WOW, we did not expect this one – a bit like how we didn’t expect a hen to spontaneously lay an egg during photos at the Ekka (ask Georgia Chapman about that one or scroll down through the photos below).

This is the first year Ag Science has entered into the Ekka, and what a result:
“1st in the Ekka HyLine Schools Egg Laying Competition: Best Egg Production”.

What this involved:
The Aggies entered the Ekka Hy-Line Egg Laying Competition at the beginning of the year and received eight week old pullets. The students then spent the next 14 weeks weighing, measuring, maintaining and learning about the commercial laying industry and Hy-Lines. The judging consisted of three categories; the hens (uniformity in weight, feather condition, breast muscle), the project (data collection, posters, report), and egg production and quality (number of eggs laid at the Ekka, weight, shell colour, yolk and albumen quality). Ultimately, the GCC Aggies won the Egg Production category, indicating that our hens had an exceptional food and nutrition program!

This was certainly a hotly contested competition down at the Ekka, with all other schools, and there were many, competing every year. All of us at the judging certainly learnt just how much science goes into the commercial laying industry and the judging of egg production. What an amazing experience and loads of fun!

Jade King