Design, Operation, and Feasibility of a Small On-the-Farm Egg Grading and Packing Plant

Excerpts from the report: The transition within the egg industry from small farm flock production to large automated operating units has created different egg processing and marketing needs throughout the industry. When small farm flocks were prevalent, centralized egg grading and packing plants were the most efficient system for processing and marketing eggs; but as the production units increased in size it became advantageous to perform many of the processing, packaging, and marketing functions on the farm. The trend toward moving the processing, packaging, and marketing functions to production areas has extended through much of the food industry. Improved methods and equipment for maintaining egg quality, along with a uniform, standardized grading program, contributed to making on-the-farm processing and marketing both practical and advantageous. This report presents a description and layout of an on-the-farm egg processing plant, designed to handle 35 cases of eggs (30 dozen per case) per hour, along with a cost analysis for construction and operation of the plant. The facility would be operated 7 days per week, since the hens produce each day of the week and eggs must be removed daily from the laying house.