THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1611, 30 November 1912, Page 15

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

(By Chantecler.)

Government' Support. ; : t Among the industries in New Zealand, few ' offer wider scope for development than poultry.. Many people—some of theui poultry men—are ; : somewhat narrow : in. and have been looking in their support of the Government poultry farms. Why this should besp is a puzzle. PopltTy' was "never such anexpensive . luxury. as it is at the, present time, and, were it not for the advocacy of the poultry expert, and the' dissemination of - cheap fctock and eggs for hatching from tho Government farms, prices would be oven' worse. Choice poultry will be a luxury this Christmas, and thousands who would like to have a duokling, a chicken, a goose, or a turkey on their tables may not be able to do so owing to the shortage and the high prioes that rule. Surely the. Agricultural Department can . well spare moro money to foster poultry culture. It is. of greater value than either fruit or honey, and yet it . is. nob well supported. If , the honey busi- ■ ness ;can call torward three, or four instructors, and fruit demand's a score of officials, where is the justice of confining poultry to one expert only?. The present farms ..want- equipping with assistant managers to enable : the present nianagers : .in charge to devote some of their time . to ,instruction, work.among farmers. , : Faf> ; mera cannot ,spar§ time to go to the Government farms and learn, and therefore one. is inclined to hold that instructors should le sent to them. The expert • should have two • instructors, who, by : lanterns and lectures ooirld interest and . instruct. .... ... . .• , ' . ' ' Eggs and"-poultry-are .in daily use on our tables, but as for poultry, the working n}an,,pnd ..even the faruier himself, cannot afford .to use it. We want cheap stock birdsi," cheap eggs for hatching of ; tqble breeds, and instruction given to every farnier- : '. Thousands of pounds .lie waiting for export orders of,eggs, and 'poultry, and . yet we are' 'unable'-to 'obtain tho supply. Other .countries :aye;:Mking--not' for honey and fruit, tut, for eggs .and poultry; and the Agricultural Department"'can' well devote more . time'-, to the.-poultry section without any sacrifice to either honey or fruit. '•'. In Canterbury farmers are being attracted to poultry-keeping through- the high prices, but they lack instruction.; They 1 have been obtaining 7s;: to te; a pair- in 'epen market "for their l table chickens, ;and. bepn. to realise .poultry is a valuable adjunct to farming. So, taking, all these into aecount, the Agricultural .Department may. Test 'hssupei that. Ithere 15 'peat nieed for helping the industry. While their efforts; may fail to. meet with approval from ' some who yniay. - .wisht to -'keep the business .'to. themselves, the ' and 1 tho - public will appreciate ' the^ork.. ;

' A .Premier Position. . A close' 6tudy of .the English market 9 shows how fortunate in one respect poul-. - try producers in' New • Zealand are compared !with English and' Continental poultrymen. Averaging''the prices of the ■ Home , markets,'"'New' : Zealand- prices ;at the present time ;&re; 30 higher, . while .the poultry v -foods, ar0.,20-peßcent. lower.. It is evident" that 'poultry.is W- ' duced' in New 'Zealand under certain ; advantages, it should become a valuable industry.

The Vancouver Test. The Christchurch': "Press," of November 25, says:—The Vancouver mail-on Friday brought the full returns:of the egg-laying competition! which'',was-completed on Oc-. tober , ;2o.'?BelieVihg thfit 1 colonial'poultry .could' : .bompeto .W'ith American,' Mr, J. B. Merrott sent five pens', on, behalf; of Australian r.jvd--NejY..Zealan{ljKMi It rv.. tbr/M;ders, an ; and secpnd : prize?, 5 wth a 'total prize money of; about'iiO. Tho-first prize and a' gold med^ : Tvero.-:;wqav;|Syi®. Stcwnr.tp New South Wales, seoond prize was woii by A. Hopkins, Otaki. The returns were not high'.oWirig;..to'-. the-severe ;winter,: and Wasting operations'of bush country in the vicinity of the test. The' winner laid 971, second pen 916. The superiority oi the .-White Leghorns was shown: i>y all the leading pens being of this variety. A special class for heavy breeds was won by Rhode Island -Reds, wdth. a total of 854. - ; ' j. : .y New South Wales Progress. The Minister for for New - South Wales states .that he. is-.d.etermihed to increase the poultry production of that state, and applications are now being called for a poultry expert. Surely we have in New Zealand two or, tfte'e. men fitted for the position. We know of ope poultry .expert who.is,, po doubt, one of the best, men ,Australasia," and though we should yfea sofryrtd: eeo '-'him-leave Neiw Zealand; he is eininently fitted for the higher position v.that New:.. South. Waleß offers. The/poultry, industry in that State has a bright future;-before it, and, during the next I fiVo y^irs,-its production is expected to. be doubled. More Production. The present high prices of poultry in New Zealand is;, evidence . fhnt. we are either falling" Vaek in. our production or' else the demand is. greatly in excess' of the supply, The prices which are now being obtained in the open auction market have .no parallel in any part of tho world. Can New Zealandere afford to pay these extravagant prices? It eeems. so. For months nigh prices have ruled, and they show no eign of falling. It is questionable whether wo have the pro- ' auction of poultry-in. New Zealand that, wo had a few years ago. If so, then the demand must be. an encouraging sign for , the industry... At tho. Christchurch poultry market the-, prices: last are as follow:—Table" chicken (birds up to five months old), \6sVf iton ■ 93.'; 3d.'ducklings (birds up to three months), 7s. 6d. to 9s. 4d.; hens, 3s. Gd. to 59. Gd.; geese, 10s. to 135.; turkeyft ',21?. to. 325. per pair. • In vain.we can.look for such prices as those elsewhere. One Christchurch seller affirms that, he could sell upwards of i£2COO worth of poultry for the export trade if supplies were available.

The Cause of High Prices, There must be, some cause, for the unusually high prices of to-day. Two years ago prices were much lower. If the demand has not increased to cause the rise, it piust be want of production. The farmers who have always supplied the bulk of : the supplies have gone in for white leghorns. By this they, have done away with'the cross-breeds, and .nonsitters, so that they have been ,unablc to reproduce their, .stock in the same way, and keep lip supplies. The demand for eggs has caused farmers to turn their attention to the egg producers so that the table varieties have been neglected. It therefore seems doubly desirable that lectures should be provided for farmers «\U\ tttfi ot riL\vafev\Ti£ mtetcst in tie production oJ poultry /or tho table.

LAYING COMPETITIONS. N.Zr UTILITY POULTRY CLUB. [Twenty-third week, Eighth laying competition lor. fowls.] : . Total Total . for to ' ' ■ Week.. Date. W. A.' Nixon, Burwood, W. Leghorns, No. 1 33 1088 J. W; Green, St. Albans, W. Leghorns ; ;••• 28 1027 A. W; Irvine, Epsom, White Leghorns, No. 1 34 980 Heretaunga P. Co., Silverstream Br! Leghorns,: No. 1' '29 965. Heretaunga P. Co., Silverstream .• SW. Leghorns,•No. 2; 35 955 H. R.' Wainman, Ruranga, W. Leghorns ••••• 81 950 H. Leger, Weraroa, W. Leghorns, No.'l 32 950 W. A. Nixon, Burwood, W. Loghorns, No. 4 29 949 A. E. Kent, Shirley, W..Leg- • . . • 5 horns' 31 916 A. R. Browno, Petane Beach, W. Leghorns 32 945 Wm. Scull, Christchurch, Black Wyaudottes, 27—761; John Wordsworth, Goruldine, AVhito Leghorns, 15—SCO; James Ashton, Hanmer, Silver Wyandottes, • 23—734 ■ Martin Bros., Auckland, White Leghornsf 31—924; Verrall Bros., Swannanoa, Brown Leghorns, 26—908; W. A. Nixon, Brown Leghorns, No. 2, 226—846; H.' S. Woodnorth, Winton, Brown Leghorns, 28—850; W. A. Nixon, Burwood, Brown Leghorns, ■No. 3, 23^—905; R. M. Smith, Auckland, Brown Leghorns, 6—633; Rangiuru Egg R-anch, Otaki, Brown Leghorns, .'ll-809; R. W. Hawke, Papanui, Brown Leghorns, 28—852;' R.-Willis and Son, New Biigh--ton, Broyvn Leghorns. 33—r-838; A. E. AVilson, Shirley, Wh. VVyandottes, 18—496; D. Stewart, Normanby, "\Yhite..Leghorns, 24—811; Master G. Wilson; Shirley, White Leghorns-,; 26—786; Romain Munger, Lower Hutt, White Leghorns, 19—845; Mrs. R. W. Hawke, Papanui, White Leghome, 23t—916; A. Stevenson, Karon, White Leghorns, 27—695; Prankish Bros., Wanganui, White Leghorns, 24—936; W. Knight, Lower Hutt, Silver Wyandottes, 29—936;' J. H. Shaw'and R. James, Qristchurch, White Leghorns, 1 23—809; W. G. Goodwin, Thames, White Leghorns, IS— 681; W. A. Nixon, Burwood, Silver Wyandottes, .32-903; A. E. Wilson, Shirley, Silver Wyandottes,. 18-^-776; Misses Bradley, Papanui, White Leghorns, T: Kennedy, ■ Rangiora, ■ WJiite U dottes, - 17-532; C. M. Peck, Avondale, White. • 13 - 629; N. Solomon, Westport, Black Orpingtons, 25—766; C. M. Peek,. Avondale, Black Orpingtons, 21—720; G. H. Bradford, • Cust,; Silver Wyandottes, 27-709;, A. W. Irvine, Epsom, Whits No. 2, 26—835; Middlepark P. Farmi' Riccarton, White Letfhorns, 23-864; T. Strong; Doyleston, White Leghorns,: 31—789; P. -Keller, Rolleston, White Leghorns, ■ 29-754; Percy Holt, Papnkura, White. Leghorns, 29—893; W. Knight, Lower Hutt, White Leghorns, 24—797; G. Anderson, St. Albans, Silver Wyandottes, 21-827; J. W. Bradley and Son, Papanui, White -Leghorns, 29—763; Mrs. J. Mills, Punedin, White Leghorns, 26—795} W.- O. Sail, Cust; White • Leghorns, 30—781; Crawford and Pudsey, Lower Hutt, White. .Leghorns,• 29—906; •R. A. Lazarus, Loiyer Hutt, White I/eghorns, 30-933; W. O. Sail, Cust, Silver. Wyandottes, 24—733; Misses Radford and Harker, Ohau, White Leghorns, 28—767; A: W. Adams, Sheffield, Silver Wyandottes, 19—SOG; J. Carrie, Beckenham, White Leghorns, 25—S2G; E. H. Borchart, Eltham, White Leghorn?, 2p—743; T, K. Collin?, Lower -Hutt, Black ' Orpingtons, 24—637; Dominion P. Plant, Coromandel, White Leghorns, 27-876; T. Kennedy, Rangiora, Silver^ Wyandottes, 29—501. .. ' FOR DUCKS. ' Third laying competition,, twenty-third week-':— : r ' ■ Total Total for to .... ■ week. date. Thos. Dowthwaite, Avondale, Indian Runners 38 1016 W. Knight, Lower Hutt, In- -• dian Runners - • 18 V 7.7 S. H. Scott, Onehunga, Buff Orpingtons '27 . 790 T. R. Hall, ; Wereroa, Indian Runners .28 1040 P. Keller, Rolleston, Indian Runners «... '38 957 D. M. Peck,' Avondale, Indian Runners •' 29 ' 811 S. H. Scott, Onehunga, Indian Runners 37 .- G46 .Heretaunga P. Co., . Silverstream, Indian Runners ... 38 1046 Miss A. J. Donald, Dunsandel, Indian Runners- ' ■■■■• 37 783 Keller, Rolleston, Indian .Kunners 29 83® A WINNER OF COMPETITIONS. The Egg-laying competitions for 1910-11 and 1911-12 were both won by pens* reared on-"A. and P." Chick Raiser. The first essential-for profitable-poultry keeping.Obtainable from all Storekeepers.—Advt.