Help needed with white egg study

If your birds have ever laid white eggs that should have been brown, then researchers want to hear from you.

Over the summer months a Defra-funded study into the possible causes of the problem has been undertaken by a joint team from ADAS, Scottish Agricultural College and the St David’s Veterinary Practice in Devon.

Visits have been made to a number of sites where flocks have been producing high numbers of white shelled eggs. As well as recording details of housing and husbandry systems on these sites, tests have been carried out to assess bird health, including examination of blood samples. Any differences in egg shell thickness, shell structure and cuticle cover have also been examined.

But the research team says it now needs to build up a more detailed picture of the extent of the problem and is asking producers whose flocks have been affected by the problem to contact them.

“The more information we can get, the better will be our chances of helping the industry to address a problem which has persisted for several years,” says ADAS senior consultant Jason Gittins.

“We’ve posted a questionnaire on the BFREPA website and whilst it would be particularly useful to hear from producers who have experienced problems this summer, it will also be of value to know of past instances—and even hear from those producers who have never experienced the problem.”

Mr Gittins says the website questionnaire is brief and should only take a few minutes to complete. If producers are also willing for ADAS to speak to them so that further information can be gathered, they can include their contact details. However, says Mr Gittins, this section can be left blank to maintain confidentiality if preferred.