318 CREAMERY BUTTER MAKING 



loss of spoiled eggs at forty-five million dollars, the U. 

 S. Department of Agriculture* estimates this loss on the 

 basis that 17% of the total tgg crop is spoiled from the 

 following causes : 



Dirties 2 percent. 



Breakage 2 per cent. 



Chick development 5 per cent. 



Shrunken or held eggs 5 per cent. 



Rotten eggs 2^ per cent. 



Moldy and bad flavored eggs ]/> per cent. 



Total 17 percent. 



About half of these losses could be prevented by han- 

 dling the eggs through the creameries. This would mean 

 a saving of over twenty-two millions of dollars annually. 



Creamery a Successful Market. Many creameries 

 in Denmark and the United States are successfully han- 

 dling the farmers' eggs at the present time. Indeed so 

 successful has this creamery side line proven that it is 

 safe to predict that the bulk of the eggs produced in 

 proximity to creameries will eventually be marketed 

 through the creameries. 



METHOD OF HANDLING AND BUYING EGGS. 



Gathering the Eggs. The eggs, of course, are to be 

 delivered or gathered with the milk and cream, and the 

 oftener the better. Where the milk and cream are deliv- 

 ered to the creamery by the producer, the cost of deliv- 

 ering the eggs would amount to practically nothing, 

 since it is more than likely that the milk wagons as or- 

 dinarily run have enough spare room to accommodate 

 the eggs without extra trouble. The eggs should be 

 delivered daily, if possible. 



♦Circular No. 140, U. S. Department of Agriculture. 



