size and specialization, larger average flock size'*, and a higher ratio 

 of work time to travel time because of increased density of production. 

 Figure 2 shows the relationship, calculated from survey results, between 

 output per man hour of total time of labor and annual volume. 



At the farm a major share of time is involved with catching birds and 

 loading crates. Other jobs performed include: positioning trucks, hand- 

 ling empty crates, tying and untying loads, covering loads during in- 

 clement weather, weighing, making out purchase slips and paying. In 

 some instances, only part of the crew is fully occupied at these tasks. 



A substantial segment of total time elapses during travel between plant 

 and farm units and only the driver can be considered as productively 

 employed. As volume increases, crew organization shifts from one man 

 per truck to one or two men riding with the driver of each vehicle. A 

 further shift, with additional volume, is to foremen and crews who re- 

 main in the field and load vehicles which ferry back and forth to the 

 plant. The crew moves from farm to farm in passenger vehicles. This 

 type of operation reduces travel time for the crew and contributes ma- 

 terially to enlianced productivity. 



Figure 3. Relationship Between Pounds Hauled per Mile of Truck Travel and 

 Annual Volume, 75 New England Live Poultry Assemblers, 1957 



POUNDS PER MILE(UVE BASIS)- 



10 15 20 25 30 



ANNUAL VOLUME ASSEMBLED (MILLION POUNDS) 



Truck Operating Performance 



The number of pounds of live poultry handled per mile of truck 

 travel increases as volume increases (Figure 3). This is due in part to 

 the use of larger trucks^ and a higher rate of utilization of truck ca- 

 pacity. 



^ Appendix Figure III shows the relationships of crew size to annual volume, and 

 Appendix Table IV contains detailed data from four actual plants, showing the in- 

 crease in average lot size which occurred with increasing plant size. 



^ Appendix Tables V and VI show the distribution of truck sizes and inventory 

 value for vehicles registered by assemblers of live poultry in New England in 1957. 



15 



