Poultry products, egg and meat quality, and marketing
Domain 6 – Poultry products, egg and meat quality, and marketing
The exam tests egg and meat quality attributes, safe handling, and realistic marketing choices for small producers.
Core rules
- Egg quality: clean, uncracked shell; good shape index (about 72–76); firm albumen (Haugh unit); bright yolk; no off-odour. Store eggs in a cool, shaded place, pointed end down; do not wash dirty eggs in cold water before storage, as it spreads bacteria.
- Meat quality: healthy birds only; withdraw feed (not water) before slaughter; bleed thoroughly; chill quickly; keep off the ground; use clean knives and boards.
- Grading and value addition: sort eggs by size and freshness; clean, dry packaging; label with date. Value addition such as boiled eggs, egg powder or dressed chicken can raise income if hygiene is maintained.
- Marketing: direct sale to consumers, local shops, hotels, cooperatives or contract buyers. Compare prices net of transport and spoilage. A cooperative can improve bargaining power.
Worked example
A farmer has 100 eggs. 80 are clean and uncracked, 15 are dirty but intact, 5 are cracked. Sell the 80 as table eggs at full price; clean the 15 dry with a cloth and sell them quickly at a lower price or use them at home; do not sell cracked eggs as table eggs-use them immediately in cooked products if safe, or discard. Revenue is calculated on 80 full-price and 15 discounted eggs, not on all 100 at the top price.
Traps
- Washing eggs and storing them wet.
- Selling cracked or dirty eggs at full price and losing customer trust.
- Slaughtering sick birds for sale.
- Ignoring transport losses and spoilage in the price calculation.
Key points
- Grade eggs by shell cleanliness, soundness and freshness.
- Store eggs cool, pointed end down; avoid wet washing before storage.
- Slaughter only healthy birds and chill meat quickly.
- Sell cracked or dirty eggs at a discount or use them safely at home.
- Compare marketing channels net of transport and spoilage losses.