Published on Dec. 8, 2021
Customer in the spotlight: Top Æg ApS, Denmark
Last month we were invited by our Danish Distributor Top Æg ApS to provide presentations during the technical seminar that they organized for the Danish egg sector. The technical experts of Hendrix Genetics gave presentations on nutrition and layer feed strategies, an update on Keel Bone damage, and on Kipster, a new way of keeping laying hens. Next to meeting the Danish egg and poultry feed sector, this visit was also great opportunity to discover more about Top Æg ApS and their activities in the Danish egg market.
Top Æg ApS is an independent hatchery located in Ravnstrup near Viburg. Through innovations and quality Top Æg ApS tries to secure the best solutions for their customers. There is not just the focus on productivity, but they also aim to upgrade to the best animal welfare as possible.
The history of Top Æg ApS
It all started in the 1940s with the Christensen family that established an egg production farm. Shortly it became the leading Danish breeding center called “Ravnstrup Kontrolhønseri”, which was dedicated to egg laying chicken breeds. Later on the company name was changed into Scanlayer and quickly gained market share across Denmark. In the 70s and 80s Scanlayer started to distribute the Babcock, Dekalb and ISA breeds. By the end of the 80s Scanlayer also introduced slow growing organic broilers, which are still part of their portfolio today. In 2002 the company name was changed to Top Æg ApS. In 2006 the company was taken over by Hardy Eskildsen, who, together with his younger brother Brian manages the egg and poultry distribution activities.
Top Æg ApS today
Currently Top Æg ApS distributes the Dekalb White and the Bovans Brown to their egg layer customers, and the Hubbard for their slow growing broiler portfolio. Top Æg ApS is in constant development, in the summer of 2017 a complete renovation of the hatchery was done, upgrading the incubators and the hatchers to the latest standards to ensure their clients get the highest quality products. That Top Æg ApS is seen as a prominent player in the Danish egg market is clearly shown by their steady growth during recent years: an excellent team of loyal staff, in combination with premium poultry genetics that perform great at the Danish egg farms.
About the Danish egg market
| population of Denmark (2020) | 5.81 million |
| Laying hen population (2020) | 4.1 million |
| White to Brown ratio (2020) | 85 : 15 |
| White to Brown ratio (2004) | 58 : 42 |
| Egg consumption (2020) | 252 per capita per year |
| Housing systems (2020) | 46% barn / aviary | 30% organic | 8% free-range | 16% enriched cages |
As can be observed in many other North Western European countries, White egg layers are becoming more and more popular in Denmark as well. This is directly related to the cage-free movement,keeping laying hens with intact beaks, and the longer laying cycles. The Dekalb white laying hens seem to fit well in the Danish poultry houses.
