POULTRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 104, 26 January 1935, Page 24

POULTRY NOTES

Feeding and Egg-Production

CHEAP .FOODSTUFFS UNECONOMIC

<By

“New Laid.”)

Success in poultry-farming' is grounded on the achievement of a perfect balance of three main factors —breeding, management and feeding. As in any other business the economical success of poultryfarming depends upon the ratio between the “all in” cost of the production of eggs and poultry meat, and sale values. The easiest' apparent way of cutting costs, writes N. G. Johnston in “Poultry,” is to reduce the cost of feeding, and it is in this direction that self-deception is tragically facile. It is a known fact that many generations of selection and breeding for high egg yield will result in a definite egg-laying momentum —in other words the product of such a strain will lay eggs over a very considerable period in spite of the severest handicaps. It must, however, be remembered that during the period when flock averages have bemi increased and laying test figures have gone up-to unprecedented totals, the mortality in English laying tests has increased correspondingly, and during the last few years a wave of old and hitherto unknown poultry diseases has caused considerable loss and consternation to the poultry-farming community. Line of Least Resistance.

There must be some basic cause for this, and the likeliest one is the fact that during the period of economic stress the poultry-farmer has taken the line of least resistance in trying to reduce.bis costs and has made a fetish of cheap feeding. The result of the cheapmg of food is not at once apparent. A well-bred and highly fecund stock will produce a satisfactory total of eggs over a laying season on a very attenuated feeding programme, but it cannot be too stromrlv stressed that no matter what the pedigree of the layer may be the production of something in the" neighbourhood of 200 eggs per annum is a tremendous strain on its stamina and vitality. Thus it is tjiat a poultry-farmer may often be heard saying that he is extraordinarily unlucky because, alter a really prosperous season for egg-produc-tion, he suffered in the ensuing hatching season from dead-in-tlie-shell,,low hatchability, disease, and high mortality in rearing. To claim only for a poultry food that it will produce more eggs is both unsound and misleading. The main object of a reallv balanced ration is that it should be so developed and formulated from time to time that it provides not only for tne high egg production of the modern wellbred fowl but also allows for that reserve of stamina and fertility which -is essential to the success of the breeding and rearing season which follows immediately on heavy winter production. There is no doubt that thousands of chickens are lost every year through coccidiosis, chill, and parasitic or rachitic diseases, because they literally have not the strength to survive. It is. too often assumed that because a disease is not pathologically classed as hereditary it has no connection with tbe parent stock, but if, as is frequently the case, the vitality of the parent stock has been so attenuated through several generations that the inherent stamina and resistance capacity to disease in the offspring is reduced to such a point as to render it liable to any scourge that happens to be around, then fundamentally tne cause must be considered as hereditary.

Impaired Vitality and Disease. Sueh adult diseases as paralysis, tuberculosis and parasitic infection, are prevalent because the impaired vitality ot the stock renders resistance inadequate. To feed poultry with the sole idea ot month to month balance, and to cut the cost to the very last halfpenny in order _to improve that balance, is to risk the complete failure of the whole undertaking. The normal egg-producer, eating about 2]oz. mash per day will consume in a year approximately one icwt. of sott food. Therefore, to reduce food costs by even £1 per ton means only a saving of Gd. per fowl ( and if such a saving results after one, two or even three years, in depleted vitality through the whole flock, and one disastrous hatching and rearing season, this, so-called economy will be wiped out many times over. It is for these reasons that food scientists and research workers have in recent years made a closer and much more comprehensive study of the nutritional requirements of heavy layers, and have made very appreciable progress. In order to provide in perfect balance all the elements necessary to ensure perfect assimilation, and maintain health under the strain of continuous heavy production and artificial rearing and living conditions, many new ingredients have been utilised. There are . many poultryfarmers who still maintain that these improvements are “new-fangled” and unnecessary and that fowls will lay as many eggs on the same simple rations that were usel for hens when even 100 eggs per lien were considered a high annua, production figure. It, however, needs only a sound common-sense consideration of the above points, to realise, that improvements in breeding are of little value and are, indeed, more than cancelled out, unless the science of feeding keeps pace with the higher demands on . vitality and stamina necessary to cope with increased fecundity.

Compulsory Hatchery Approved. Breeding indiscriminately from all sorts and conditions of stock, the objective being numbers rather than quality, is a problem which will have to.be faced in all poultry raising countries if the docks are to be kept up to the highest standard. Under a scheme of compulsory hatchery approval which became effective in Manitoba Province at the beginning of this year, the Canadian Department of Agriculture undertakes the supervision of ( all hatcheries, while inspection of all poultry flocks supplying hatchery eggs 1S carried out by the Provincial Department of Agriculture. Only eggs from .flocks which have been approved by officials of the department may be used for hatchery purposes. ' The regulations provide that an approved flock is one in which the fowls have been inspected by a representative of the Manitoba Department of Agriculture and have come up to the requirements detailed below. All the fowls must be pure-bred stock of standard varieties, healthy, vigorous and free from standard disqualifications. Every fowl . suitable for breeding purposes will be identified by a sealed and numbered metal legband. Following are the stipulated requirements : — There must be at least 35 approved females in the flock showing the required breed and variety characteristics and in-, dications of good production. One variety only shall be kept (except where two or more varieties are maintained and are kept in separate houses and separate yards). The flock must be free from evidence of all disease and show constitutional vigour.

None other than approved banded females to be mated during the breeding season.

All record of performance flocks are eligible as approved flocks without further inspection or banding. Females must be mated with males of one of the following classes: (a) 11.0. P. approved; (b) registered; (e) inspected and approved eoticerels from former approved flock; (d) inspected and approved cockerels from former demonstration flocks; (e) for 1034-35 if suflicient cockerels are not obtainable from above classes, high-class approved pure-bred cockerels passed by the inspector. , Poultry bouses must be of suflicient size to accommodate the flock, well-light-ed and ventilated, dry, clean and frequently disinfected. The flock must be fed a suitable ration. All rejected fowls shall have their tail feathers clipped and shall be removed from the premises or segregated, without

mating, in a manner satisfactory to the inspector. The decision of the inspector on all fowls rejected must be final. Failure to meet all above requirements or the use in any advertising material of any deceptive statements will be sutlicient grounds for the removal of the flock from the Manitoba approved flock list. It is expected that there will be about COO approved flocks required to supply the hatcheries.

Sexing Day-old Chicks. After careful study of the method employed to determine the sex of day-old chickens, Mr. W. P. Blount, F.R.C.V.S., expresses the opinion in the “Poultry World” that students can be taught to sex chicks with reasonable accuracy in less than one week. "The majority of those who possess average intelligence, good eyesight and fingers which are not short, thick, stubby or otherwise distorted, can acquire a high degree of accuracy with only a relatively short- amount of practice. The percentage of errors can be lowered quite quickly. Mr. Blount stutes that after sexing only 200 chicks an assistant of his reached an accuracy of 8S per cent. Continued practice alone can alter tire speed, for, of course, it is this po,int upon which the Japanese score. Mr. Blount adds :-— "My candid opinion is that students can be taught to sex chicks at a speed of 180-200 an hour with an accuracy of over 80 per cent., with less than one week’s tuition. Such a degree of proficiency must surely be considered •commercial’ lor any ordinary farm. There is no reason at all why there should not be English experts, provided they can get the necessary practice. No unusual natural gifts are required. "There is no reason why ordinary commercial poultrykebpers should not sex their own chicks as they hatch. Accuracy will vary from 10 per cent, to 00 per cent., according to experience and aptitude —but should never be below 84 per cent, after sexing 500 chicks. It must not be imagined that there is one absolutely set method, for each operator adapts his own ideas to the problem, and small differences will always occur. The near future wil see this subject taught in our colleges and institutions by veterinarians or other experts.” The Rat Nuisance.

A New South Wales poultry farmer who has tried most methods of dealing -with rats, states that he has found the following methods the most successful “Take a clean box about 15 or lbin. square and Gin. deep with a 2in. mesh wire netting covering on the top to keep cats or chicks out, and also to provide the rats with art idea that the.wire is to prevent them getting in. If you can give a rat a notion that he must not trespass on a certain place that is the very place he will go. Two iron rabbit traps are set in the bottom of the box and then covered with bran and sprinkled with anything else that may be an attractive food to the rodeftts. Ihis simple device, it is stated, has caught more rats for the poultry, farmer in question than all the poison baits or other traps he has ever used. General Notes.

“Choose the best and pay what they are worth” is sound policy when purchasing foundation stock. The extra expenditure nt the outset will be amply repaid if the management of the birds is correct.

Efficiency and cost are the outstanding considerations in the selecting of a laying mash. A number of commercial poultry farmers in Australia are now feeding wheat soaked in curds or meat extract only, but no details are forthcoming as to costs and returns.

Handling a fowl with the head down so as to allow flapping is common practice, but it should always be avoided.

Birds over two years of age, unless of special value in the breeding pen, should be marketed before they fall into their annual moult.

Red, bald-headed hens are usually good egg-producers having strong blood circulation which goes hand in hand with long and high production.

♦ # ♦ The poultry population of England and Wales, according to the British Ministry of Agriculture, is 01,191,309 fowls, 2,677,373 ducks, 009,893 geese and 810,899 turkeys.

* * * If birds show a disinclinaton to roost on a particular section of the perches, it is worth while examining the woodwork for mites.

The first setting of eggs to arrive in Australia from England by air mail reached Brisbane on December 28. They were Rhode Island Red eggs from the farm of Captain the Hon. C. Greenway, Ramsay, Hampshire.

The New South 'Wales Egg Board has reduced the guaranteed price of eggs. An increase of one penny per dozen iu the price of lower grades, which it was hoped was an augury of better prices all round, continued for only three days. The price of lien eggs remains at 1/- per dozen, but a reduction of twopence per dozen has been made in the prices of medium, pullet ami case eggs.

In many flocks of hens there are often shy, nervous ones, which do not get their full share of feed, being prevented from doing so by the "bossy” liens. Such shy hens are frequently sold as'wasters and through no fault of their own appear to be so. The remedy is to put them in a yard by themselves, or provide a dry-mash hopper when wet mash only is fed in the morning. ♦ ♦ ♦

Culling is not a matter of shape and size of the pelvic bones and capacity only. There are health points which will really enable the wasters to be cleared out, writes “Henio” in "Eggs.” By health points I mean the overfat hen with an abdomen like a bladder of lard; the halfblind hen witli a seriously defective eye, pearl, or badly-deformed pupil; those with hard impacted, or sour crops, which are very full or blowu. but soft; the skeleton hen handling like a bag of feathers; those with blue, black, purple, or yellow combs which may denote liver, heart, or tubercular disease.

EGG-LAYING CONTESTS

Massey College' Results

Following are the 43rd week's results ot the egg-laying contest conducted at Massey College:— SINGLE PEN'S.

Section A. —J. A. Aunan, W.L., (3) —179. C. 11. Barker, W.L., No. 1 (0)—154d; No. 2 (0)—125 W. 11. Barker, W.L., No. 1 (o>--97; No. 2 (0)—115d; No. 3 (5)—189, Mrs. It. R. Cannon, W.L. («)—245x. Emery Bros , W.L. (5)—185. E. M. Galvin. W.L., No. 1 (O)—SSd; No. 2 (11—141; No. 3 (0)—58.1. 11. Hutchinson, W.L. (0) —188. C. W. L. King, W.L, (U)—ISO. A. G. Mumby, No. 1 (5)—210; No. 2 (5)—193: No. 3 (0)—18(1; No. 4 ( 6) —224. H. Morelan'd, W.L. (2i—--161. W. J. McAIOOIi, W.L. (())—l5l. A. J. Shaller. W.L. (4)—181. 11. Williams, No. 1 (51 —18Sx; No. 2 (5)—178x. I’. F. Wlienuapai, W.L. (3) —218. .Mrs. 15. Youngson, Uk. L., No. 1 (0)-99d; No. 2 (4)—176. D. Kruse, Anc., No. 1 (0) —118; No. 2 (2) —141. F. Lang Anc., No. 1 (5)—l5S: No. 2 (0> — 163. J. Smith, Anc., No. 1 (4)—187; No. 2 (3i—198. H. Williams. W.L., No. 3 (5) - 198. A. Strawbridge, W.L. (2)—197. A. IL Watson. Br. 1.. (3)—172.

Section B.—Miss E. T. Somer. R.I.R (2) —ll6. K. Mouliley. R.I.R. (4)—133. W. A Larsen, 8.0., No. 3 (4)—154. T. DowtUwaite, WAV.. No. 3 (31—180. W. A. Larson. 8.0. No. 1 (4)—189: No. 2 (4)—212. Mrs. Waddell, 8.0. (0)—ISOx. T. Dowtliwailc, IV.W., No. 1 (01 —88; No. 2 (2)—163.

TEAM RESULTS. Section C.—C. W. L. King, W.L., 105. 203. 185, 158, 161, 201 (30) 1076.

A. ,T. Davey, W.L., 201, 161, ISO, 188, 162, 160, (27), 1061.

• S D. Morris, W.L., lid, IPS, 4t»d, lt>s, 212." 225, CJ<i). 105 S. Al Stephenson, W.L., 137, 127, 220, IGO, 159 201, (33), 1010. J. Graham AV.L., 155 x, 13Sx, 17-1, l->b, 150 x, 181, (21), 0->7. p. B. Harrison, W.L., 180, 118, liO, m2, 170*140 (12) 820. Airs D A. Stewart. W.L., 161, 70d, ISUx, ns iikix. nix, (io), on. ijmery Bros,. AV.L., 72d, ISS, 211, 98, 140, IS J* 'T Hazelwood, W.L., 187, 213, 9d, IGlx, 170 152 x, (22), 802. . H. Polsou. W.L., IGI, 97, Hid, 16G, 160, 18 Mrs 7) AV.L., 177, 130, 181, 173, 3O 'A l fe’triwbrldge, W.L., 143, 150, 171, 19d, “e/iL AylVuseott, W.L.. 141, 93, 95, 143, 14 AV’ 21 f/. 152, 162, 118, 74, 136, 7°5) e/d. Wilkinson, W.L., 138. U 3. 96, 111, 15.3 *142. (20), 786. 11. A. Lucas, W.L., 148, lOld, 86, 171, 110, IG J. 133. 115, 133, 26, 141, 119, °F.’ Lmig, Anc.. 126. 139, SOx, 91, 112, 74x. D—Miss E. T. Somcr. R.1.R., ‘■ls 219 210. 112, 21Gx, 160, (29), 1132. F A.'Dewhurst, R.1.R., 151,159 x, 81, 20. i, °OS‘H7 (17). 1051. W A.’ Larsen, 8.0., 120, 250, 81, 205 x, 209, GSd.’flS), 933. AV. E. Jones. L.1.R., 167, 184, oad, 18-, 181. 103 x. (20). 912. “x” Disqualified egg weight clause. “d” Bird dead.

Taranaki Competition Following is the result of the 43rd week in the seventh competition of the Taranaki Egg-Laying Society:— .WHITE LEGHORNS. E Clare, No. 1, 1—135; No. 2, 4—l7S; No. 3 qi—iso; G. L. Gaylard. No. 1, .1—200; No. o’ 5—200: No. 3. 4—178; Mrs. R. R. Cannon. No. 1, 0—224; No. 2, 6—252; No. 3, 5—219; H ’Moreland. No. 1. 3—194; No. 2, 5—23!); No 3. o—lo-1; D. M. Peek, No. 1, 7—2oi; Xo - '■ 3 —157* No 3, 5 —159; No 1, 0—lo3; X 0; 2.’ 5—176; No. 3, 3—179: Butl ank Pou’trv Fann, No. 1, 6—191; No. 2. 0—245; No. 3 0 152; A. Moreland, a—l 97, Miss 1 1 .. Ladd, No’. 1, 4-139; No. 2, 6-242; J A. AVills. 3—185; Hall Bros., a—l 9,; 8. Pope. 6—236; P. Freeman, 2—196. MINORCAS. ,T T. Brice, 5—158; Miss D Swadllng, No 1, a—l 74; No. 2, M.. o—lsa; No. 3, I—ll2. BROWN LEGHORNS. Mrs. W. Busby, 4—172; Hall Bros, 4 —165. BLACK ORPINGTONS Airs F. A. AVarren, No. 1, 3—153; No. 2. 1 58;" No 3, 4 —191; Mrs. D. M. Waddell. No. 1, 2—120; No. 2,4—2 OS; No. 3. 5—215; Thos. Dowthwulte, No. 1, (J—l6l; No. 2J 0—143; No. 3, 0—205; W. A. Larsen. No. 1, 5—205; No. 2, 4—16(1; No. 3. *-157; Mrs. sl Pattersrtm, No. 1. 3—187: No. 2, 3—137: N*O. 3, 2—142; J. Greig. 4—161; M’-s. V. Hall. 4 ISS- E J. Poswlllo, 6—190, Miss D. Swadling. 2—105; H.W. Smith, Al.. 0—242 WHITE WYANDOTTFS. G. L. Gaylard, No. 1, a— No. 2, 3— I,l ' LIGHT SUSSEX. • H Kirkwood, 0—68; G. Prcstidgc, 4— 142;’ 2—76. DUCKS. Fawn Indian Runners. —Stan. Beauchamp. No. 1, 7—120; No. 2, Al., 0—140; No, 3, AL, o—l9l. Fawn and White Runners.—L. P. James. No. 1. AI„ 0—93: No. 2, 6—146, No. 3, 5— 186; Airs. F. A. Warren, No. 1, 6—149; No. 2, 7—107; No. 3, AL, 0—150; Thos. Dowth-

watte, No. 1, 4—141; No. 2. 6-239; J. O. Law',''s—l27. White Bunners.—Mrs. D. xl. Waddell. M.. o—los. Khaki Campbell.—-Mrs. I). M Wadded, M 0—109: C Cleaver, No. 1. M.. 0—172; No. 2,-M., 0—83; No. 3, M„ 0-124. LIGHT BREEDS; THREE-BIIil) TEAMS. Total

1 Weekly to 2 3 Ttl. da'e E. Clare, W.L., 1 4 4 9 502 G. L.. Gaylard. W.L .> a 4 14 5(1S Mrs. R. R. Cannon, W.L. 5 6 16 69 J II. Moreland. W.L 3 0 8 537 I). M. Peek, W.L. No. 1 7 3 a Li oils D JI. Peek., W.L., No. 2 0 j 3 8 508 Burbank Poultry Barm (J 1) 11 588 Miss D. Stvadling, M. .. 5 0 1 6 441 HEAVY BREEDS: BLACK ORPINGTONS Mrs. F. A. Warren .... 3 1 4 8 402 Mrs. D. M. Waddell ... 2 4 a 11 a43 Thos. Dowthwaite 6 0 0 6 509 W. A. Larsen 5 4 1) •) • >/.> Sirs. S. Patterson 3 DECKS. 3 - 8 4 ttl Stan. Beauchamp 7 0 0 7 471 ' L. P. James o () f. 11 425 Mrs. F. A. Warren .... 6 C. Cleaver 0 ( 1) 13 toil 0 0 0 37'J • Bird dead; JI., moultiu