MAGP (Ministère de l'Agriculture et de la Pêche)
Ministry of Agriculture and Food

Bureau of crop and animal statistics

marie-anne.lapuyade@agriculture.gouv.fr

France uses a model to estimate the production of eggs for consumption. This model is based on data from a monthly survey of breeders conducted by the SSP under the EC Regulation 617/2008. The balance of foreign trade of one-day-old chicks is applied to spawning chicks hatched in French hatcheries,  in order to estimate the setting up of pullets in French farms, up to two years back. Knowing that a hen starts to lay at 5 months-old, and that she lays for 12 to 13 months (according to the way she is raised : in cages or not), the number of laying hens in production is estimated each month.Using this number and the average number of eggs laid per hen, the production of eggs for consumption is calculated each month.

Hatching data are collected monthly from nest egg hatchers. The foreign trade data for day-old chicks comes from French Customs (DGDDI).

3.1.1. The main data source of the information

Eggs producers

For laying chicks, the classification system used is CN8: 01051191

- NACE code 01.47.1: live poultry holdings (raised for meat, eggs and liver)
- NACE code 01.47.21: live poultry farming (shell eggs, fresh)

The model uses data that are consistent with the European definitions : they come from monthly surveys of hatcheries that respond to EC Regulation 617/2008, and are therefore in line with the EU methodology.

3.4.1. Definition of eggs for consumption under EU methodology

Yes

3.4.2. If not, specify the definition used.

Not applicable.

3.4.3. Definition of egg producer under EU methodology

Yes

3.4.4. If not, specify the definition used

Yes. Egg production comes from a model, which estimates egg production by farms. The definition of an agricultural holding is in line with the EU methodology, although the data collection is not carried out at the farm level but from hatcheries. Besides, aperiodic farm structure surveys (FSS) and French surveys on poultry farming practices carried out on farms each 7-8 years, are used to recalibrate the model : theses surveys provide updates concerning the number of holdings producing more than 5000 hens layers, and the number of eggs produced per hen and per month.

Information reported by eggs producers:

3.4.5. Definition of laying hens under EU methodology

Yes

3.4.6. If not, please describe the differences

Not applicable.

Information reported by packing centres:

3.4.7. Definition of ungraded eggs under EU methodology

Not relevant

3.4.8. If not, specify the definition used

Not applicable.

3.4.9. Ungraded Eggs provided separately

Not relevant

3.4.10. Additional comments on statistical concepts and definitions

No comment.

In France, the statistical unit belongs to the third type: the model uses data from a survey conducted with 8 specialized hatcheries with a minimum capacity of 1,000 hatching eggs.
The model does not use an annual survey of farms producing eggs for consumption, but is recalibrated by FSS and surveys of farming practices that provide an estimate of the number of farms producing eggs for consumption, and their production.

Panel of 8 brooding Gallus hatcheries

3.6.1. Physical, economical or other threshold(s) applied to the data collection

The threshold of the ESS Agreement is respected, since the model estimates the number of eggs produced by farms holding more than 5000 laying hens.
The hatchery survey, used as an input to the model, covers hatcheries with a capacity of over 1,000 hatching eggs.

3.6.1.1. COVERAGE

In the egg-laying industry, hatcheries with more than 1000 eggs provide over 99% of layer farms. We therefore consider that the model covers the completeness of the production of eggs for consumption.

Survey field: Until 2018 (included), the reference area is Metropolitan France. Since 2019, the reference area includes also overseas departements, but the sample is the same, since there are no egg hatcheries with 1000 eggs or more in theses departments.

 Data are available from 2008 until 2018

3.8.1. The first survey/data collection

Production data come from the forecast model, available since 2008.

Year 2008 was used as a base period for collecting complete data (through the survey on poultry farming practices). Since then, the model estimate the annual production of egg for consumption, each year.

3.10. Other comments

Egg production of egg-laying hens is called "professional" or "intensive" production.

4.1. Unit of measure in million

Yes

4.2. Other unit of measures used

Not applicable

5.1. Reference period in calendar year based

Yes

5.2. Reference date for number of laying hens

The model uses the average number of laying hens in the calendar year, and not their number on 31 December.

5.3. Additional comments on the reference period/date used

The number of laying hens in 2018 is determined by the cumulative number of productive generations born between August 2016 and July 2018. Chicks become laying-aged pullets at approximately 5 months of age. Example: in January 2018, we take the set up of chicks from August 2017 (become chickens in first month of laying), but also all generations in production born earlier, the oldest being in the last month of laying (placing in place in August 2016). Thus, the laying hens of January 2018 are the sum of generations of hens born between August 2016 and August 2017.

- 2017 ESS Agreement on Statistics of Eggs for consumption
- EC Regulation n ° 617/2008 on which the monthly statistical surveys carried out by SSP among birth attendants and breeders

Not applicable (for the 2018 metadata collection)

Not applicable (for the 2018 metadata collection)

Not applicable (for the 2018 metadata collection)

Not applicable (for the 2018 metadata collection)

Not applicable (for the 2018 metadata collection)

Not applicable (for the 2018 metadata collection)

Not applicable (for the 2018 metadata collection)

Not applicable (for the 2018 metadata collection)

8-page publications : each month, short-term indicators are published in collection “Informations Rapides”, on Agreste website : last quarter production of eggs for consumption (table) and production forecasts up to 2 months later (graph)
- Synthesis on consumption eggs, published for the last time in 2015 (annexed hyperlink)

- Agreste online data online : https://stats.agriculture.gouv.fr/disar-web/disaron/SAANR_13/detail.disar
- Monthly bulletin: under http://agreste.agriculture.gouv.fr/conjoncture/series-mensuelles-bulletin/article/bulletin-mensuel-8485

Not applicable (for the 2018 metadata collection)

All publications are hosted in Agreste.

- Egg Production Forecast Model of SSP / ITAVI / CNPO consumption under Agrestehttp://agreste.agriculture.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/aviculture2014methodooeuf.pdf

Not applicable (for the 2018 metadata collection)

Not applicable (for the 2018 metadata collection)

Not applicable (for the 2018 metadata collection)

See 12.1.1.

12.1.1. Data collected for national purposes

Data are mainly used by France-AgriMer and professional organisations: the French technical Institute of poultry (ITAVI) and the CNPO (National Committee for Promotion of Eggs)

Not applicable (for the 2018 metadata collection)

All statistics on egg production and the total number of laying hens, with a focus on holdings of + 5000 laying hens, are collected and transmitted each year according to the quality requirements of the ESS agreement

The main sources of errors or uncertainties are :

- occasional errors in declarant data from French customs authorities on imports and exports of chicks, according to their use (confusion between hatching chicks and chicks, between commercial and factory chicks). These errors are subject to corrections.

- cages / note cages spawning curves, spawning duration and mortality in rearing (technical data at the input of the model) to be updated : technical ratios used in the model are updated by information given by professional organizations when new data become available.

 Confrontations of the model results with the results of FSS or frenchfarming practices surveys (2008, 2015) are performed occasionally to verify the quality of the estimates by the model.

Not applicable (for the 2018 metadata collection)

Not applicable (for the 2018 metadata collection)

Not applicable (for the 2018 metadata collection)

Not applicable (for the 2018 metadata collection)

National and homogeneous collection of data (no regional data)

The model is regularly recalibrated by the results of FSS surveys and farming practices surveys.

No break in the series (identical methodology), but the updating of the technical ratios used by the model is carried out punctually when the data are collected and validated by the ITAVI.

Not applicable (for the 2018 metadata collection)

Not applicable (for the 2018 metadata collection)

Not applicable (for the 2018 metadata collection)

Not applicable (for the 2018 metadata collection)

Data form different sources are used :

• Hatchery data come from statistical surveys.
• Foreign trade data are administrative data from french custom authorities.
  Technical data are updated with informations collected by ITAVI professional surveys of production organizations and independent breeders.
• Coefficients used to estimate the number of holdings of more than 5000 layers is updated by Structural Surveys (FSS)

18.1.1. Description of data collection process

- Survey of hatcheries: 8 egg hatcheries with capacity> 1000 eggs in incubation (representativeness of hatcheries greater than 99%)
- Customs data: declaration of consignors of laying chicks
These are monthly data for both sources.

18.1.2. Model used as a breakdown based on individual information

Not relevant

18.1.3. Method used for the model

See the answer 3.1

Estimated monthly production:
Data outbreaks: M
Customs Data: M
Technical data: A

Data are monthly estimated : each month, the model estimates the number of eggs that will be produced 3 months later, using customs data from two months before, and data from the french survey on hatcheries.
Annual production is get by calculating the sum of monthly productions.

Not applicable (for the 2018 metadata collection)

Not applicable (for the 2018 metadata collection)

Information reported by eggs producers:

18.5.1. Data compilation process - data weighting

Data compilation :
We use a model for estimating egg production :
Concerning hatching eggs: non-response treatment is applied, knowing that non-response is occasional, all hatcheries are usually respondents.
Concerning customs data, requests for expertise are occasionally submitted to the french custom authorities (if necessary)
 Technical data are imputedby references provided by ITAVI.

Data weighting :
The number of laying hens is not calculated from breeders' data but from hatcheries' data. Moreover, the FSS results provide updates of the estimation of the number of hens in farms> 5000 hens.

Information reported by packing centres:

18.5.2. Data compilation process

Not relevant

No comparison is made with data from packing centers (data not known). No adjustment of the data with other methods is conducted.

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