German Egg Demand Rising

GERMANY - Consumer demand for eggs in Germany is rising despite domestic egg output declining, which would suggest imports will increase in order to meet consumer demands, according to Emma Hogan from the German Office of Bord Bia - the Irish Food Board.

Over the last five year period, consumption has increased by over four per cent to 214 eggs per capita, whilst domestic egg production continues to fall with self sufficency now at 55 per cent.

Germany is currently playing a leading role in the EU initiative to phase out battery hens by 2012 which in effect has led to an increase in imports of organic and non battery hen eggs. The German Egg Industry is also in the process of banning the use of genetically modified feed.

Rewe intend to expand their GM free egg range to 70 per cent by the end of 2011. Considering these factors, there is scope for egg producers from abroad to at least consider the opportunity.

The Netherlands is currently the largest source of imported eggs, supplying Germany with 8,417 million eggs in 2010(Marketinfo. Eier & Geflügel).

Organic eggs experienced a 26 per cent boost in sales this year following the dioxin crisis which also brought about a nine per cent drop in sales of free range and cage free eggs. Bord Bia research has found that average retail egg prices in Germany are currently 0.30c organic (per egg), 0.23c free range and 0.17c cage free.

ThePoultrySite News Desk

The Egg – Very Nutritious, No Matter Where It's Produced

Cholesterol levels in both free-range and cage eggs were found to be lower than previously in a new study at North Carolina State University, prompting a revision in the USDA nutrition guidelines.

Eggs produced by free-range hens are often perceived by the public to be nutritionally superior to eggs obtained from layers kept in traditional battery cages. However, a recent scientific study has called this popular perception into question by finding essentially no differences in the nutritional quality of eggs produced by hens from both management systems, said the Poultry Science Association (PSA).

The findings also showed that cholesterol levels in all eggs were lower than US Department of Agriculture guidelines, prompting the USDA to review and revise downward its estimates for average cholesterol levels in eggs.

The study, 'Comparison of Fatty Acid, Cholesterol, and Vitamin A and E Composition in Eggs from Hens Housed in Conventional Cage and Range Production Facilities', appeared in the July issue of Poultry Science, a journal published by PSA. Its author, Dr Kenneth E. Anderson, a Professor in the Department of Poultry Science at North Carolina State University, collected data for the study in 2008 and 2009. The study was conducted concurrently with the North Carolina Layer Performance and Management Test (NCLP&MT), which evaluates the major commercial layer lines used in the United States.

Dr Anderson explained: "The key take-away message from this research is that an egg, no matter where it's produced, is a very nutritious product. Eggs from a range production environment did have higher levels of total fat than eggs produced by caged hens but they did not have higher levels of cholesterol. Perhaps the most striking finding was that both cage- and range-produced eggs actually have lower cholesterol levels than previously believed, which has led the USDA to lower the cholesterol guidelines for eggs in the USDA Nutrient Database for shell eggs to 185mg per egg, down from 213mg."

Research Framework

Dr Anderson conducted his study in North Carolina using more than 400 Hy-Line Brown pullets. The pullets were raised in accordance with the laying environment (range or cage) in the 37th NCLP&MT. All of the pullets in the study were hatch-mates. Identical rearing dietary programs were used for both the range and cage pullets, with the only difference being the access the latter group had to the range paddock, a common hay mixture for North Carolina comprising both warm- and cool-season forages.

Pullets designated for the range facilities were brooded on litter until 12 weeks of age and then moved to a range environment. At 17 weeks, they were then moved to one of three production range paddocks. A parallel pattern was followed for the cage hens, which were reared in a cage rearing facility, and then at 17 weeks assigned to one of three groups of laying cages. All other rearing parameters were maintained as similar as possible.

* "A significant nutritional advantage of eggs produced by chickens housed on range versus in cages could not be established"

Dr Kenneth E. Anderson

Research Findings

Egg samples were collected at 50, 62 and 74 weeks of age during the productive life of the flock and sent to four different laboratories commonly used for egg nutrient analysis.

The results showed no influence of housing environment (range or cage) on egg levels of vitamin A or vitamin E. However, β-carotene levels were higher in the range eggs, which, according to Dr Anderson, may have contributed to the darker coloured yolks observed in these eggs during the study. The study also found no difference in cholesterol content between range- and cage-produced eggs.

Based on these results, Dr Anderson concluded that "a significant nutritional advantage of eggs produced by chickens housed on range versus in cages could not be established".

August 2011

International Egg and Poultry Review: Russia

RUSSIA - This is a weekly report by the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), looking at international developments concerning the poultry industry. This week's review looks at the poultry meat industry in Russia.

Prime Minister Putin announced on 22 July 2011 a reduction of 2012 pork and poultry tariff quota quantities followed by the signing of a government of Russia (GOR) Resolution on 27 July and released on 29 July 2011. The 2012 tariff-quotas for fresh and frozen beef are in line with GOR Resolution #1021 of 16 December 2009.

For 2012, Prime Minister Putin stated that "Chicken production is expected to increase 330,000 metric tons (MT) next year and pork imports will be substantially reduced because we expect to increase pork output".

The 2012 tariff-quota for poultry divides the 2011 poultry tariff quota between boneless and bone-in parts for the first time. The net 2012 poultry tariff-quota is a 20,000-metric ton (MT) reduction from 2011 and 220,000MT from GOR Resolution #1021 of 16 December 2009. The 2012 tariff-quota for pork and pork trimmings represents a 150,000-MT reduction from 2011 and 100,000MT below levels stated in GOR Resolution #1021. Of notable interest is the pork trimming tariff quota for 2012 remained largely unchanged.

For 2012, poultry and pork imports within quota will be subject to a 15 per cent customs duty and a 75 per cent excess quota customs duty. Another first for 2012 in Resolution #616 no country specific allocations were indicated.

The Former Soviet Union-12 (FSU-12) Region ranked number four in US broiler meat exports and number 9 in turkey meat exports for January-May 2011. On an annual basis, Russia's share of the US FSU-12 broiler meat exports dropped from 89 per cent in 2000 to about 55 per cent in 2010. Meanwhile, Russia's share of FSU-12's US annual turkey meat exports has dropped from 98 per cent in 2000 to 51 per cent in 2010.
Sources: USDA, Foreign Agricultural Service; Russia Profile