Egg production reaches record levels
Swiss hens have been working overtime over the past two months, and will lay no fewer than 114 million eggs in preparation for Easter.
The egg producers’ umbrella organisation, Gallosuisse, says its members have stepped up production to cope with extra seasonal demand, after there was a shortage last year.
Gallosuisse says it expects production to total 58 million eggs in March and 56 million in April. This represents a monthly increase of five million eggs compared with last year or a nine per cent rise over the two months.
Swiss eggs may be more expensive than imports but are considered of higher quality, according to Gallosuisse.
“We will have no difficulty selling them; on the contrary,” says the organisation’s Alois Mettler. Almost three out of four eggs sold are produced in Switzerland.
Production is increased by a number of means. One method is to use artificial light from 4am to simulate dawn.
Another possibility is to breed the hens so that they are between 25 and 35 weeks old when demand is at its highest. At that age, the hens are at their most productive.
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