Big Bend Poultry Farmers Scramble to Fight Back Egg-flation

Feb 06, 2023

By Adrian Andrews

Egg farmers and consumers in the Florida Panhandle are facing an “egg-normous” dilemma. The Consumer Price Index notes that just within the past year egg prices have increased by 60%.

Part of that is driven by the presence of an avian influenza that spreads swiftly among birds. The US Department of Agriculture has been tracking the virus since July of last year, but that’s not the only factor behind the rise in egg costs.

Gigi Carroll owns Whitetail Hollow Farms and regularly sells her eggs at the Havana Farmers Market. She said the cost of chicken feed is also going up.

“To combat the cost of feed we are resurrecting our farm from stationary hoop coops to mobile coops that will be moved daily on pasture to offset the need for supplemental feed,” Carroll said in a text message. “We are also reevaluating the breeds we use for layers and only keeping the ones that produce the most number of eggs per year.”

Click here to see more...

Video: New Solution Powers Efficient Pork Growth

Alltech has introduced Olerix, an innovative phytogenic blend created to promote growth and feed efficiency in pigs. Through a proprietary coating process, the bioactive blend of phytogenic compounds used in Olerix is designed to outlast the manufacturing process, ensuring consistent outcomes from feed to finish. The result is a high-impact efficiency solution that provides consistent support for gut health, feed efficiency, immune function and growth performance. Olerix is backed by validated trials conducted under modern pork production conditions.

“As the industry searches for technology to drive profitability forward in a more sustainable manner, we’re thrilled to join that effort with our Olerix technology,” said Mark Hulsebus, general manager for U.S. pork at Alltech. “Our work in this phytogenic space is yielding very encouraging results, and we’re excited to make this new opportunity available to pork producers focused on optimizing feed efficiency and growth rates.”

“Olerix represents the next generation of phytogenic technology — combining feed efficiency, livability and immune support into a practical commercial solution producers can implement today,” said Andy Rash, U.S. monogastric director at Alltech.