phases to execute the World Egg Day activation: 1. Teaser moment In the lead-up to World Egg Day, and timed to coincide with the ATL (above the line) campaign going live, we launched a teaser campaign to drive buzz and excitement for the arrival of the New Unbeatable Egg. •

 edia strategy: we created an image of M an egg with an almost halo effect stating that an All New Unbeatable Egg was being revealed. The image was shared as an invitation with key media, influencers and bloggers to generate excitement and informed them that something exciting is set to be announced by AECL.

•

 ocial media strategy: the image was S also shared via our social media platforms two days before the launch of World Egg Day on 7 October. Doing so inspired

Activation Whilst the business objective was to encourage Australians to eat one more egg per week, the communication objectives included driving coverage and conversations about eggs, while highlighting positive messaging around the health benefits, convenience and versatility of eggs. To do this strategically, our approach was to illustrate how eggs are unbeatable, specifically for

Eggmojis at iconic Bondi Beach on World Egg Day.

conversations and generated buzz for the All New Unbeatable Egg, alluding to the activity and what was to come.

•

2. Egg-mojis take over Australia On World Egg Day, 9 October, we had ‘egg-mojis’ surprise and delight people in five Australian capital cities. The egg-mojis are a series of plastic chicken eggs, decorated and designed with different emoticons to create egg-mojis showing different happy, enjoyable emotions. There were twelve different designs and each of these eggs were able to be opened (in the middle) to reveal a simple egg recipe. The egg-mojis were distributed nationwide around key locations in major cities on the morning of World Egg Day. In addition to this, media were gifted a carton of egg-mojis at the media event and we also sent them to Info-Med, direct to patient communication reaching doctors and patients in general practice waiting rooms across metropolitan, regional, rural and remote Australia to further build relationships. •

Media strategy: we took imagery of the placement of eggs across the county and sold them into media under embargo on October 8 to ensure coverage landed on the day. We also partnered with Food & Nutrition Australia to ensure we had relevant research to prove the benefits of eating eggs for breakfast, and add newsworthiness to the day’s activity. Campaign ambassador, dietitian and GP Susie Burrell, partnered with us to share these research findings with target media in the lead-up to World Egg Day. Susie recorded radio grabs that were then distributed to metro and regional stations on World Egg Day.

Social strategy: on the morning of the launch we leveraged Twitter and Instagram to encourage people to upload photos of the egg-mojis they’d found in key places. To encourage engagement, we re-tweeted and re-shared images from individuals, but also had pre-shot content to share with people to encourage them to look out for our egg-mojis.

Key messaging Eggs are Unbeatable – for breakfast: •

in honour of World Egg Day, Australians across the country have been given a breakfast surprise to launch the All New Unbeatable Egg;

•

 hat is the All New Unbeatable Egg? w Well, it’s the same as it’s always been. But we’re encouraging people to look at it differently as its unbeatable nutrition and versatility shouldn’t be overlooked;

•

t o remind people just how unbeatable eggs really are, thousands of egg-mojis have popped up in to surprise people in key locations: each egg-moji has a new and unique breakfast recipe inside to inspire Aussies and to encourage them to make eggs a part of their daily breakfast routine.

3. Media briefings On World Egg Day we hosted a media breakfast on introducing key media to the All New Unbeatable Egg. Upon arrival at the breakfast, the All New Unbeatable Egg was revealed and our ambassador, dietitian and GP, Susie Burrell, explained that the egg is just the same as it’s always been – perfectly unbeatable, especially for breakfast. The event location was styled to showcase all varieties of the egg-mojis, with breakfast recipe inspiration. •

•

Media strategy: following the event, all recipes were proactively pitched to media to ensure a steady drumbeat of coverage was generated. The research findings were also pitched to target media to gain further coverage. Social strategy: all attendees were encouraged to engage with our social hashtags and capture their own content from the media breakfast. Each ambassador also created content and copy for social sharing on their own channels.

Results Traditional media: •

53 pieces of coverage in total;

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29 online clips and 24 broadcast clips.

Social chatter: •

 ore than 51 posts across Twitter and m Instagram;

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a reach of 269,000 across these channels.

Engagement: •

 eo-targeted posts across Australia with g the local Egg-moji photos;

•

reach of more than 250,000 in two hours.

Eggmojis at



the Opera

House

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RECIPE FOR AN ‘UNBEATABLE’ EGG BREAKFAST

Fun brekky eggs in toast Serves: 2 Preparation time: 5 minutes. Cooking 10 minutes.

Ti p : Get the k i ds i n vo l v ed b y us i n g the i r favo u r ite cook cutte ie r shapes

Ingredients

Method

2 thick slices wholemeal bread

Place bread onto a board. Lightly spread both sides with butter or margarine. Using a cookie cutter, cut a fun shape out of the centre of each slice of bread.

butter or margarine, for spreading 2 tsp olive oil 2 eggs, at room temperature ¼ cup finely grated reduced fat tasty cheese

Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add bread and cut-out shapes. Cook for 2-3 minutes until golden. Turn bread and crack an egg into the centre of each slice. Cook for 3-4 minutes until egg yolk is almost set. Sprinkle with cheese and heat until just melting. Serve each with matching cut-out shapes.

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The best eggy French toast with berries Serves: 4 Preparation time: 15 minutes. Cooking time: 10 minutes.

P e r fect for M othe r othe ’s Day o r r spec b r eakfast i al bed spec - i n i al morn ings .

Ingredients

Method

4 large eggs, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 120˚C/100˚C fan-forced. Whisk eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla in a medium shallow dish.

¾ cup reduced fat milk ¼ cup caster sugar ½ tsp vanilla extract butter, for greasing pan 6–8 slices day-old thick white bread Strawberries and blueberries, to serve Icing sugar, for dusting



Place French toast onto serving plates. Top with strawberries and blueberries, lightly dust with icing sugar and serve.

Grease a large non-stick frying pan with butter and melt over medium heat. Dip 2 bread slices into egg mixture for about 15-20 seconds on each side. Add to pan and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until light golden brown. Transfer to a tray and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with extra butter, remaining bread and egg mixture.

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EGG ENTERPRISE

By John Fitzsimmons

Oddball: A dog’s tale with an eggy flavour. A profile of free range egg farmer Swampy Marsh. An Australian movie called Oddball recently did the rounds and while the title nominally refers to the canine star - a Maremma dog of that stage name - it could also be an allusion to the human ‘character’ who anchors the reality-inspired plot. After all, egg farmer Swampy (previously Allan) Marsh has been called many things, “different”, “controversial” even “seriously weird” among them.

As a boy growing up around Springvale in Melbourne’s south eastern sandbelt in the 1950s, Allan* Marsh got his first hens when he was just 9 and has “been making money out of ‘em” since he was 10. He was selling layers for 37 shillings a pair – about a quarter of his dad’s weekly wage as a welder at that time. While he started (“survived”) Technical School he left early to work in the, then, substantial surrounding poultry industry. He reels off many famous industry names from that time and place who he worked for or around - Bill Wandless, Tommy Scott, Paul Nemet, Bob Fallon, Jack Musgrove and their ilk. He experienced, learned and absorbed his extensive practical knowledge of poultry. He started doing general farm duties and ultimately managed hatcheries and (Golden Poultry’s) Ealing Park Turkeys at Dromana (“the sheds are still there”) before leasing his own farms to produce meat birds at Christmas Hills and Yarrambat on Melbourne’s north east fringe. When hen quotas came in he seriously considered producing duck eggs before the plan was dropped. He later made money out of motor sport, specialising in building seats for racing and rally cars, and even boasts a Peter Brock Holden in his collection. Over the last couple of decades he has adapted his extensive poultry knowledge to supply the organic free range egg market niche from 70 hectares of leased farmland outside Warrnambool on Victoria’s west coast.

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Swampy’s Organic Farm has run up to 25,000 birds but currently has about 10,000, a reduction due to Swampy’s recent ill health. The birds are rotated around the block’s paddocks, and housed at night in moveable shelters fitted with nest boxes. Older-style heavier shelters are currently being replaced with more lightly constructed systems utilising poly igloos. Low cost housing is important for this enterprise, both from a business model and sustainability viewpoint. Low costs allow the enterprise to ‘gear up’ quickly and cheaply to meet demand, while minimal use of sustainable materials reduces the environmental footprint. For example, one potential market avenue is seeking up to 20,000 dozen eggs per week, however that would require significant evidence of commitment to purchase and significant co-investment that has not been forthcoming. Day old chicks of an ISA Brown ‘free range’ selection are introduced to the range and provided with housing/shelter which is lifted slightly above ground, allowing the chicks to come and go (much like a broody hen) while preventing the intrusion of older birds or larger animals for the first three weeks or so. As the chicks grow, the structure is dropped and the doors opened to provide conventional access. Swampy says his hens naturally access range during the day and seek secure shelter at night. About 3000 day-old chicks are housed in each unit, a density which is reduced to 2500 at point of lay and ultimately as low as 1500. Hens stay in production longer than most commercial operations: “if they lay they stay”, Swampy says.

“By the time they’ve laid for 3 seasons I ’ve made a lot of money out of those birds. I allow for natural attrition - culling birds is gut wrenching.”

used as moveable plant beds growing greenpick; they are intermittently moved on to the range giving the birds greenpick and variety, and then removed to regenerate.

About 5% of the flock are roosters because, as Swampy has observed, “it makes the flock calmer”.

From time to time, if the birds appear stressed, they might also be given kefir – a probiotic cultured milk drink a little like yoghurt. Kefir is made by fermenting milk (goat, cow or sheep) with kefir grains and is said to be rich in both enzymes and beneficial bacteria. This beverage is made with the kefir culture or ‘grain’ comprised of lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, and polysaccharides. Being in the midst of a major dairying area means the bulk raw ingredient is readily available.

Swampy suggests that the ISA Brown is not so good in cage production systems but is “outgoing and confident” in free range. The flock generally has a “free choice” feeding program based on an early research paper from University of New England. The birds are given wheat late each day to about 30 grams/bird/day, and access to lucerne or meat meal and shell grit. Tallow might be provided in winter, while there is some experimentation with adding cinnamon and oregano oil to build disease immunity. Swampy uses what he calls the “pallet system”. Stacks of old transport pallets are



It’s simply about lowering the cost of feed and improving the birds’ digestion, according to Swampy. And the hen is the only farm animal you can take this approach with – not ducks or turkeys or pigs, he says.

The only vaccinations given are to day-old chicks for IB and Marek’s Disease; this is permissible under organic protocols.

Protecting the flock Key to protecting the flock are Swampy’s Maremma dogs, one of which was the star of the Oddball movie. In the movie, based on true local events, foxes and dogs had discovered a tasty and plentiful food source in the fairy penguins** that had long nested on Middle Island barely a punt kick off the Warrnambool shore at low tide. Swampy suggested the council, wildlife and parks bureaucracies could use Maremma dogs to protect the penguins from predators but the strict “no dogs in parks and nature preserves” philosophy over-ruled the suggestion. However when predation took numbers down almost into single figures, continued next page

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From previous page

threatening the whole colony’s existence, the idea was trialled using one of Swampy’s dogs – ‘Oddball’ (from Swampy’s first litter of Maremmas). It worked! To the authorities’ surprise the Maremmas accepted and protected the penguins as part of “their” territory but provided a 100% deterrent to fox predation. As Swampy commented, “they had a ‘no dogs’ sign but the foxes couldn’t read” and “the penguins were just like chooks in dinner suits”. The Warrnambool Council’s own Maremmas (Eudy and Tula) are now permanently stationed and rotated on Middle Island and the fairy penguin colony is once again safe and thriving. “We would be out of business in a week without the Maremmas,” Swampy states. He has now been using the dogs for some 18 years. “You do get attached to them,” he said. “But they’re like cats – you don’t own a Maremma, a Maremma owns you.” Wherever the hens are rotated there are three of Swampy’s Maremmas guarding them (Max, Chucky and Lucca), usually with one roving freely and the other two chained, to preserve harmony among the dogs. In any pack of Maremmas the lead dog does most of the work, assisted by the others. These characteristics and social structures have to be recognised if the dogs are to realise their full usefulness. Swampy has two other dogs (Oddball and Topsy) - the backup team that can also be brought or rotated in if needed. The risk of snakebite is the only real threat to the Maremmas; “it hasn’t happened yet but it’s always a possibility”. Of the flock’s possible predators, the Maremmas effectively stop losses to foxes (“two and four legged”) and feral cats; feral dogs are not a problem in this rural area. The very small numbers of hens taken by kites or eagles are best accepted. While crows can be an issue, it is illegal to kill or trap them; Swampy has found that retrieving roadkill crow carcasses (legally) and hanging

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them up around the range has been highly effective. However his practice of leaving some flock mortalities in situ to monitor predation and the effectiveness of his dogs has proved locally contentious. Swampy Marsh can foresee a time when much of the remaining peri-urban egg industry will have to re-locate and follow him to rural broadacre areas. Land values alone will be a big influence – $2000/hectare for land^ significantly improves viability. Lower feed costs are another consideration – he estimates 30% of the birds’ feed is sourced off the range and the need for protein supplements is halved in spring with the flush of new pasture growth. “If you lease a paddock for $1000 per month you can feed a lot of chickens off that.” While he has had to pay up to $800/tonne for organic wheat ex-Queensland, and still just managed a profit, the price is now $300–$400/tonne – “we can make good money on that”. He just has to arrange supplies a week ahead. He is also an advocate for integrating free range egg production with the surrounding dairying and grazing properties. Swampy says having hens integrated into a dairy or cattle farm’s paddock rotation can significantly reduce the need by the farmer to buy in artificial fertilisers to boost pasture growth.

Sales and marketing While industry definitions are still being debated, there is virtually no argument that Swampy’s Organic Farm falls into a ‘free range’ category. In selling ‘organic free range’ eggs he is “developing the next layer of egg quality, flavour and price”. He enjoys a committed customer base and about 70% of his eggs are sold through specialty health food and organic shops. The balance are sold

through a Melbourne distributor, farmers’ markets, some big fruit and vegetable shops with a large organic food clientele, and a major greengrocer and fresh food specialist in Warrnambool. As a business principle Swampy urges all egg producers to think outside the square and think about where the future is headed. Ultimately he believes the consumers’ perception is the only thing that matters.

Export potential Personal and family contacts have led Swampy Marsh to consider the export market. As many other food producers have found, the South East Asian market in particular will pay super premiums for super premium produce. This is allied to the rapidly rising preference for the quality and food safety features of Australian-produced food driven by dairy products and especially baby formula. Retail prices for Australian organic eggs have seen $20/dozen realised in some markets but in this category especially, quality and integrity cannot be compromised. Consistent, reliable and trusted supply chains have to be built. The volumes may currently be small but the Asian market is significant and growing. * Allan Marsh changed his name to Swampy Marsh by Deed Poll. ** E  udyptula minor is the smallest species of penguin. In Australia, they were long called Fairy penguins with more recent efforts made to re-name them Little penguins (ostensibly for political correctness). In New Zealand they are commonly known as Little blue penguins or Blue penguins and are also known by the Máori name Korora. ^ The Victorian Farmland Value Index, calculated by Rural Finance, lists values ranging from $1200 to $10,000+ per hectare, depending on local government area (location).

BIOSECURITY

AECL launches biosecurity manual for egg farmers The Australian Egg Corporation Limited (AECL) launched a comprehensive new biosecurity manual to help egg farmers protect their hens from serious diseases, such as avian influenza, at the 22nd AECL Industry Forum held in Hobart in November 2015. AECL Managing Director James Kellaway said the release of the National Farm Biosecurity Technical Manual for Egg Production demonstrated that the Australian egg industry, in conjunction with Animal Health Australia, is helping farmers proactively manage the risk of infectious diseases on egg farms. “It is critical AECL provide farmers with the service of creating such manuals to help ensure that serious avian influenza outbreaks, like the recent US outbreak that infected more than 40 million hens, do not occur here,” Mr Kellaway said. “AECL is proud to have worked with Animal Health Australia and one of Australia’s leading poultry veterinarians, Dr Peter Scott, in developing this responsible and comprehensive approach to biosecurity risk management,” Mr Kellaway said. Dr Peter Scott, who launched the manual at the 22nd AECL Industry Forum in Hobart, said it encompassed all aspects of egg farming including the transport and movement of eggs and egg products to other farms, grading and processing establishments.

The manual was created as a result of AECL’s commitment to government and industry to help reduce the risk of entry and spread of Emergency Animal Diseases (EAD). The National Farm Biosecurity Technical Manual for Egg Production can also be downloaded from the AECL website: https://www.aecl.org/ assets/www.aecl.org/outputs/ For more information and additional tips about on-farm biosecurity for commercial egg production, visit the Farm Biosecurity Program’s egg industry page: www.farmbiosecurity.com.au/industry/eggs.

Right: Front cover of the Farm Biosecurity Manual. Below: Veterinarian Dr Peter Scott collaborated with AECL on the National Farm Biosecurity Technical Manual for Egg Production.

National Farm Bi osecurity Technical Manua l for Egg Production April 2015

“The release of this manual and the adoption of its best practices on-farm demonstrate our industry’s serious, on-going commitment to preventing the introduction and spread of infectious diseases which impact flocks or have public health significance,” Dr Scott said. The new manual complements the Code of Practice for Biosecurity in the Egg Industry Second Edition. It is already being used by layer hen farmers across Australia to assess risk and provide measures to control the incursion of not only emergency animal diseases such as avian influenza but also those endemic diseases that affect productivity, performance and in some cases organisms of food safety significance. “As a responsible industry it is essential that a risk assessment be conducted for each enterprise to establish what level of risk exists in each phase of its operations and to identify and implement control measures appropriate to these levels of risk,” he said. “Individual egg farmers are able to incorporate these minimum standards on-farm and ensure compliance via an auditable checklist also included in the manual,” he said. Biosecurity and quarantine are integral parts of any successful poultry production system. Biosecurity refers to those measures taken to prevent or control the introduction and spread of infectious agents to a flock. Such infectious agents, whether they cause clinical or subclinical disease, significantly affect hen health and welfare, and reduce the productivity, profitability and long-term financial viability of a poultry operation.



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RESEARCHER PROFILE

By John Fitzsimmons

Salmonella research: Focus at a new pace A number of food borne illness outbreaks have implicated eggs as the source of Salmonella contamination over recent years. The egg industry can therefore expect an increased focus by food safety regulators making AECL’s current Food Safety and Human Nutrition program including the Salmonella Initiative highly important. Dr Raymond Chia was recently appointed as AECL’s R&D Project Manager for this work. For many delegates to the 22nd AECL Industry Forum in Hobart it was their first visit to the southern capital but for Dr Raymond Chia it was a return to an important milestone in his career – the place where he was awarded his PhD from the University of Tasmania. It was a long way from where his life and career started.

it was quite daunting”. After the 24 hour intensity of Singapore Brisbane was very different. The next morning he made human contact and began the studies at UQ that would result in his Masters in Food Studies. Raymond still recalls this time as, ultimately, the greatest time he had studying.

Raymond was born in Malaysia but grew up and was educated in Singapore. However his interest was in science rather than in his family’s haberdashery business so he ultimately graduated with a Science Degree from the National University of Singapore, majoring in microbiology. His working career began in Singapore working in water microbiology at a water testing laboratory.

Following UQ Raymond began the food microbiology chapter of his career, joining Inghams and working in the slaughter house at Murarrie for six months before being promoted to Senior QA Officer at the Cleveland plant. All up he spent two years with the Inghams organisation. Later in this period Raymond realised he wanted to do more research. His supervisor and UQ lecturer offered him some research work on his projects at a CSIRO division (previously Food Science Australia); this he did three days a week before starting his ‘real job’ later in the day at Inghams. After several months the suggestion was made that Raymond could apply for a PhD scholarship at the University of Tasmania’s Centre of Excellence for Food Safety. Raymond, of course, said “why not?”. It took a year before he was awarded his scholarship at which point he left Inghams for three years of full time study in Brisbane.

After working ‘in water’ for two years he sought a change and followed up a suggestion and became curious about food. He could have studied further in the UK with a mid-year start but opted for a New Year start in Australia; he was offered the choice of courses in Sydney and Brisbane - University of Queensland (UQ) won out, mainly because that option was more affordable - and it was a warmer climate. He still recalls the “culture shock” of arriving one evening in Brisbane to commence studies – “it was two hours time difference - it was 9pm in Singapore, 11pm in Brisbane but there was no traffic, no one around,

Image – Peter Bedwell

Dr Raymond Chia

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“I shouldn’t describe it as study because I treated it as a job - every day going to work and discovering something new. I was extremely proud when my first paper was published – it kept me going. It was the best time for me,” Raymond recalled. His PhD thesis subject was on the physicochemical properties of Salmonella – what would prompt Salmonella to attach to different surfaces. At the end of his three-year scholarship tenure Raymond had one outstanding project to complete, which was unfunded, so he “had to go out and get a new job”. This led him to a position with OSI International, a supplier of chicken products to the McDonalds chain, and from there to Quality Assurance Manager for Comgroup Supplies providing beef products to Hungry Jack’s. Not having a lot of previous experience with beef products Raymond said this role challenged him to reach another level in food safety management, making some changes to the company’s food safety systems and structures including moving towards a ‘paperless’ system. After five years with Comgroup Supplies he moved to AECL working on the Salmonella Initiative reporting to RD&E Program Manager Jojo Jackson. Of the four key projects under the Salmonella Initiative’s banner, the first Through-Chain Salmonella Risk Identification report, was completed by his predecessor Dr Kylie Hewson, and underwent

peer review, Raymond is now making the necessary corrections. He is now working on development of the National First Incidence Response Plan for Salmonella and the Salmonella Enteritidis Monitoring & Accreditation Program with funding from the Federal Department of Agriculture and with veterinarian Dr Peter Scott and the NSW DPI. The fourth project under the Initiative’s banner, the Culinary Uses of Eggs has been completed. His work involves a lot of meetings with stakeholders and regulators, and latterly is largely a matter of education. “It is no good having all this information if people don’t have it and use it,” he said. A lot of laboratory work is commissioned or done through projects or joint ventures with the likes of Adelaide University, Melbourne University, or other sites and institutions to be announced over the coming months. Joining the egg industry has been a steep learning curve for Raymond, however he believes the industry has great potential to move forward.

“Using the Salmonella Initiative as an example, Australia is in a unique position – we haven’t seen the same (disease) strains as overseas – we can still take a proactive approach.”



Raymond has an infectious love of science “especially when it comes to biology” (versus physics and chemistry). He is fascinated by microbiology, highlighting that “there might be a perception that it is just about bacteria but at university level you also study virus, algae, parasites - and you can do environmental microbiology, clinical microbiology, and food technology - and the food microbiology ranges across a whole lot of everyday things from bread going mouldy, to the yoghurt you eat to the beer or wine that you drink.” His enthusiasm for his chosen professional field extends to his new lifestyle in Brisbane. He loves the relatively light traffic, inviting friends over for a BBQ, and not having to queue or fight for a seat at the movies - “you could never do that in Singapore, you’d have to book in advance”. Out of hours he finds gardening therapeutic, loving the tropical colours and is proud of his success growing passionfruit, pawpaw and dragonfruit. For Raymond from Malaysia to Dr Chia in Brisbane, via the water, chicken meat, beef and egg industries, the journey has been long and varied but rarely dull. As he also points out, microbiology is not just about peering down a microscope but a whole lot of new worlds to explore.

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EGG FARMERS OF AUSTRALIA (EFA)

Executive Summary of the EFA submission to Treasury

EFA makes submission on free range label standard Egg Farmers of Australia (EFA) has welcomed the opportunity to provide a submission to the Treasury in relation to the free range eggs labelling standard.

Tested against the criteria for good regulation, this proposed standard has the potential to deliver significant net benefits in a manner which the options set out in the Regulatory Impact Statement Consultation Paper (RIS) do not. In particular, the EFA proposed standard:

EFA strongly supports the free range egg labelling standard process and considers that greater clarity in the definition of free range eggs has the potential to deliver significant net benefits for consumers and the industry.

•

is responsive to an identifiable failure of regulation in the form of an inappropriate definition being imposed as a consequence of consumer protection regulation,

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is confined to the relevant problem and would not regulate the market more broadly or traverse into related issues of animal welfare regulation,

•

 ill be effective in addressing the problem by bringing clarity to w the definition of free range eggs,

•

is based on and is consistent with consumer expectations and current industry practice,

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is capable of being complied with by free range egg producers and would not disrupt the supply of free range eggs,

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is capable of being monitored and enforced by regulators,

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is inclusive in that it sets a minimum standard and will not distort competition by excluding some suppliers from the supply of free range eggs, and

•

 ould have no impact on innovation or the ability of producers w that operate differentiated production systems to make accurate claims in relation to the characteristics of those systems.

EFA also supports consumer protection regulation and the principle that consumers should not be misled in relation to aspects of free range production systems. There have been exaggerated claims in the past and regulatory intervention has and will continue to ensure that consumers are not misled, the organisation submits. The organisation has been disappointed by the scope and analytical basis of regulatory intervention to date and the impact it has had in creating uncertainty as to the definition of free range eggs. The prospect that the approach of ‘most birds outside on most ordinary days’ could be incorporated into a free range labelling standard is deeply concerning and EFA has urged Treasury not to characterise the relevant ‘problem’ to be addressed on this basis. This is because the ‘most birds, most days’ approach: a) is flawed, in that is seeks to define ‘free range’ by reference to specific misrepresentations that have been the subject of enforcement action, b) is based on case law which has not considered, and cannot provide, meaningful guidance on the meaning of free range, and

It is for these reasons that EFA urges the Treasury to adopt the proposed standard and bring clarity to this issue.

c) would significantly distort the competitive process by imposing a definition of free range that the vast majority of free range egg suppliers could not be confident they could meet. EFA proposes a basic information standard based on the published Egg Farmers of Australia definition of free range eggs. This definition provides that laying hens in free range farming systems: i. are unconfined within a ventilated hen house; ii. h  ave meaningful access to and are free to roam and forage on an outdoor range area during daylight hours in a managed environment; and iii. a maximum outdoor stocking density of one hen per square metre. The EFA definition of free range is supported by eight minimum standards which specify egg production systems that would ensure compliance with the Egg Farmers of Australia definition.

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Egg Farmers of Australia (EFA) definition of ‘free range’ is supported by eight minimum standards.

By Alan Kirkland*. CEO – Choice.

The great free-range debate Sometimes it feels like all we do is argue with industry – about stronger regulation, better labelling and higher professional standards. We are having the same arguments with different industries week in, week out – we get to see the same tricks that they all roll out to try to stymie reform. One is the ‘evidence war’, where lobbyists arm themselves with research funded by industry, which inevitably shows that consumers don’t want to see anything change. Another tactic is the argument that we’ll stifle industry and kill Aussie jobs if we require businesses to change their practices. The other staple in the lobbyist pantry is the argument that if we force business to behave better, this will raise costs, resulting in higher prices for consumers. Naturally, we disagree. We expect most of these arguments to be out in force as the big end of the egg industry fights against movement towards more

reliable labelling of free range eggs. ‘Big egg’ already have their own research, which shows consumers accept hens that spend every day inside as “free range”. They’ve claimed changes will make large scale egg production unviable. And they’ve said that prices will go up if we have a definition of free range that reflects what consumers believe it means. We know all of this is untrue. Consumers think that “free range” means that chickens go outside. Many consumers will continue to buy eggs produced on large-scale farms, just as they do now. And our research shows that other consumers are already paying more for eggs labelled free range that probably aren’t. This whole debate boils down to a simple principle: when you buy something, it should be what it says on the box. *This article edited for space reasons. Source: www.choice.com.au

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SCHOLARSHIPS

By Kate Mason, Nuffield Scholar

Nuffield changes lives, contributes to industry and community Kate Mason

Our diversified family farm is located 40 kilometres from Kojonup, three hours south of Perth in Western Australia. It was 2005 when I founded the egg business with 150 hens at the age of 19 - a time when my dreams were bigger than my bank balance. We are now running 6000 hens in a rotationally pastured free-range system. The eggs are branded as ‘Katie Joy’s Free Range’ and sold directly into retail stores in Western Australia. Other enterprises include growing, processing and packaging certified organic rolled oats, branded as ‘Mason’s Country Fresh’ and distributed through wholesalers across Australia. A small sheep flock of 600 ewes for organic crossbred lamb production are sold and marketed through an organic grower co-operative into Western Australian butchers and retailers including Coles. In 2013 I joined the committee of management for the CEPWA. I have been invited to speak on a number of occasions at egg industry agricultural conferences, forums and dinners as well as local community groups. I was awarded a place in the Woolworths Agricultural Scholarship program where I

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spent two weeks learning about the business of agriculture from a retailer’s perspective. I am currently a director for the Organic Meat Co-operative of WA, which is essentially a group of farmers who collaborated to brand and market organic beef and lamb directly into retail stores in WA. Free range is a rapidly evolving category in the Australian egg industry. I have concerns for small businesses like mine who may be forced to either get big or get out if they cannot match the efficiencies of the larger scale free-range operations that are growing rapidly to feed this demand for alternate systems. My motivation to study this topic as part of my AECL sponsored Nuffield Scholarship was to give insight to businesses like mine in regards to where market segment is headed in the future, allowing us to stay in the game. The issue at the very centre of the problems currently faced by the egg industry comes down to the consumer’s increased concern for animal welfare and the retail giants who have seized this as a marketing opportunity – Coles, Woolworths, and more recently IKEA. As a consequence, there are some large free range operations being set up to meet the growing demand for what the consumer considers to be a more welfare friendly product. The problem is that now that some hens are out of cages, there has been sensationalised public outcry that the free range hens are not being farmed the way that was expected. The broken relationship between the farmer and the consumer, further facilitated by the supermarket duopoly, is at the heart of the turmoil in the egg industry and it seems some issues are even pitting farmer against farmer, which has had an overall negative impact on the industry. When I started on this journey I held a strong belief that educating the consumer would play a vital role in the future direction of not only the Australian egg industry but all Australian agricultural industries. I felt we had to rebuild

that relationship and, more importantly, work out how we could achieve this through educating the consumer. I have a philosophy that if you can find positives in every challenge, these will be your advantages to succeed, because it sets your business apart in a competitive world. I see an opportunity in the challenge to feed the growing population Through the Nuffield scholarship I travelled to China, USA, Canada, Netherlands, the UK and Ireland. In China it was amazing to see the cultural differences with respect to the dinner table. In the USA it was interesting to witness the sheer scale of agricultural enterprises like Fair Oaks Dairy farm. In the Netherlands, I saw innovative ideas that were solving business challenges and the “outside the box” thinking was inspirational. In the UK, the marketing conference in London was a culmination of presentations from the marketing experts of leading global brands such as Microsoft and Lego. I would really like to thank AECL for investing in my Nuffield scholarship. It has positively changed my life in more ways than I could fit into a few sentences. Mention must be made of the outstanding assistance I received from Communication Manager Kai Ianssen during the course of this study. It has been the opportunity of a lifetime to step outside my local community and business. The Nuffield network is absolutely inspiring; one fine morning across the globe I had to pinch myself to see if I really was having breakfast with the Prime Minister of Ireland - Ende Kenny - tea toast and eggs and an amazing conversation. Wow! Nuffield has challenged everything I know and given me the tools to be able to continue to challenge, learn and innovate. I now have a more global perspective on agriculture and business. Personal growth has been a huge part of it for me and I am really excited about contributing to our industry and community into the future.

To refrigerate or not to refrigerate eggs Science tells us that refrigerating eggs can assist reduce the risk of Salmonella but condensation on eggs caused by temperature fluctuations can increase the risk. Refrigeration is not the silver bullet that eliminates the risk of Salmonella in Australia because Salmonella risk reduction is multifactorial and complex and includes safe food handling techniques in the kitchen while preparing meals.

Salmonella risk reduction is multi-factorial and complex Eggs are a fresh food product. Like farmers of other fresh foods, most egg farmers do a great deal to ensure the safety of the food they produce. Egg farmers carry out a number of measures to minimise the presence of Salmonella, ranging from cleaning farm sheds, cool storage and transportation of eggs, minimising egg temperature variations, separating out dirty and cracked eggs, or even washing and sanitising eggs. AECL commissioned Dr Connor Thomas from the Schools of Molecular and Biomedical Science at the University of Adelaide to identify the best Salmonella risk assessment models for the egg industry. Dr Thomas reported that his research found that refrigerating eggs did help reduce the risk of Salmonella but a number of other risk mitigation measures were also very important. In his 2006 report, Dr Thomas suggested that: •

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r efrigeration of eggs throughout the supply chain, including during wholesale and retail storage could reduce the risk of human Salmonellosis;

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 eneral improvement to hygiene and food storage practices in g catering operations is required where these practices are below par. This includes giving special attention to the prevention of cross-contamination and temperature abuse of egg products.

Salmonella risks would be minimised by not using cracked or dirty eggs in products likely to be provided to individuals susceptible to food-borne Salmonellosis. This is a requirement of the Food Standards Code;

Bolegg Gallery

continued next page

Managing aviary birds is easier than you think • Easy management • Perfect egg quality • Optimal house layout Vencomatic Group Simon McKenzie, Area Sales Manager Pacific [email protected]

Imexco Australia Pty ltd. Tea Gardens (NSW) [email protected]

Metrowest Automation and Control Pty Ltd. Patarker Pty Ltd. Jamistown (NSW) Belmont (WA) [email protected] [email protected] Ryan-Ryte Enterprises Pty. Ltd. Carrum Downs (VIC) [email protected]



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From previous page AECL’s Salmonella Initiative is a project conducting a risk assessment that includes research-based knowledge to be used as the basis for the management of each risk which will also identify knowledge gaps that can be filled through the AECL work program.

Reducing Salmonella risks Dr Thomas reported that it was evident that few, if any, outbreaks of food-borne Salmonellosis in Australia were unequivocally attributed to eggs from farms using credible quality assurance systems and retailed commercially. His report also stated that there was evidence pointing to the use of ungraded eggs and cracked/seconds eggs as the cause of some outbreaks of Salmonellosis. “The evidence is sufficient to recommend avoiding the use of the latter type of eggs … and to advocate that during future outbreaks of food-borne Salmonellosis authorities acquire information on the source of eggs present in any incriminated foods,” the report stated. Consumption of food containing raw or undercooked egg was identified in the report as an important factor that can contribute to egg-related outbreaks of Salmonellosis. “These foods are often subjected to temperature abuse and potentially can also acquire Salmonella from cross-contamination during preparation, storage and handling. Unfortunately, these foods are repeatedly associated with outbreaks in vulnerable populations (health care, aged care and infant care settings).” “Greater use of pasteurised egg pulp in meals prepared by commercial caterers and institutions caring for vulnerable individuals could be used to reduce this risk.”

quality assurance practices aim to prevent temperature changes The delay in the growth of Salmonella in eggs has been found to be temperature dependent. For eggs held at room temperature, growth may be inhibited for 2 to 3 weeks. Conversely, for eggs stored at 37°C, growth may occur in a few days. This effect is the result of a temperature and time dependent breakdown in the integrity of the vitelline membrane. As eggs age, weakening of this membrane allows bacteria to migrate from the albumen into the yolk, or the leakage of yolk contents into the albumen. These changes have been suggested to be factors that can lead to significant growth of Salmonella in eggs. Thus, Salmonella in eggs may increase greatly as a result of invasion and growth in the yolk. Typically, at ambient room temperatures increases in cell counts are not observed until the eggs are stored for periods in excess of three weeks. This growth lag correlates with weakening of the yolk membrane.

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The term ‘Yolk Mean Time’ (YMT) has been coined to define the period during which Salmonella is present within the egg will be prevented from multiplying due to natural inhibitory and physical barriers. The term provides a useful expression of the interaction of storage time and temperature and capacity for growth from farm to retail for Salmonella. It’s been estimated that the YMT for eggs stored at 16°C is 26 days and for those stored at 20°C, 17 days. Irrespective of the manner of cooking, risk associated with foods containing eggs is minimised by retail storage of eggs at 4°C. Risk increases 8-fold for uncooked and lightly cooked foods prepared from eggs stored at other temperatures once the YMT has been exceeded. However, well-cooked foods, such as scrambled eggs, are predicted to represent little or no risk because the cooking step inactivates all Salmonella.

Refrigeration is not the silver bullet Refrigeration can help minimise the risk of Salmonella but refrigeration and then gradual warming (from supermarket to fridge at home for example) creates condensation. Condensation on eggs due to removing eggs from storage at 4°C to ambient temperature, while not a hazard in its’ own right, provides opportunity for bacterial survival and penetration of the shell. Moisture is needed to allow penetration; hence any stage of production where both moisture and a positive temperature differential may be present provides an opportunity for bacterial invasion. When eggs are removed from refrigerated storage and placed at room temperature, they may “sweat” due to condensation of water droplets on the egg surface. Consequently, industry quality assurance practices aim to prevent temperature changes that may cause condensation to form on the egg surface. The risk will be reduced for washed eggs due to reduction of bacterial loads on the shell surface. Regarding egg quality, storing eggs at low temperature helps to maintain the freshness, and at the same time limit the growth of Salmonella. Through the Salmonella Initiative, AECL has been collaborating with relevant through-chain stakeholders (producers, health departments, regulators, food service operators, chefs) to identify appropriate controls measures at various stages through chain. Source: www.aecl.org

IN THE MEDIA

Source: Poultry World / World Poultry

UK beak trim backflip UK farming minister George Eustice recently said that a ban on beak trimming will not be introduced in the UK from January 2016.

found that, by 71 weeks, only 12 of flocks achieved acceptable levels of mortality (i.e less than 9%).

The Minister decided not to implement a ban on beak trimming in 2016, but has called for improved management techniques to reduce feather pecking.

The group therefore recommended that “a ban on beak trimming of laying hens should not be introduced in 2016 as, on the basis of practical experience and available research, it could be detrimental to overall welfare in an unacceptable number of laying hens”.

The Minister said he was accepting all of the recommendations recently submitted by the pan-industry Beak Trimming Action Group (Btag). The group advised that the risks of introducing a ban on infra-red beak trimming are too great. “It could result in outbreaks of severe feather pecking and having to employ emergency beak trimming using the hot blade method, which is a far worse outcome from an animal welfare perspective. However, the Btag report also identified improved management techniques that could reduce feather pecking. The government expects to see these techniques introduced across the laying hen sector.” These techniques were put to the test in trials on 20 non-beak trimmed flocks by Bristol University in 2014–15, and the findings are included in a review later submitted by Btag. The Bristol report



The decision was welcomed by the industry. British Egg Industry Council chief executive Mark Williams said, “We have always said that we would rather not have to beak trim, but we use IRBT to protect hen welfare, rather than face the hen welfare risks from not doing so”. “BEIC is committed to continuing the progress made to further reduce injurious feather pecking, to the point where beak trimming is not necessary in the future. But we are not there yet.” NFU chief poultry adviser Gary Ford said. We believe that a continuation is in the best welfare interests of laying hens so we are pleased that the Minister has listened to ours and the industry’s concerns.

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R&D

MANAGING

By Dr Phil Glatz, Dr Kelly Drake and Geof Runge*

f ow l

Fowl behaviour Cannibalism and feather pecking can be a significant problem for layer and breeder farm managers in Australia. This abnormal behaviour is a source of production loss (e.g. eggs, feed usage and mortality) as well as reduced wellbeing of birds.

Front cover of the AECL handbook Managing Fowl Behaviour.

There are a number of strategies to mitigate cannibalism and feather pecking, including beak tipping by infrared beak treatment and/or hot blade beak trimming where pecking and cannibalism is not controlled by the earlier measures. The new AECL handbook Managing Fowl Behaviour provides egg producers and breeder farm managers with a resource to mitigate the risk of cannibalism and feather pecking. It provides an overview of the problem and the various tools and management practices available. The handbook focuses on strategies that do not require any tipping at all. Some of these management options and strategies will become more viable as further research is carried out to make sure they are effective in reducing cannibalism and maximising bird welfare. The handbook can be used by farm managers as a benchmark tool to compare their current strategies with those considered to be best practice.

Economic losses

BEHAVIOUR A best practice guide to help egg produce rs and hen breeders ma nage feather pecki ng and cannibalism in their flocks

DR PHIL GLATZ AN D GEOF RUNGE

Bright light should be avoided in nesting areas because it may contribute to vent pecking by making the vent more visible. Vent pecking can occur sporadically and a flock may ‘recover’ from the outbreak. This is different from severe feather pecking where it is generally found that once pecking starts in a flock it is extremely hard to stop.

TYPES OF PECKING

SIGNS

INJURY

MANAGEMENT

Despite considerable effort put into understanding the problem of feather pecking, the problem still exists and remains one of the largest welfare and economic problems in the egg industry. Feather pecking is a multi-factorial problem that can be influenced by genetic background, early life experience and the environment that the bird lives in.

gentle feather pecking

– no feather loss

none

monitor

Cannibalism can be a huge impost on the economic viability of a farm. The costs associated with cannibalism are significant in barn and free‑range systems. Mortality can be higher than 20% in some strains depending on the production system and management.

severe feather pecking

progressive

monitor + management action

severe mortality

urgent management action

variable low to high occasional death

monitor + management action

variable low to high often death

urgent management action

Aggressive feather pecking and vent pecking can be considered as two distinct types of pecking quite distinct from severe feather pecking and not necessarily related to it. Aggressive feather pecking occurs when an aggressor bird directs pecks toward the head or comb of a recipient bird. It is more commonly seen in male birds. Vent pecking is pecking directed at the vent area and can occur independently of feather pecking. It can be marked when cloacal mucosa is exposed as birds first come into lay. Birds will also peck at the vent area of another bird on a perch if the perch is not located correctly. 32

– usually ignored by recipient – limited feather eating in rearing beneficial* – feather loss – abnormal behaviour – forceful feather removal – recipient may squark/move away – feather sucking, toe pecking

What is feather pecking? Gentle pecking occurs naturally in a flock. It may progress from a gentle peck to severe feather pecking which causes injuries and in its most severe form will lead to cannibalism if action is not taken to prevent this happening.

– normal behaviour

pecking targets bare body areas

– severe feather pecking – particularly base of tail – injuries, blood, cannibalism

DISTINCT PECKING EVENTS: aggressive feather pecking

– pecking delivered to recipients head – aggressor has upright body posture – dominant bird pecks subordinate bird – extreme in cockerels

vent pecking

– pecking at vent of recipient – relatively rare

Types of pecking, signs to look for and management actions required.

Causes of pecking problems Many factors can lead to feather pecking and cannibalism in pullets and hens. Some of the critical factors are associated with the layer or breeder strain used, bird health, diet and nutritional factors, form of feed, feeding and drinking space and height, incorrect perch location, incorrect placement of equipment within the shed, stocking density, floor substrate, light type and intensity, uneven light, litter quality, lack of environmental enrichment, rough handling, high dust and ammonia levels, variable weather conditions, high noise levels, presence of predators, flies and ectoparasites, poor ventilation, relocation of hens to different cages and mixing birds of different ages. Ultimately, too many stressful variables can place a flock under abnormal ‘stress’ levels and potentially lead to severe feather pecking and cannibalism. Cannibalism can occur in a wide variety of birds of different genetic backgrounds. Cannibalism can occur at any age or in any strain and occurs in birds raised and housed in free range, barn, aviary and cage production systems. Cannibalism in poultry involves severe, aggressive or vent pecking and tearing of the skin and usually leads to the death of the pecked bird if it is left in the flock. Once cannibalism has started, it can spread rapidly through a flock via social transmission and will cause mortality, economic loss and welfare concerns. Increasing community and market expectations for improved animal welfare standards and farmers’ concern for bird welfare arising from pecking, has raised the need to address cannibalism. The underlying causes of feather pecking in layer hens have been the focus of research around the world for many years. While scientists do not yet fully understand the problem, the knowledge gained from the

research has allowed the development of strategies that will help to minimise pecking and improve the wellbeing of hens in modern farming systems. On occasions a flock in one shed of a farm can have an outbreak of feather pecking and cannibalism yet the same strain in another shed will not be affected. Such situations contribute to the difficulties farm managers have in controlling a vice in poultry that may occur for no apparent reason.

Management strategy Adopting a strategy that contains the following components will assist in preventing the occurrence of severe, aggressive or vent pecking. The strategy involves implementing three practices: 1. apply husbandry practices that will minimise the risk of feather pecking and cannibalism occurring in flocks. 2. monitor flocks using indicators of pecking by applying suggested criteria in check lists and work instructions provided in the handbook. 3. beak treat replacement chickens using Infrared beak treatment (IRBT). This strategy will ensure that most flocks will complete their life without a serious pecking incident. Occasionally severe pecking occurs despite all the preventative measures that are in place and the flock may require rescue beak trimming to bring the incident under control. Severe, aggressive and vent pecking occurs most frequently in free range flocks, less in barn and least frequently in caged flocks. In free range flocks where the management practices discussed in the handbook are implemented effectively a second trim using hot blade is now not commonly used. On some farms a second tip using the hot blade method at 10 to 12 weeks is necessary to reduce the risk of a serious incident. This should only be used until the preventive strategy of beak treatment and husbandry practices as described in the handbook are at a standard on the farm to minimise the risk of serious pecking occurring.

Types of beak trimming Definitions used in the handbook for operations on the beak are: •

Beak tipping is a generic term to describe any operation on the beak to remove part of the upper and lower beak.

•

Beak treatment is the treatment of the beak of day old chickens using infrared technology (infrared beak treatment) resulting in a maximum of one‑third of the beak sloughing off within two to four weeks of age.

•

Beak trimming is the removal of a maximum of one‑third of the upper and lower beak using the hot blade technique at any age.

If beak tipping is used, IRBT of day old chicks at the hatchery is the least stressful method of tipping. It is now used routinely worldwide in developed countries. Day-old chicks. Chick on left was IRBT treated, chick on right – no treatment.



continued next page

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From previous page Monitoring the effectiveness of beak tipping over time is important as it identifies birds with poor tipping and enables feedback to the hatchery or the trimming team. This allows improvements to be made as part of a continuous improvement program.

Poultry Welfare Code

IRBT is the second most used method used worldwide today. The system uses a non-contact, high intensity, infrared energy source to treat beak tissue in a bloodless procedure, which later inhibits further growth of the beak tip. The energy pulse penetrates the hard outer layer of the beak, treating a pre-determined amount of tissue. Unlike the hot blade method, the upper and lower beak remains intact, protecting the treated soft tissue underneath. Day old chicks are treated at the hatchery. With IRBT, the beak looks the same as it did before the treatment, except for whitening of the beak tip and a white dot on the top of the beak. The bird is able to use its beak normally. Within a week, the beak tip softens, and two to three weeks after the treatment, the sharp hook of the beak sloughs off. The welfare benefits of this method include lower potential for neuromas (nerve damage) and absence of long term or persistent neuromas, as well as a better beak profile, leading to more uniform flocks. The hot blade machine has an electrically heated blade that is used to shorten and blunt the beak. The hot blade beak trimming method continues to be used in Australia mainly for re‑trimming flocks that have been treated at day old with the infrared method. Some small farms buy their replacement stock from small hatcheries that do not have an IRBT machine. Maintaining the wellbeing of hens can be achieved in these flocks by either getting the hatchery to hot blade beak trim the chickens at day old, or carrying out the trimming on farm at 5–10 days old using a hot blade machine with an experienced trimming team. Hot blade beak trimming is also used as a last resort to rescue birds if mortality from cannibalism occurs during the rearing and laying period. The handbook Managing Fowl Behaviour provides the how, when and why birds beaks are tipped using infrared treatment or hot blade trimming and birds’ responses to beak tipping —information that can help managers to take better care of birds with tipped beaks if these methods are used to control cannibalism and mortality of birds.

Monitoring beak quality Monitoring involves daily flock checks where beak condition is noted and regular scoring of the tipping job over the life of the flock. The handbook includes scoring sheets for infrared treated and hot blade trimmed flocks.

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The 2001 Australian Poultry Welfare Code (currently being revised) gives the responsibility to egg producers (including layer and broiler breeder managers) to make every attempt to prevent feather pecking and cannibalism in birds by selecting the most appropriate strain, housing and management practices. These include making adjustments to stocking density, lighting, temperature, humidity, removing injured birds and removing birds instigating pecking. If these measures fail to control the problem then beak trimming of birds should be considered in consultation with an expert in animal welfare to prevent further injury or mortality in the flock. The welfare code requires updating to bring it in line with changes in technology and the management practices discussed in the handbook.

Accreditation The Welfare Code stipulates that beak trimming (tipping) must be performed only by an accredited operator or under the direct supervision of an accredited trainer as part of an accreditation training program and must be performed only in accordance with agreed accreditation standards. Accreditation will provide a way to ensure that people carrying out beak tipping meet the standards required in the hatchery and on the farm. Operators will be required to have their skills and knowledge formally assessed against a national competency standard supported by the poultry industry. Once they demonstrate their competence, operators will meet the accreditation requirements in the Welfare Code. AECL will be making available to the egg industry a training program to enable accreditation/reaccreditation of hatchery, farm and contractor personnel.

Summary The AECL handbook Managing Fowl Behaviour details factors that are known to increase the risk of severe feather pecking and cannibalism together with beneficial strategies that can be implemented to minimise the risk of pecking. Checklists and work instructions are included in the handbook to assist those who are responsible for the wellbeing of hens to implement and monitor a strategy best suited to their farm. Copies of Managing Fowl Behaviour will be available early in 2016. Contact AECL (02) 9409 6999. * Dr Phil Glatz and Dr Kelly Drake - South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), and Geof Runge – consultant.

Disease file: Enteric viruses

Since the 1970s our knowledge about enteric viruses has increased. This occurred because of a realisation that pathogens other than bacteria and parasites could cause enteric disease. Diagnostic tools also became available, including direct and immune electron microscopy as well as more specific tests such as electropherotyping genomic RNA, which is used for the detection and differentiation of double stranded RNA viruses like reoviruses and rotaviruses. More recently PCR has been increasingly used. The disease picture Most enteric viral infections are seen in the three weeks after hatching. The clinical signs and lesions for many enteric viral infections are similar, therefore laboratory tests are required to identify the specific viral cause once a presumptive diagnosis of an enteric viral infection has been made. Often more than one enteric virus is involved, for example in poult enteritis and mortality syndrome (PEMS), which has been encountered in the USA. Enteric viral infections typically cause diarrhoea and often the gastrointestinal tract is distended by gas and/or fluid. Most viruses do not stay in the bird for long and different viruses infect and replicate in different sections of the digestive tract and at different sites on the villi.

Enteric viruses are the most common cause of primary insults in the digestive tract of young poultry. These insults often provide the opportunity to attach and penetrate the cells of the digestive tract and cause further damage. Sometimes these bacteria cause a film on the surface of the villi. It is the effect of antibiotics on these bacteria which has resulted in misplaced claims for these products to be effective against enteric viruses. Much of the early work on enteric viruses was done in turkeys because of the commercial impact of the disease. More recently, work on enteric viruses has spread to broilers as enteric disease has become more significant in commercial broilers. Interestingly, many of the findings in broilers mirror those found in turkeys a few decades earlier. Damage to the integrity of the digestive tract adversely affects the efficient utilisation of nutrients with the consequences of loss of flock uniformity and the emergence of poorly sized birds. Treatment There is no specific treatment but sometimes supportive therapy can be beneficial, such as the use of antibiotics to control secondary bacterial infections or the use of vitamins and electrolytes. Source: Poultry Health Bytes

As yet, we do not have the means of culturing many enteric viruses in the laboratory which hampers the gaining of a better understanding of them. There is no evidence of egg transmission of enteric viruses and active immunity plays a role in limiting the disease, but it would appear that passive immunity only plays its part in the first few days after hatching.



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FOR THE DIARY

JANUARY 21–23 January •

2016 MARCH 13–15 March •

VIV Asia, Bangkok, Thailand

 th Leipzig Veterinary Congress, Leipzig, 8 Germany

26–28 January •

International Production & Processing Expo, Atlanta, USA

APRIL 3–5 April •

IEC Business Conference, Warsaw, Poland

21 April •

FEBRUARY 14–17 February •

 ustralian Poultry Science Symposium, A Sydney

18 February •

AECL Board meeting, Sydney

MAY 10–11 May •

British Pig & Poultry Fair, Warwickshire, UK

29 May

AECL Board meeting, Sydney

•

 ECL Strategic Planning Workshop, Gold A Coast

29 May – 1 June •

PIX. Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre

31 May •

JUNE

JULY

1 June

28 July

•

AECL Board meeting, Gold Coast

1–2 June •

AVPA. Broadbeach, Queensland

15–16 June • •

The Consumer Goods Forum Global Summit 2016, South Africa - Cape Town International Convention Centre

23 June •

AECL Board meeting, Sydney

•

6–8 September •

AECL Board meeting, Sydney

AUGUST AECL Board meeting, Sydney

SEPTEMBER 5–9 September •

23 November •

AECL Board meeting, Victoria

DECEMBER 15 December •

36

AECL Board meeting, Sydney

OCTOBER 20 October 2016 •

AECL Board meeting, Sydney

MARCH

23–24 November  3rd AECL Industry Forum. Peppers 2 The Sands Resort, Torquay, Victoria

IEC Global Leadership Conference 2016. Shangri-La hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

 XV World Poultry Congress, Beijing, X China

NOVEMBER •

 IV China 2016. New China International V Exhibition Center (NCIEC) Beijing, China

18–22 September •

25 August •

EFA meeting, Gold Coast

15-17 March •

2017

VIV Asia 2017. Bangkok, Thailand

SEPTEMBER 3-8 September •

 X Congress of the World veterinary X Poultry Association, Edinburgh, Scotland.

AECL Associate Members MSD Animal Health

HMI Electric

Cootamundra Oilseeds

Develop, manufacture and market

Agents for Nuovo Printing/ Starlkat/Sanovo/Agrilamp /EBM

Oilseed processing plant producing

vaccines for the poultry industry

www.hmielectric.com.au

oils & meals for the animal feed industry

www.msd-animal-health.com.au

www.oilseeds.com.au

Kemin Industries Australia

Brodrene Hartmann A/S

Feed additives supplier

Recyclable Moulded-fibre Packaging

Alltech Biotechnology Nutrition & health

www.kemin.com

www.hartmann-packaging.com

www.alltech.com

Biomin

Gow Gates Insurance

Agriequip Pty Ltd

Feed Additives

Insurance & risk advisors specialising in agribusiness

Egg processing equipment

www.biomin.net

www.gowgates.com.au

www.agriequip.com.au

Agricultural Automation

Big Dutchman

Equipment & Environment Control Systems

Housing and Feeding Systems

www.agriculturalautomation.com.au

www.bigdutchman.com

Patarker Pty Ltd Poultry shed equipment supplier

www.patarker.com.au

For further information about our Associate Members, please visit www.aecl.org



EGGSTRA! EGGSTRA! EGG INDUSTRY MATTERS SUMMER 2016

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AECL Associa Lohmann Layers Australia

Zoetis

Vencomatic BV

Australian breeder and distributor of the Lohmann Brown layer

Poultry health products

Innovative and Welfare Friendly Housing Solutions

www.lohmannlayers.com.au

www.zoetis.com

www.vencomatic.com

Orora Ltd

Lienert Australia

AAS - Australasian Agricultural Services

Fibre Packaging

Vitamin / Mineral Premixing

Poultry Shed & Hatchery Equipment

www.ororagroup.com

www.lienerts.com.au

www.ausagservices.com.au

Quantum Power

Tresidder Insurance Group

Hy-Line Australia

Anaerobic digestion systems & biogas fuelled power stations

Insurance brokers

Breeder & Hatcher of Laying Pullets

www.quantumpower.com.au

www.tresidders.com.au

www.hyline.com.au

Moulded Fibre Products

38

Matthews Australasia

Potters Poultry International

Australia Pak

Coding & Labelling

Nests, Aviaries & Cages

Importers of egg packaging

www.matthews.com.au

www.potterspoultry.com

www.australiapak.com.au

B&M Slots

DSM Nutritional Products Australia

Jefo Australia

Design & Consultancy, Project Management, Supply & Installation

Manufacture high quality Vitamins, Yolk Pigments, Feed Enzymes, Eubiotics, Minerals and Premixes

Non-medicated performance feed additives

www.bmslots.com

Technical enquiries: [email protected]

www.jefo.com

ate Members MOBA Asia

Salmet International GmbH

Kuhn Corp Packaging

Egg Grading, Packing & Processing

Hen Housing Manufacturers

Licensee for Ovotherm International Clear Egg Packaging

www.moba.nl

www.salmet.de

www.kuhncorp.com.au

Feedworks

Premium Agri Products

Bioproperties

Ingredient & Technology Suppliers

Pigment & Antimicrobial Acids Supplier

Manufacturer & Distributor of Poultry Vaccines

www.feedworks.com.au

[email protected]

www.bioproperties.com.au

BEC Feed Solutions

Imexco Australia

Ridley AgriProducts

Health & Nutrition

Nesting, Packers, Feeding, Watering, Ventilation Equipment

High Quality, High Performance Animal Nutrition Solutions

www.becfeedsolutions.com.au

www.imexcoinc.com

www.agriproducts.com.au

Huhtamaki Australia

MyPak

Novus Nutrition

Egg Packaging

Suppliers of egg packaging

Providers of Micro-Ingredients

www.huhtamaki.com.au

www.mypak.com

www.novusint.com

SCE Energy Solutions

Trans Tasman Energy Group

Prime Super

Energy Harvesting & Energy Saving Systems

Customised energy management solution

Industry Super Fund

www.sce-energysolutions.com.au

www.tteg.com.au

www.primesuper.com.au

For further information about our Associate Members, please visit www.aecl.org

EGGSTRA! EGGSTRA! EGG INDUSTRY MATTERS SUMMER 2016

39

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