DIVISION OF POULTRY 

 Lawrence E. Bliss, Supervisor 



POULTRY STANDARDIZATION 



In Fiscal Year, 1979, surveillance visits were made to 

 egg handlers registered under the Egg Products Inspection Act 

 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 



At retail level, 4664 lots of eggs were inspected for correct 

 labelling, and standards of qulaity and size, which must be dis- 

 played on the containers. Violation of egg laws were found in 51 lots, 

 representing 1,097% of the total. 



Thirteen firms were licensed to package eggs under the logo: 

 "Massachusetts Produced and Fresher." These firms are monitored by this 

 division. 



POULTRY SERVICES 



Fifty-five truckloads of frozen turkey and chicken parts 

 were certified as to quality at the point of delivery. 



Ninety State Institutional inspections were made, with 753 

 cases being examined; this resulted in 18 cases being rejected 

 as not meeting the bid specifications of the Commonwealth. 



Forty-seven days were spent by one inspector under the U.S. 

 Department of Agriculture Fee Grading Program in various packing 

 plants. 



POULTRY DISEASES 



Under the National Poultry Improvement Plan, 100,040 

 blood samples were tested for evidence of Pullorum-Typhoid 

 disease, and found negative for the fifth year; also 40,453 blood 

 samples were tested for evidence of Mycoplasma Gallisepticum and 

 found negative; this enabled our Massachusetts poultry breeders to 

 export 1,539,143 baby chicks and 520,296 hatching eggs to foreign 

 buyers . 



Inspectors were on hand at 32 fairs and poultry shows to 

 inspect birds for clinical symptoms of illness and/or disease, 

 and to determine compliance of the exhibitors with the Pullorum- 

 Typhoid testing program. 



FINANCIAL REPORT 



The Division's budget for the Fiscal year was 589,600. 



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