Examining the nutritional and production characteristics of egg-farms in Basmakci County in Turkey

Abstract

The first attempts in producing table-eggs for the Turkish market on commercial egg farms were initiated in Basmakci County in 1974. Since then farmers have started to produce table-eggs through their own efforts, and as a result of rapid development Basmakci is now the main egg-centre of Turkey. However, there have been several factors having negative impacts on egg production in the region. This study involved investigations into the nutritional and husbandry characteristics of egg production. The present work outlines the structure of egg production along with the present problems of management, nutrition and environment. Egg production for Basmakci's producers can be considered as a secondary commercial activity within the farm enterprise. The producers have set up the Association of Basmakci Egg Producers (ABEP) to deal with the problems of supplying the laying stock and marketing the eggs. However, some important problems were encountered in the form of egg production drops during the course of the present investigation. The older conventional cage systems (A-type and California type) are still preferred by the farmers. Leading international commercial breeds of laying hens have been imported for egg production, but field tests of these breeds have not yet been carried out by the commercial breeding companies under local conditions. Neither laying house environmental conditions nor least-cost feed formulation were found to be well controlled in interests of optimum egg production. The producers failed to keep continuous and meaningful production records, and this causes difficulties in implementing different feeding programmes and management solutions. Manure management and other health-related issues are still being ignored. However, in order to improve the production level we suggest that poultry extension works should be established here with the strong collaboration between the universities, Egg Association, breeding companies and the Agricultural Ministry.