THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1710, 29 March 1913, Page 14

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

The Poultry Conference. The third annual conference of the New Zealand Poultry Association was held in tlie -Trades Hail, Auckla-ul, on .Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of thiii week. The Aucklanders had made complete arrangements for the reception and entertainment of visitors. There was a large representation of delegates from all parts of the Dominion. When the conference opened there were forty- delegates and visitors present. Mr. S. Brittan-B'ill was elected president of the association; Messrs. Mumby and Scott vice-presidents; Mr. J. B. Merrctt, secretary-treasurer; executive board, Messrs. Boddington, Vincent, ATLachiaii, Pierre, and Jcssen; adviser, iVv. i l . Brown; organiser, Mr. T. H. Kutherfurd. The-'various reports went -to show that the fsso'jiutiun was doing good work. ■ The constitution and' by-ia\vs were revised. • ' It was decided to petition the Government to conduct aii egg-laying competition at Ruak'tra -4he entries to lje equal numbers of the. heavy and light varieties of poultry.

An Educative Force. The conference proved • an educative factor to poultrymeu, ttiid has been the means of stirring up activity among Auckland producers. Mho evening sessions were largely attended, and '.discussions were freely indulged in, jvith the result that mucli useful information, was gained from those in charge of the iiapers. Mr. F. Brown gave an excellent address on modern methods-of poultry, keeping. His advice was sound and practical. At the close of the address questions were asked by the score, and an educative hour was spe.it.' The egg-circle work was discussed, and it was generally conceded that the association had • done a vast amount of good in organising poultrymen in this way. "Disposal of Poultry Products' was u useful paper given by Mr. Bull, and he outlined suggestions of great value. At. tlite ' close of his papa- a. plucking and trussing demonstration was given by three of the Auckland Poultry Depot employees. The work was done with great rapidity, and was an education'to producers of how table poultry should be prepared. An Interesting Visit One of the most pleasing features of the conference was a visit to the Lilifield Poultry Farm at Mount Roskill. This form is the largest of its kind in New Zealand, and capable of accommodating no fewer than 600!) "birds. The buildings were not quite complete at (lie time of the conference visit, but sufficient -was seen, to assure poultrymen that their industry was to have a large representative exponent of what Can be done ill poultry culture. >T'he manager (Mr. Irvine) made excellent arrangements to receive the visitors. -A motor.drag was engaged to take the visitors on to the farm-, and ample refreshments w;re provided. The vis'tors were greatly impressed with' all that they saw. Commendatory speeches w ere ■ made and a pleasant outing- enjoyed.-

Mayoral Reception The Deputy-Mayor, Mr. .J. Court, gavo the visitors ii cordial welcome the-open-ing. of the conference. ■ He expressed the hope that visitors would enjoy tlieir visit, and complimented them oil the excellent industry they had, rind felt sure they would accomplish much good by the conference. Their aim, no doubt, was'to improve the class' of layers and improve the quality of eggs and poultry for market. Jlr.' Court's advico was practical, and his reception showed a keen intefest in industrial ;i(fairs. .. \ Tho Competition. The world's record lias been achieved at Christchurch by Mr. Nixon's pen. The Returns will sho.v tliat' the birds- are likely to produce IG2O eggs in t]io" yenr. The previous record was 1589, and Mr. Nixon is. the first poultry-breeder to attain 1600 from six-liens in one year., A .full report of tlie'.fest will appear in this column next week.. .'.v ' History Repeats Itself. • Four years ago; a competition pullet from a prominent strain was found to be laying no eggs at Roseworthy.. bhe was killed,'and'the examination showed an internal condition which proved beyond doubt, that the bird had never laid an egg in tho wlioie twelve months. A similar case, has occurred at the Uatton (Queensland) competition.'this : year,.' The man who won is. bottom this time, with one month to go. it was believed that two of tlio hens were not laying—they never got more' ilian four eggs in oiie- day from the six hens—and it was decided to kill and post-mortem the suspected birds. M'liis was done during February ,by the Government Veterinary Surgeon.' (Mr. -M'Gown), and it was found that one hen was totally-barren, and had no sign of ovaries, and at the orifice of the oviduct there was a,.librous growth! which would prevent the' passage of an egg. /(Talk about bad luck?) 'The other hen contained about a dozen immature ova about the size of pins' heads. Both hens were packed with fat, and the. abdomen was quite hard. Mr. M'Gown was of opinion that neither of them had ever laid an egg.

What is the RcaSon? ~\ It is common for a man to win one year and be nowhere the next. A few men manage to keep a good .position all ajong. There has only been one case where a man has won several times, but he is a genius aud'in a class «f his own, although of late years he, too, has : been found in the ruck. AVliy can't it be kept up? There must .be a reason. A good man is not here to-day and gone tomorrow without cause. The Queensland birds spoken of are descendants al n big laying strain, and the evidence available favours the belief that the birds have revolted against the pressure put on them for years past. Maybe the common sight which is witnessed of a good man ginning this year, and being mnvhere next time, may, in some cases, be attributed to the fact that lie has a barren hen or two in his pen. There must be a reason for it somewhere. An. English Doctor Talks. At the Reading (England) conference, held in 1907, Dr. H. B. Greene said:— "The utilitarian who aims at prodigious egg averages, with the aid of trap nests and forcing diet, and breeds his stock only to that ideal, irrespective of tho points of type and purity of variety, will toon find that'heredity decrees that hens which have so little senso of propriety us to lay 250 eggs per anmira deserve to die of cystic ovarian disease, or at least have their powers of fertility effectually curtailed (tho barren hens at the Queensland competition confirm this statement,'made six years ago). The explanation of these things is that nature demands that a balanco of nutrition must be fairly maintained throughout tho system. An extra supply of blood to one organ can only bo effected by economy in , its distribution to anothor, and' the impoverished parts lose their function through inherited degeneration."

Things To Do To-day. Clean, out the yards and Louses, and renew the scratching litter. Dig up a patch of ground, and make it fins and loose. Under a treo is' a good spot. If you haven't a treo, fix up shads with' a few bags on a frame of wood. Damp tho ground with water, and then the fowls will got through the hot days with the minimum of discomfcrt. If you are putting up a yard, don t leave any bits of netting or nails about. The fowls are apt to pick them up, and if they do, there will be deaths thtit niisht nuzzle you as to cause. Itenew tho shell grit, charcoal, ami stone grit in every yard. Look under tho perches for red mites. Kcrosine and hot soapy water will kill them. It's a good scheme to spray tho cracks and crevices in the roosting shed once a week in the summer, and. once a fortnight in the winter. If you cut the lawn, throw the clippings to tho fowls. Plant rape seed for green < food. It crows very nuickly, and may bo cut in tour weeks' tim®.

. $ (By Chantecler.)

LAYING COMPETITIONS. N.'l. UTILITY POULTRY CLUB. [Eighth laying competition for fowls, licturns for 50th week.l. Total Total •' ' for to week. date. W. A. Nixon, Burwood 117 ~ 1599 J. W. Green, St. Albans 18 1481 Herelatinga Poultry Co., Silverstreani 25 1450 11. Leger, Wereroa i! 0 1450 Heretaunga Poultry Co., Silverstream 20 1439 A. AV. Irvine, Epsom 14 1430 A. R. Broivne; Petane Beach... 21 1409 Frankish Bros., AFanganui ... 19 1353 A. E. Kent', Shirley 1G 1348 Mrs. R. W. llawke, Papanui ... 18 1341 AVm. Scull, Christehurch, 12—1129; John AA'ordswprth, Geraldine', 20—1283; James Ashton, Hanmer, 10—1080; Martia Bros., Auckland, A 7 errall Bros., Swannanoa/8—1155; AV. A. Nixon, Burwood, 21— 1270; H. S. AVoodnorth, AVinton, 21-1289; W. A. Nixon. Burwood, 8—11S2; R. M. Smith, Auckland, 12—893; Rangiuru Egg Ranch, Otaki, 9—1197; R. AA r . Hawke, Papanui, 28—1298; It. AVillis and Son, NewBrighton,' 18—1226; A. E. Wilson, Shirley, 6—695; D. Stewart, Norinanby, 14 — 1203; Master G. Wilson, Shirley, 16—1100; Romain Jlunger, Lower Hutt, 13—1171; A. Stevenson, Ivarori, 17 —1016; H.' R. AA'ainman, ltunanga, 15—1290; AY. Knight, Lower Hutt, 17-4322; J. H. Shaw and R. James, Christcliurch, 13—1149; AV. G. Goodwin, Thames, 11-949; AV. A. Nixon, Burwood, 15—1291; A. E. AVilson, Shirley, 17—1132; Misses Bradley, I'apanni, 9— 1155; T. Kennedy, Rangiora, B—S4G; C. M. Peck, Avondale, 3—803; N. Solomon, AVestpcrt, 10—1087; C. M. Peck, Avondale. 13 -996; G. H. Bradford, C,ust, 22-1032; A. AY. Irvine, Epsom, 16—1213; Middlepark I'. Farm, Riccarton, 13—1217; T. Strong, Doyleston, 10—1133; P. Keller, Rolleston, 18—1083; Percy Holt, Papakura, 17—1336; AV. Knight, Lower Hutt, 25—1140; G. Anderson, St. Albans, 29—1198; J. AA\ Bradley, and Son, Papanui, 4—1161; Mrs. .T. Mills, Dunedin, 11-1161; AV. O. Sail. Cust, 18—1217; Crawford and Pudsey, Lower Hutt. 23—1319; R. A. Lazarus, Lower Hutt, 21—1299; W. O. Sail, Cust, 18—1127; Misses Radford and Harker. Oliau, 15— 1121; A. AV. Adams,' Sheffield, 21—1143: J. Corrie, Beckenham, 18—1188; E. H. Borchardt, Eltliam, AV. A. Nixon, Burwood, 8—1282; 'I'. K. Collins, Lower Hutt, 16—1008; Dominion P. Plant, Coromamlel, 13—1276; T. Kennedy, Rangiora, 24-1239. ' FOR DUCKS. fN.Z.' Utility Poultry Club's third laying test for ducks. Returns for 50th week.l Total Total for to week. date.

Tlios. Dowthwaite. Avondale, j Indian Runners ............... 17 1441 AV. Knight, Lower Hutt, Indian Runners ' 0 . 1091 S. H. Scott, Onehungai Buff ' Orpingtons 26 1041 T. R. Hall, AA 7 ereroa, Indian Runners 35 1438 P. Keller, Rolleston, Indian Runners - 7 1230 D. M. Peck, Avondale, Indian Runners 22 1146 S, H. Scott, Onehunga, Indian Runners ....' ' 12 894 Heretauriga Poultry Co., Silverstream, Indian Runners 20 . 1432 Miss A. J. Donald, Dunsandcl, Indian Runners. .; 10 1048 P. Keller, Rolleston, Indian Runners 22 1160 INCUBATORS FOR 1913—Now is the time to book your requirements for coming season. Full particulars on application. A. and P. FOOD CO., Wellington.—Advt