2120 final report.pdf - Agra CEAS Consulting

APPENDIX 2: THIRD COUNTRIESUnder the one-cycle or unmolted system, pullets are placed in laying houses at 17 to 18 weeks andremain in production until they are about 74 weeks of age. Under the two-cycle system, theprincipal approach to egg production in the U.S., a molt is induced as the birds approach 70 weeks ofage. After an interruption of about 4 weeks with no egg production, output resumes though not asstrongly as during the first cycle. Production continues until around week 105 when productivitydrops below break-even. Under the two-cycle approach, hens are retired from production at thispoint. Producers using a three-cycle approach induce a second molt at this stage, making it possiblefor hens to remain in production until they are around 140 weeks of age see Table A2.40 for typicalproduction cycle benchmarks).The laying cycle for free-range hens is essentially the same as the two-cycle approach since many ifnot most of these producers also molt their flocks. Growers of organic layers, however, generallydo not molt their hens and therefore mirror the one-cycle approach. Since organic spent hens arecommonly marketed as roasters, there is an economic advantage in sending them to slaughter at ayounger age.Table A2.39: Performance measures for U.S. egg production systems 2003Measure One-cycle Two-cycle Three-cycle Free-range OrganicLaying cycle (days) 392 581 798 616 364Empty period (days) 14 14 14 14 14Feed/bird/year (kgs) 37.09 36.59 35.60 38.24 40.89Feed/bird/day (grams) 102 100 98 105 112Eggs/bird/year 318 284 262 229 264Kg feed per kg eggs 1.87 2.07 2.17 2.67 2.48Mortality (%) 6.2% 10.2% 14.6% 13.8% 7.8%Number of hens/worker 138,700 138,700 138,700 2,540 2,000Hens housed/cage 5.6 5.6 5.6 n.a. n.a.Space allowed/hen (cm 2 ) 345 345 345 1,394 1,394Pullet cost (€/bird) 2.10 2.10 2.10 2.31 2.81End of lay hen weight (kgs) 1.54 1.54 1.54 1.66 2.20End of lay hen price (€/kg) 0 0 0 0.13 1.84Note: some data have been converted from laying cycle to year to correct for different laying cycle lengths by system.U.S.US $ have been converted to € at US $1 = €1.192. Source: Industry data.377