THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1424, 26 April 1912, Page 8

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

(By — n - eclcr,)

TBI-: EX I'OUT TRADE. The. report published last week on the shipment of eggs made by lieilly, Hcntt. and Gill, Dunedin tn Loudon, does not make very encouraging reading. Worse even than this shipment were the results from J-JflO dozen shipped by the Egg Partners' As-ociation at Chrisfchnri h. Xeithcr shipment resulted in landing the eggs in good order. Both .were badly packed, and heavy losses recorded. Two years ago Air. J. B. Alert-eft. Chrislchurch, landed in London MOO eggs without a single breakage, and sold the packing boxes on tho English market at exactly their cost of manufacture in Xew Zealand. The eggs netted him lid. a dozen, while the local price at time of shipment was 9d. a dozen. Evidently Micro is some need of experimental work in establishing trade in Loudon. Tho Dunedin merchants used a composition much like axle grease, while the Christchurch shippers were induced to experiment with a cheap machine for vaporising, and a much cheaper pastille than is generally used. The result was that,the eggs went bad and were unmarketable. WILL EXPORT PAY. '■ It is questionable whether the export of eggs to London will become a paying proposition. The distance is great, while the Continental competition has much to its advantage. 'Were eggs to prove a glut in Xew Zealand in the spring, possibly tho shipping of a ten thousand dozen would relieve the market, but there is no need to fear a glut for years'to come. Eggs are ju.-t as dear this winter, and, in fact, seem scarcer than they have been for the last two winters. \\ hile there may 1 e more egg-farmers there are less poultrykeepers, stringent city by-laws, increased consumption of eggs, dear feed, and cheap prices lor poultry have lessened the production, and eggs in price will probably be higher in years to come than in the past. Nearer markets than London may be obtained, and at better prices. Air. Merrett, who has done a lot of experimental work in exporting eggs, landed eggs in Honolulu in excellent condition, and has taken a substantial order for delivery in Xovember next. Poultry men heed have no tear about an over-supply of eggs. Tho coining winter will demonstrate how little increase in production has taken place. TJIE GOVERNMENT FARMS. Xo one will deny that the Government poultry farms have done much to establish liie poultry industry, but it. is just a ([tie.-tion whether they have wholly fulfilled their purpose. 'They lack much that an up-to-date farm demands. Some of their poultry-houses are antin.ua.ted, while for design" and general lay-out tho larins do not tend to economise labour. What is needed is a State experimental poultry farm, where the question of making poultry pay is not so much the aim of the farm," as to carry out experiments that will be of value to poultry breeders. EGG-LAYING COMPETITIONS. The full report of the Hawkesbury Egglayiug Competition is to hand, and furnishes instructive reading. Numerous lessons are furnished, and chief among them is that it, does not pay to keep a third-year hen. It is here where hundreds fail to make poultry-keeping pay. They keep their stock for years beyond a payablo age. The records show that llie returns from first-year hens are 255. Gil. per bird, second year 135.'3d., third year lis. lid., in leghorns; while in Orpingtons the returns are 235. 3d., J.">s. 2d., and Ss. Bd. respectively. These figures show conciusivelv that it is in first-year hens the profits lie. It is true that constantly tu reproduce pullets each season takes up a lot of time and liard work, but it pays for tho trouble. The feed for the firstvear bens for the vear cost Cs. 9d.. leaving ft profit: of 13s. 9tl. per bird. This is a handsome return, and shows what proper care and selection will do.

FEEDING WITHOUT MEAT. Another experiment' carried out at Uav.kesbury was the testing of a number of pens without animal food, to test whether it made any difference in the out- | put of eggs when meat was fed regularly. The result was that the meat-led hens laid nine eggs each more in the year than the non-meat-fed hens. The amount of meat fed was small in any case. To trv and convince an egg-fanner in. New Zealand that without, animal food his hens would lay more profitably would be a big undertaking. THE BKOODY PROPENSITY. Careful attention was given to the hens that, showed a tendency to broodiness, and it was observed that the higher the egg-producing development the less broodiness was apparent. In white leghorns the freedom' from broodiness was remarkable, and showed what careful selection has done 'towards lessening this wasteful habit. THE N.Z. UTILITY CLUB. The Utility Poultry Club has decided to oiler a guinea gold medal for competition (among members) for the best female bird in the utility class heavy breeds at the Christehurch Poultry, Pigeon, and Canary Club's annual show in Grand National week. The Utility Clnli is offer-, ing a medal on the same conditions for the bost female in the light breeds, and it has also allotted one of'the egg section. The Management Committee of tho Utilitv Club met last Wednesday evening. Mr A. Muniby, of Silverstrcam, was present b.V invitation. It was agreed to invite Messrs. H. Heartield, J. Tindall, and P. C. Brown (Government Poultry Expert) to judge the birds in the new competition as show specimens for the Studholme test. A special vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Ormandy, of Papanui, for working out tho points for the greatest weight in tho Studholme test, just concluded. Mr. John Studholme, Coldstream, wrote congratulating the club on the iuvaluable work it had already done in the direction of causing the development of laying strains, and so greatly increasing the production of eggs. He suggHsted the club should make another advance in the direction of demonstrating the cost of keep of the different lots of fowls, as tho first object of the club

i< to hcip In make the |ioultry industry a siici-c-i. (t v.;i- (lc:i<lcl tn call a special meeting to discus the matter. A committee was set up to weigh all I lie bird's in the competition next Saturday nifrlit r.s table specimens for points for Ihe Studholme te-l. The remainder of Die evening was .-pent in a social way. KJGHTII EGG-f.AYIXG CO.MPETITION. The eighth egg-laying competition, under the auspices of the Xew Zealand Utility Pouliry flub, and the second duck egg-laying competition, were commenceil at i'upniiiti on April 8. The (allowing is tho ollicial report Ihe ten days ending April 17:— Total to date. I!. W .Hawke 'Papanui), W.L 39 .1. Wordsworth iGeraldine), W.I 38 Heretaunga Poultry Co. (Silverstream), W.L. Xo. 1 3" Verrall Bros. (Swaunanoa), B.L 30 Martin Bros. (Auckland), W.I 33 A. E. Kent (Shirley), W.L 32 Prankish Bros. (Wanganui), W.L. ... 30 Heretaunga Poultry Co. (Silverstream), W.L. Xo. 2 27 T. Kennedy (Raugiora), S. Wyan 26 A. W. Irvine (Epsom), W.L 25 W. A. Nixon (Burwood), W.L. Xo. 2 24 .Mrs. I?. W. Hawke (Papanui), W.L. ... 23 W. A. Xixon (Burwood), W.L. Xo. 1 10 Chick-renring is not only profitable, but a pleasure, when you feed "A and P" Qhick-Kaiser. It is complete and pro-perlv-blended food for Young Chicks. Obtainable from all storekeepers.—Adv't.