POULTRY NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24405, 17 September 1940, Page 11

POULTRY NOTES

By Terror Eg? Grading; Pays Egg-gracing regulations, so far as Old Country experience goes, favour the producers. Whether the poultrykeeper sells to private customers, to his grocer or the produce merchant, if he grades his own eggs, he can demand the price fixed by the Government or the trade for each grade. A Feathered World correspondent writes: “ Not many egg producers seem aware of the order made recently by the Ministry of Food, under which any producer who fails to grade his eggs is penalising himself to the extent of anything from 3d to 9d per dozen. In other words, the dealers, in addition to their usual handsome profits, are getting that much extra if they care to do the grading themselves. Most people have letter-scales, which will do the job quite well, and then it is up to them to see that they get paid a fair price for the grade of eggs they sell. For once in a lifetime producers of English eggs can have some say in the price they are to receive. Eggs are in short supply now, and will be very much scarcer in a few weeks.” Of course, grading is not only a question of weight. It includes freshness and strength of shells, and presumably cleanliness. Freshness, of course, is a very important point, and those who daily supply private customers with guaranteed fresh eggs—i.e., new-laid-are in many cases willingly paid something above shop prices.

Epsom Salts Does Harm! Dr H. P. Bayan. who acts as health authority for the Feathered World, in answering a correspondent, says: “Can it be that in your zeal to disinfect the intensive housing, you have added disinfectants to the drinking water? I see that once # month you give Epsom salts. Many years’' practical experience with poultry have taught me that it -is no use and can only be harmful. You do not mention green feed in your letter. I still consider it an essential addition for the maintenance of good health in laying hens. If you could hang up a cabbage and allow your layers to peck at it —not throw it into the litter—then you might prevent some of the trouble you are experiencing!” What- the doctor intends to convey is. I think, that persistent dosing with Epsom salts is bad. Experience has taught that an occasional dose is good. Mincralu ln War Rations H. Horace Ward (analyst) writes:— “ Minerals form only about 3 per cent, of the body weight, but they are vitally important for health and growth. Chief mineral requirements are calcium, sodium, potassium, magnesium and iron, and the. non-metals phosphorus, chlo-, fine, sulphur and iodine. “ Both ;r fish and meat meals contain large amounts of calcium phosphate, obtained from the -skeleton or bone of tHe.fish or animal;.and when 10 per fish meal is included in a ’ ratiofl,.' ‘additional minerals are usually unnecessary.. “But there is Tittle fish or meat meal available,': so That unless supplementary mineral mixtures are few the ration is liable to be seriously deficient in essential minerals. Ground nut and soya bean meals are valuable high-protein foods, but then mineral content is low. . , Mineral mixtures must contain calcium,t phosphorus-and common salt. Calcium and phosphorus are both found in bones and bone flour, and calcium is- also present In chalk or limestone flour-and phosphorus in cereals. “ The phosphorus present in cereals Is not 'all easily assimilated, and therefore the low availability of the phosphorus makes cereals a less valuable source of . this mineral than was formerly; supposed, v, . •, v , '* Cereals and cakes are low in calcium, but alfalfa, grass, clover and oat straw have a high calcium content. “Sodium and chlorine are supplied by common, salt. In districts Where there is an iodine deficiency additional iodine can be supplied as potassium iodide, but in most carts of the coun-try-it is- unnecessary. “There is no advantage to be gained by using an excess of minerals; in fact,, overdoing the. mineral content can give: riseVto trouble. “^iulthble,-,mineral -mixture for general use 'can be made from; Limestone flour .. 60 per cent. Sterilised. steamed bone flour .. 20 per cent. Common salt ... ... 20 per cent, and this should be used at the rate of from 1 to 2 per ceiit., depending on the 'type ’of animal and stage of growth. “At this time of year there is no advantage whatever to be gamed by adding cod-liver oil to, rations when livestock are out of doors. It should only" be . used when they are kept intensively and do not get any direct sunlight. Cod-liver oil should be conserved for. use next winter, when supplies may be curtailed. It is best kept In closed containers, and preferably in the dark.”

Don’t Forget the Water Fowls need a lot more water than some novice poultry keepers realise, and now that the summer weather is nearly here it is of first, importance to remember this fact. At one poultry plant I was invited to visit some year or two back—invited because the owner was very proud of all his arrangements and equipment—l found that in his three seperate runs all the water vessels, were, overturned. They had been overturned by the fowls! Yet the owner had not noticed this attempt on the part of the birds to attract attention to their requirements.

If ior any reason the water vessels run dry, the birds are sure to suffer, and the egg yield to slow downIf chickens and growers have to go without water, their health will be affected, and. lacking health, production drops. See that there are plenty of water vessels and also see that they are always filled with clean water, and in the summer, particularly, take care that the vessels are placed in a shady place. Cabbage as Poultry Food Drumhead, Early Market, and Savoy make grand green feed for poultry. The wise poultry keeper will make plantings so as to secure a succession to yield crops. Care should be taken to hang up green food of any kind rather than throw it on the ground. If the latter method is adopted occasionally, What is left, after the fowls have eaten what they require, should be removed from the run, otherwise it may be rendered unfit to eat. In fact, it may be injurious to their health. Stop Dry-mash Waste

See Hltajr rats and mice do not eat and contaminate the dry mash in the hoppers. Clean the hoppers about the time the fowls go to roost, and do not reopen them till an hour or so after the morning feed given by hand. It does not pay to feed vermin, but it does pay to set traps for them or to tempt them with tempting-looking poisoned baits. You save money by preserving waste of dry mash, and this is best done by making war on vermin.

Clock Your Eggs “An old clock or watch makes an excellent egg recorder,” says an English poultryman, “ when numbers are noted for each individual laying house. The minute hand is moved round the dial to Indicate the number of eggs collected. The hour hand then automatically records dozens. A glance at the dial gives the number collected.”

Reilly’s report a smaller penning of birds for their weekly sale, with fair values realised for all lines. Copkerels—--2 at Bs. 3 7s 2d, 2 5s 2d, 3 4s 6d. 11 4s 4d 6 4s 2d, 2 3s 8d; hens —4 at 9s Bd, 2 8s 4- 7s 2d, 7 6s lOd, 16 6s Bd. 32 6s 6d; pullets—6 at 13s, 5 12s, 7 10s, 12 9s 6d, 6 3s 6d, 10 7s 6d. (All at per pair).