THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

Shannon News, 22 February 1927, Page 4

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

POINTS ON PRODUCTION, SELECTION AND ORGANISATION. LECTURE BY MR. F. C. BROWN. Much useful information for poultry farmers was given by Mr F. C. Brown, Chief Government Poultry Instructor, in an address given in the Y.M.C.A., Levin on Tuesday evening, under the auspices of the Levin Poultry Keepers’ Co-operative Association. Mr G. Webb presided and there was a large attendance, including a number of ladies. RECOVERY OF THE INDUSTRY. Mr Brown said he was not going to deal with any particular branch of the industry, but would give a few hints on the management of poultry and would also touch on the question of marketing. He wanted to impress on his hearers the necessity of being organised. He regretted to say that the last census returns showed a decrease 0f183,185 head of poultry as compared with 1921, exclusive of ducks, turkeys and geese. He attributed ,this mainly to the trying time experienced in 1925. Anybody who was in the business then knew that food prices soared to a very high levelj| while there was nothing like a corresponding increase in the price of eggs. It was also the year of the shipping strike, which prevented them from exporting any surplus. These were the two main factors accounting for the decrease of poultry. In' 1924, New Zealand 6669 cases of 30 dozen eggs.

A BUSY SEASON.

The industry had recovered since, and he believed that it was right back to normal, if not on the higher level. All through the country there had been very heavy hatching and rearing operations taking place; more during tho past year, he believed, than at any previous time in the history of the Dominion. Judging from what he had seen and from reports by men who specialised in day-old chicks, he thought he was safe in saying that they had recovered the lost ground. He was also pleased to say that all breeders who understood their business reported a good season from the financial standpoint. Prices had been good during the past year. Although the prices of wheat had also been fairly high, great help had been given by the Government in removing the duty on Australian wheat. With the prospects of more food, at a cheaper rate, a good local market' for the produce, and a good overseas market for the surplus, it would appear that things looked very bright for the future. It was quite possible that the reduction in the flocks would prove a blessing in disguise. It must have been a means for -getting rid of a lot of old stagers that never paid their way. With the prospects of more and cheaper food, those people who had reduced their flocks would have learnt that it paid to have nothing to-day but the very best stock and to manage them in a thorough manner. SUBPLUS TOR EXPORT EXPECTED The consuming public had all the eggs it required in the past year, at i moderate prices, and in addition the I country exported 3293 cases of 30 dozen each. They had done all that in j the face of very trying times indeed. IfconsNhtjjioJa# ago ‘the packers complained 1 that'there were not sufficient eggs ini

the country for their requirements, and particularly in the form of egg pulp; but when a conference was held between representatives of the Poultry Association, the pastry cooks, the Department of Industries and Commerce, and the Department of Agriculture, it was proved that there was ample pulp in the Dominion for all requirements. There should be a good'surplus of eggs for export during the coming year; and if the supply of food was in abundance they would probably have a great export the following year. THE QUESTION OF BREEDS.

One of the most frequent questions heard during visits of instruction Avas, What Avas the best breed? To his mind there Avas no “best breed.” It really depended on local conditions as to the breed that should be kept. There was no doubt that the While Leghorn Avas the popular breed to-day throughout the Dominion, and it Avas the breed Avith Avhich to make money for the man avlio Avas making his livelihood from poultry. HoAvever, the great bulk of eggs and poultry stock Avas produced bv farmers, and statistics shoAved that the average flock Avas about two dozen. Therefore, it Avould be seen that in most cases poultry-keeping Avas a sideline on the average farm. He did not look on the White Leghorn as the ideal farmer’s bird, unless the farmer Avas prepared to do his hatching and rearing Avith artificial appliances; because the White Leghorn hen could not be depended on to hatch and rear the young- stock. STRAINS FOR SMALL YARDS.

Where incubators and brooders were not used, he recommended such strains ■as Black Orpingtons and White Plymouth Rocks, taking care that a good laying strain was secured. He did not like to see the dual-purpose breeds being fined down till they were not as big as the standard Leghorn. The heavy breeds were not only dual-purpose but triple-purpose breeds. They were capable of laying a very good quality of eggs indeed, and in some cases they did as well as the White Leghorns. The cockerels made good table birds, and the same remark applied to the hens that had finished laying. The chief gain with these birds was that they could be depended on to hatch and rear young ones.

CROSSING NOT RECOMMENDED,

Mr. Brown said he did not recommend crossing at all. A first cross would sometimes produce jphenomenal results, but his advice to the average farmers and to suburban residents was to keep one pure breed. What better results would they want than those achieved by the purebred birds in the laying competitions'? If there were any questions about the poultry shorr movement, he would be only too glad to answer them. The shows provided means for preserving their beautiful breeds in a state of purity. They should keep one breed; and if it was being kept for other than fancy or exhibition purposes, he would recommend a breed that was black and white. It was very difficult to breed birds with fancy feathers and at the same time to maintain their useful qualities. The Silver Wyandotte was one- of the prettiest breeds ever known, and he wished good luck to the man who could breed them; but the novice who went in for them and_ tried to hold their characteristics was' J Sp* flffdimft* proposition.

Even the experienced man was lucky j if he got five or six per cent of - bird 3 fit "to put in the show pen. With the White Leghorns, Black Orpingtons, and White Plymouth Rocks, they could breed characteristics without sacrificing usefulness. They should make eggs their main end. The table bird business was not a payable proposition at all. CARE OF PULLETS. The care of the pullet was an important subjeet.They heard of pullets not starting to lay when expected, and not laying up to expectations at this time of the year, and so forth. Even when they were bred to lay in the winter, it was surprising the number that would fail to lay if they we're not handled in the proper manner. The first essential was to prevent them from going into a moult. Once they tstarted to moult, the only way was to let them go, and try to get them through it as quickly as possible. The object in rearing pullets late in August and in September was to enable them to avoid moulting with the adult fowls and give a twelve months laying season without a moult. One of the secrets was not to change their food and quarters. The management must be uniform in all respects. Changing them from one house to another when they had commenced to lay was only inviting the moulting process. He would not be surprised if many poultrymen had their pullets going into a moult through no fault of their own. Many people would be forced to feed their fowls on New Zealand new season’s wheat, and this was very apt to put the birds into a moult. He advised that the old wheat be kept for the pullets, and the new wheat given to the growing birds, cockerels and others. Another point was to prevent the pullets from getting colds. When the cold autumn snaps came it was surprising how the birds caught chills, and little or nothing could be done to bring them back to produce eggs for the winter season. Colds were mostly due to draughts; they might also be caused by insufficient ventilation. Prevention Avas the only Avay of dealing successfully Avith diseases in poultry. OAvners need not be afraid of fresh air for the birds so long as there Avas no draught. CHOICE OF FOOD. Sometimes a number of pullets Avould be found to be going off their food. It . Avas not because they Avere getting too much, but because they became tired of the one class of food. In most cases this Avas due to a lack of greenstuff. Taking the birds now, they might refuse pollard, bran and -wheat; but if j some good greenstuff Avere throAvn down they Avould leave scarcely any of it. ; EARLY LAYING PULLETS. Mr BroAvn Avent on to say that he had had letters from people saying that their birds had started to lay at four , months. They Avere very proud of the fact. Early maturity, hoAvever, Avas a [ mistake. Even Avith White Leghorns , he did not like them to commence lay- , ing till they Avere at least six months j old. When a pullet started to lay, she , ceased to gro\A r , she remained a dim- . inutive bird and usually laid a dimL inutive egg. If they were going to L build up an export trade, they could not afford to have birds that laid ! small eggs. In some places in NeAV Zealand eggs of lfmz. commanded the . highest price; but Avhen it came to export and competing in the Avorld’s markets, they must send eggs of first quality and size. Culling Avas one of the secrets of success in poultry-keep- , ing. He looked on the month of March [. as the best time to cull a flock. It l was then that the birds would slioav . signs as to whether they had laid j. well in the past, and Avhcther they , were likely to lay Avell in the future. J.t Avas not only the best time to Aveed out the drones, but also the best time ■> to select breeding stock. One of the 3 best guides they could take Avas the . time at Avhich the bird moulted —all l things being equal. If they had been [. subjected to uniform treatment, the time of moulting Avould give a really , good guide as to the.birds that should ’ be retained for laying and breeding. t For a bird to be a heavy layer and put up a phenomenal record, she must P bo a long-season layer; and to be that , she must necessarily be a late moulter, * because it Avas very rarely that they j would find a bird that Avould go 3 through a moulting process and conP tinue laying at the same time. In a general way, one of the best guides ~ for rejecting drones AA'as to discard the early moulters.

CULLING THE FLOCK,

Various types of hens were pointed out by Mr Brown, by the use of photographs. 'He said that one of the greatest mistakes was to reject the hens with few feathers and keep those with good plumage.' At this time of the year, it was the shabbiest bird in the flock that would deliver the goods. The heaviest layers were generally the lightest birds in the flock at this time, and their legs and beaks 'were pale. The early moulters and birds with yellow legs should be rejected. The best layer was not necessarily the best breeder. Many people had been breeding from diminutive birds because they were' good layers; but they were on the wrong tack. There should be some size in a breeder—it should be a little larger than the size desired in the laying stock. The tendency was always to breed the birds smaller, instead of keep the size up. Generally speaking they should aim for the wedge type, showing breeding, laying and table points. Dealing with fatness in hens, Mr. Brown said that this condition was

produced not because of the food, but because the birds were not concerned with egg production. If they were too fat to lay it -was because they were not of the laying type. ORGANISATION. Speaking on organisation, Mr. Brown said that this was necessary to support the Government and foster trade. It was the New Zealand Poultry Asso ciation that was the first to bring pressure to bear on the Government to place an embargo on Chinese eggs; to remove the duty on wheat; to set up utility poultry standards; and to increase it 3 instructional staff. By removal of the surplus through export, many producers benefited by £5 or £6 a week, but did not give anything towards the work. He did not think that this attitude was due to meanness, but rather to want of thought and the need for better organisation and constitution than that which existed to-day. He believed that hundreds of producers would be only too pleased to be members of the. Association and pay on a sliding scale relative to the number of their birds, if the opportunity was available. A provincial organisation was required. He appealed to poultrykeepers to send out their eggs in a clean and inviting.condition and suitable for export. The Department had issued bulletins on this subject. From every standpoint the Department was out to help the producers. A grader was provided; literature was available at a low cost; and if any of the owners so desired, an instructor would be sent to their places. “Try to help yourselves,” said Mr. Brown, in conclusion; “and the first stepping-stone to that is organisation.” QUESTIONS. Mr. Leger stated that the affiliated bodies had paid their levies to the N.Z. Poultry Association, based on a charge of sixpence on every hundred dozen eggs marketed. Mr. Brown said he was aware that Levin was paying to the Association. All the work, however, was being done by a few, and they felt like dropping it, which, would be a very serious matter, It might be as well if the whole constitution weie changed. He hoped that something would be done in the matter at the forthcoming conference. He believed that a number of poultrymen would be only too willing to contribute financially if they were allowed tv market where they liked.

The lecturer v/as asked if linseed meal .was a good food to give during the moulting period. In reply he said that he would feed it very sparingly indeed. He had only used it for improving plumage. Otherwise, equally good results could be obtained without it. Anything of an oily nature was good at’ moulting time; plenty of fat was the best thing for bringing the moulting through. On the motion of the chairman, a hearty vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Brown for his interesting and instructive remarks.