Sustainable and regenerative farming are keys to future production

 Sustainability is the fundamental principle of farm management at the Freeranger Eggs farm.

The stocking density of any farm animals is a critical factor in the long term sustainability of farmland. With chickens, the maximum stocking density of 1500 hens per hectare was established by the industry, academics, politicians and bureaucrats when they prepared the Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals (Domestic Poultry). Nutrients and trace elements in manure can accumulate in the soil, making it toxic for vegetation as well as polluting ground and surface water.

A laying hen produces half a cubic metre of manure a year. So with a stocking density of 10,000 hens per hectare approved by Ministers for Consumer Affairs, farmers who follow their advice will see their land covered with 5000 cubic metres of manure per hectare every year.

As chicken manure has the highest amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium of all manures, it will likely render the land useless for farming within a few years. Contamination of groundwater and water courses is also likely. Details of the farm process are on the freeranger website: freeranger.com.au

$12 million more taxpayer funds to be spent dealing with bird flu at intensive production facilities

 

The federal government is planning to spend$12 million in conjunction with the states for critical equipment in a biosecurity defence plan supposed to prepare Australia for an H5N1 bird flu outbreak which some ‘experts’ say will almost certainly reach Australia.

The funding will also be spent on culling hens, called 'depopulation', decontamination and disposal equipment to limit the spread of the disease. A better safety measure would be to stop workers travelling between layer sites - a common industry practice.

Bioplastics industry can use calcium carbonate from egg shells

 According to Watt Global Media,Major egg producers may find an added income source by processing their millions of egg shells.

using computerised eggshell separation technology, calcium carbonate can be supplied without mining, reducing the carbon footprint of calcium carbonate by 97 percent for bioplastic producers, compared to the average of the mined product.It's  properties make it useful in various other industries including construction and cosmetics.

National Agriculture Day Australia

 

National Agriculture Day  is held every year in Australia on the third Friday in November. This year it is on November 28.

It will be a great day to recognise the strong demand for information about setting up freerange farms.

An eBook on how to set up a sustainable freerange farm is available from Freeranger Eggs at Grantville and is even more vital now the clear consumer demand for free range eggs has generated a strong increase in the number of people thinking about starting their own free range egg businesses.

Small, ethical and sustainable farm businesses can be established to service local communities.  Every township needs a  free range farm nearby. 

A good starting point is reading our eBook on starting a free range farm available on the Freeranger Eggs website

Detailed information is available on the Freeranger Club downloads page about things like shed requirements, food safety, egg packaging and labelling.

When deciding to set up a free range egg farm, take the time to plan it properly. Find out the zoning of the land and talk to your local Council planning department about their requirements. It’s also worth contacting the State Department of Agriculture. You can find on-line resources in most states. Once that is sorted, talk to your Council Environmental Health Department about any specific requirements they have before you get underway.

Details: www.freeranger.com.au

Point of lay hens available again

 Point of lay pullets are now available again at the Grantville farm. They are well grown, 16 weeks old and vaccinated against all main poultry diseases. Call or email if you would like a few hens.  0356788483 . freeranger@dcsi.net.au Despite higher costs including Government charges, they are still just $35 each.

Australia's egg industry now almost totally corporate controled

 Australia’s egg industry has long been dominated by big business but corporate power over the industry is now almost total. Legendary corporate raider,Ron Brierley's Guinness Peat Group has a big stake in Victorian egg operator Farm Pride Foods. Pace Farm, which is owned by private equity group ROC Partners has bought Kinross Farms and Canada’s PSP Investments controls 50% of Sunny Queen Australia. That accounts for almost all eggs sold in supermarkets and leaves a tiny percentage of overall egg sales for individual farm businesses. Increasing levels of market manipulation seem inevitable.

How many eggs a day?

 There is often debate about how many eggs a day people should eat.Generally, one to three eggs a day is a good number for most people. It's important to eat a variety of healthy foods. Some kids have sensitivities or allergic reations to eggs, or are simply picky eaters. If your child doesn't eat eggs, that's okay. The most important thing is for them to eat a balanced diet with lots of whole foods and lean protein. A healthy diet should include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, healthy fats, and good sources of protein.

Grab the opportunity to set up a farm. Demand is expected to stay hot

 

The growing need for more free range egg farms was brought home again today when a 5 tonne delivery truck arrived at the farm this morning and the driver said he had been sent to fill up the truck with eggs.

He could hardly believe it when Anne said we had no eggs available. “But my computer says this an egg farm” he wailed. “Yes” she replied “But all our eggs are laid to order and we are always sold out by this time.”

There is a huge opportunity for more genuine free range farms to be set up, and we have been doing our best to encourage it locally and in every State. There needs to be far more free range farms close to every township in the country.

We have an eBook available for anyone interested. It will be sent as a pdf after payment of $240 is made to our Bendigo Bank account P&A Westwood 633000 53356233

Destruction of bushland at Grantville

 It’s strange how some people can’t see the wood for the trees when it comes environmental issues. In Bass Coast Shire, a  handful of noisy people shrieked about demolishing a few dying trees to allow a road widening scheme for a sand extraction site which had already been granted a permit – yet they have not raised a squeak about cutting down and setting fire to native vegetation and habitat trees in Stanley Road. It is part of the bushland corridor and far more significant than the few trees on the north side of Stanley Road, adjoining cleared farmland which have been the subject of ravings by supporters of Save Westernport Woodlands. That vegetation has little habitat value compared with the senseless destruction of healthy trees and wildlife just undertaken. The State Government's Forest Fire Management has just completed the first burn, but a total of 22 hectares of the bushland is being targetted. It would have been better for activists to concentrate on maintaining the continuity and integrity of the woodland. Even the Shire has been hoodwinked into supporting this nonsense.It’s  hard coming to terms with the senseless destruction of bushland at Stanley Road, Grantville by firelighters from Forest Fire Management, assisted by Neil Rankine, guru of Save Westernport Woodlands. This example of their handiwork demonstrates that they have no respect for or understanding of native vegetation and wildlife. It also shows the absurdity of Mr Rankine’s objection to the removal of a handful of dying trees to make Stanley Road safer for residents. He clearly has a secret agenda which he refuses to share.

Accoustic force-field to protect poultry from infection

 A South Australian company has been using artificial intelligence to develop a system to protect hens on poultry farms from any infection threat posed by wild birds. It can be deployed on a Poultry site to create an acoustic barrier to exclude wild birds.

It is said to create an acoustic force-field barrier to prevent unwanted wild birds from impacting on the poultry within the farm complex.

Extending the lifespan of laying hens

 Work at Sydney University’s Poultry Research Foundation has shown the benefits of maintaining healthy flocks of hens. It says that extending the lifespan of egg laying hens would contribute to decreasing the size of the national flock and the use of limited resources, thereby increasing the sustainability of the Australian egg industry. For extension of flock life to be economically viable, aspects of hen management including hen feed efficiency, eggshell quality, and hen health need consideration. Some recent Australian studies of brown egg producing hens in longer laying cycles have been undertaken. With ongoing genetic selection for improved persistency of lay and feed efficiency in laying hens, the egg industry is pursuing the opportunity to extend layer hen lifespan until they are 100 weeks of age, with an aim for each hen to produce up to 500 eggs. Most intensive producers force their hens into unnatural laying cycles by installing lights in sheds to keep them eating and laying eggs, rather than going into a moult which is normal after about 70 weeks of laying an egg every day.

Continuous egg production places high demand on the organs and tissues involved in producing eggs. This includes the liver, which generates yolk lipid and, the oviduct which produces the egg white, shell membranes and eggshell. Further, the continuous demand for Ca for eggshell formation may impact bone integrity, especially the risk of bone fractures and osteoporosis  Eggshell quality is central to the production of first grade eggs and is a key determinant for the flock to continue through a longer laying cycle. Optimal liver and skeletal health are also critical for the successful extension of flock life. The research backs up our method of low density production with small flock numbers, quality feed and good husbandry practices.

Research shows benefits of brown strains of free range hens

  Recent research at North Carolina State University in the United States has shown that brown strains of laying hens are slightly heavier than white hens, no matter the housing type,whether free range or in cages. They have a better feed conversion ratio and brown birds housed cage free have a lower mortality rate compared to brown birds in cages. Selecting the right birds is the first step in setting up a successful free range farm. Check out our website and, if you are serious, read our eBook on running your own farm.

Eggs help beat 'cost of living' crisis

 In these  times of supposed‘cost of living challenges’ there are many choices to be made, including effective ways to eat well. Canadian dietician Abbey Sharp says eggs are an easy, inexpensive protein to lean on during times of economic uncertainty. She confirms that a single egg has about 6 grams of protein. It is also a complete source of protein,  containing all nine essential amino acids our bodies can’t make on their own. Eggs are also a healthy source of Vitamin A and D, iron, choline and other nutrients. Often the choice is simple: meet your living costs or support lifestyle choices, such as holidays or bigger and better gadgets!

Top Egg Blogs

 Here's the link to the listing of the top 15 egg blogs in the World.   Freeranger Eggs is ranked number 8 - not bad for a tiny free range farm.

https://bloggers.feedspot.com/egg_blogs/

Start your own free range farm

 Australia needs many more free range farms to meet the demand for good food. Here is an urgent need for more genuine free range eggs. Check out our website freeranger.com.au and then read our eBook on setting up your own farm.

Daylight saving time ends April 6

 The madness of daylight saving time ends on Sunday April 6. In Victoria clocks will be turned back by one hour at 3am — they'll go to 2am. It’s all a political game because State politicians are too gutless to end stop fiddling around with our clocks. Particularly since the advent of flexible working hours,there is no need for daylight saving time which has been shown to be detrimental to the health of some – especially children.International studies have linked circadian disruption to an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and even suicide.  heart attacks spike by as much as 24 per cent. A study in 2020 found that moving clocks forward one hour carries an alarming 6% increased risk of fatal traffic accidents, due to circadian scrambling and sleep deprivation. One particulr disruption for free range farms is that the hens’ egg laying body clock is set by regular daylight – so any change affects the lay rate – or the timing of laying. That, of course is not an issue for intensive producers with hen locked in sheds under controlled lighting conditions and is of no interest to selfish city dwellers.

Plans for AI to boost egg production

 Academics and big egg producers are investigating the use of high tech to increase egg production. They are using smart technology like sensors and artificial intelligence , which they say will help farmers produce more eggs while keeping their chickens healthier and happier. They use words like "developing a sensor-embedded flock management system which detects health, welfare and productivity indicators using artificial intelligence to provide community-based learning to farmers and the supply chain."The project, called Flockwise, is supported by Innovate UK, a government organization that helps UK companies develop new products and services. A much simpler system would boost production by encouraging more small-scale farm businesses which maintain bird health by keeping the flocks in natural conditions rather than in overcrowded sheds.

Let avian influenza run

 Robert F Kennedy junior is regarded by many as a nutcase. But sometimes he makes sense. The US Secretary of Health stated on Fox News that farmers "should consider the possibility of letting avian influenza run through their flocks so that the birds which are immune can be identified. He suggested that 'natural immunity' was better than contaminating birds with vaccines.

We are again one of the top egg farm blogs in the world

 

Once again, this blog has been recognised as one of the top 15 poultry blogs in the world.

New pullets have arrived

 Our latest point of lay Isa Brown pullets were delivered yesterday. They are looking great, as always. Our supplier, Yellingo Free Range hens does a terrific job raising the chooks. Thanks Kevin. As usual, we ordered a few more than we need as our replacements, which allows some pullets to be sold to locals who want hens in their backyards. All are fully beaked and have been innoculated against the main  poultry ailments Mareks disease Newcastle disease, Infectious Bursal Disease (IBD), Infectious Bronchitis (IB)Infectious Laryo Tracheitis (ILT Egg Drop Syndrome (EDS) Fowl Pox (FP) contact us if you would like to order some.