Eggs, meat, leather and other products

Commercial chickens have been selected for either egg laying or meat production. For example, for meat birds, breeding using the fastest growing birds results in fast growers in the next generation. Today, the egg strains are lightweight and produce many eggs and the meat strains grow very fast.  Diets are formulated to provide the nutrients that the birds need.

Hormones are prohibited for use in the poultry industry and the Australian Government tests for these hormonal growth promotants (stilbenes) as part of  its National Residue Survey program - no residues have been detected.

Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial diseases and to prevent birds getting a disease when there is a high risk of this occurring (using antibiotics increases production cost). Antibiotics are approved for the particular use by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA).  The APVMA sets withholding periods for the approved uses.  A withholding period, in relation to the use of a chemical product, means the minimum period that needs to elapse between the last use of the product in relation to an animal and the slaughtering of that animal, or the collection eggs from that animal, for human consumption. The Australian Government tests for antibiotic residues as part of its National Residue Survey program and no antibiotic residues were detected in poultry products, as listed in their 2004-05 report .

Egg quality handbook (saleable publication)
Describes shell and internal defects, each illustrated with a colour photograph, and explains the possible causes and control measures for each defect.

The Food Safety Scheme for Eggs and Egg Products (Safe Food Queensland)
Safe Food Queensland has developed and implemented a co-regulatory preventative food safety regime called the Food Safety Scheme for Egg and Egg Products (Egg Scheme). The Egg Scheme requires all commercial operators involved in the supply, processing, wholesaling or transportation of eggs or egg products in Queensland to operate under a Safe Food Queensland  approved food safety program and be accredited. 

Australian Egg Corporation Limited
Links to the web site of this producer owned company that provides marketing, research and policy services on behalf of all Australian egg farmers.
This site includes information on egg production, value of eggs in human nutrition, recipes.

Australian Chicken Meat Federation
Links to the web site of the peak coordinating body for participants in the chicken meat industry in Australia.
This site includes information about chicken meat production, human nutrition and recipes.

Emu skins
Hide characteristics, supplier details and product availability for emu leather products.

Organic industry
Information for consumers, producers & researchers about organically-grown meat and plant products.

Chicken litter as a fertiliser on dairy pasture