POULTRY INDUSTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 June 1920, Page 5

POULTRY INDUSTRY.

GOVERNMENT EXPERT'S TIMELY ■ ADVICE. A practical demonstration and lecture relating to matters connected with the poultry industry wan given at the Soldiers' Club last night by Mr. E. C. Jarrett, Government expert, under the auspices of the Taranaki Egg Circle. Mr. Jarrett has now made several visits to New Plymouth, and hi* advice and instruction have come to be highly valued in the industry. In his talk with local poultry farmers last night Mr. .Jarrett, as on former occasions, counselled breeding to a particular standard. He' also dealt with the question of selection, and detailed the characteristics required in the good laying bird. The necessity for severe (Milling was stressed with more emphasis than usual, on account of the present position in regard to food supplier, and the need for keeping only those birds which were productive. He stated that tho popular idea that any bird was good for two seasons was not correct. A bird was only good bo long as it maintained a good strong constitution. Directly a bird showed signs of a weakening constitution it should' be culled, an a satisfactory egg return ! could not be obtained from a weak bird. The speaker also dealt with the requirements of the hatching season. He was a strong advocate of hatching all the season's chicks in one lot—with the exception of the distinction between heavy and light breeds. Good housing was essential, and if eggs were required in the winter period conditions as near as possible approximating those of summer were essential. In feeding, while advocating the wet mash for the morning meal, he preferred the meat meal fed to the birds in such a way that they could help themselves and regulate their own appetites, rather than including it in the.mash. Plenty of green feed wa3 necessary, and wheat was probably the best egg-producing grain food, though for growing pullets good stout oats made an excellent diet. A good supply should be fed to the birds, giving them always as much as they could eat up cl<"inly and without waste. It was a mistake to cut down the ration on account of the cost of feed. Hence the necessity for keeping no birds which would not pay for feeding. Mr. Jarrett was able to demonstrate from live exhibits the chief points in his address, which was followed with close interest, and at its conclusion, after answering a number of questions, he was heartily thanked.