Poultry as an Industry.

Waikato Argus, Volume XXIV, Issue 3785, 19 May 1908, Page 2

Poultry as an Industry.

The following paper was read at v the Cambridge Farmers' Llub last evening. It had been prepared by Mr E. Veale, the secretary, but unfortunately he was not able to be present, and the paper was read by Mr Trythall. It was as follows : "I do not wish to pose as a Solomon on this subject. There are persons here who know quite as much —probaby more—about the subject than I do. At' the same time I can claim to have had a fairly large experience, having bred fowls continuously for about 20 years, and I am glad to have the opportunity of calling special attention to an industry which is becoming an increasingly valuable asset to the Dominion.

Perhaps the first thing we should decide is whether the industry is worthy of serious consideration at all. Is it a business 1 that can be worked at a profit? and, if so is it ever likely to assume anything ' like large proportions in this country? My answer is Yes, in both cases. In support of this contention it is absolutely necessary that a.few figures shouldbe used. The last census of poultry of the United States showed the total number of poultry to 250,681,673 —BBJ per cent, of the farms of that country had poultry as an asset. At least 250,000,000 chickens, to say nothing of other kinds of poultry, are consumed there each year. The fact is that, commerical tradition to the contrary, "the hen is queen" in America, to the dethronement of cotton or any staple that may have hitherto borne the regal title. According to the States Government authorities, eggs "and poultry earnings for one recent year amounted to 280,000,000 dollars. Compare this with amounts received and note the difference. The total value of gold, : silver, wool, and sheep produced in the year referred to in America was 272,434,315 dollars. The sugar production of the country the same year I was but 20,000,000 dollars. The I great American hog, as consumed at i home and abroad, brought 186,529,035 ' dollars; and oats, potatoes, and the I product of tobacco plantations were i far and away outdistanced. The I hens' eggs produced in the States anj nually would fill 43,127,000 crates. The Americans always had faith I in the industry, and by patience and I intelligence had made it the gigantic | business it is today. New Zealand is in every way suitable for poultry raising, and there are thousands of acres of land, comparatively valueless for other purposes, where the soil, the climate, and the surroundings are admirably suitable for this purpose, and which can be procured at little cost."

j The writer of the paper went | on to state that he judges that the poultry industry in New Zealand I is in about the same position that the | dairying industry was when Mr Henry | Reynolds in the Waikato, and the i Crown Dairy Company in Taranaki, I first risked their capital and devoted | their best energies to put the great j industry on a sound footing. That j the industry was prospering in the i Dominion was shown by the returns from the Government. The eggs received by the Department for cold storage during 1905-6 was 560,000, an increase of 267,000 over the pre- : vious year. Private firms dealt i with as large a number of poultry | and eggs as the Department, thus i showing a probable increase in the total output of about 200 per cent. j They recently had a gentleman travel- | ling the Waikato who stated publicly that one good poultryman could, under ; certain conditions, net £ISOO a year; ; and yet that gentleman was cycling from one end of the island to the ' other selling books on poultry, and : lecturing to others about this gold ; mine. That statement was as un- , reasonable as the one we often see in print, namely, that poultry cannot be ' run except at a loss. They had a | splendid object lesson in the results j of the recent egg-laying competition ; held in Cambridge, and they need go j no further to demonstrate the money- | making capacity of fowls when properly managed. The 550 hens in the ; above competition had laid during the 1 year 83,000 eggs roughly, 7000 dozen, which were sold at Is OJd per dozen, producing a revenue of £360. Against this there was sinking fund on plant of 10 per cent., £4O; feed, etc., £180; labour, £75; making a total of £295. That left a profit of £65 on the sale of eggs. That was no estimate, but actual audited facts. | It would be seen that the amount allowed for labour and the profit together amounted to £l4O as income for the operator. The writer then went on to compliment the company, which had not been assisted by a paternal Government. The facts and figures just published are the most comprehensive and reliable yet put before the Auckland public, and should prove of the greatest assistance to the industry throughout the Dominion. The Government poultry department had not yet made any attempt successsful to build up laying strains of either fowls or ducks, or to introduce strains of birds equal to those held by private poultrymen; and, eo far as the writer knew, no figures had been put before the public to demonstrate that poultry farming is profitable. The department had certainly done something in the matter of grading and exporting eggs but beyond that there was not much to show for the large sums of money spent every year on the establishments. But now for private enterprise. For convenience he had put the estimate in the form of a little balance-sheet. The initial cost of a 300 hen plant would be somewhat as follows:—Twelve houses and runs to accommodate 25 hens each, £96; feed house and bins, £ls; incubator and brooder, £10; cost of raising 300 pullets, £37 10s; total, £l5B 10s—or, say £l6O. If the labour was done by the person starting, the cost would be reduced by, say, one-third. The estimate of expenditure was:—Rent, of five acres of third class land near a town, £5; rates, insurance and sundries, £5; interest and sinking fund on houses, runs, and appliances, say, 10 per cent. £l-2 10s; interest on capital invested in raising fowls, £2 10s; feed, grit, etc., £9O; total, £lls. Income:—4B,ooo eggs, being an average of 160 eggs per hen, at Is Old per dozen, £2lO, leaving a balance" for labour of £95. That meant a profit of nearly £2 per week to the person operating the plant, and that at a time when all feed is at phenomenal prices. Any capable person could do as above indicated (either man or woman), and the next year increase the flock to 600, and thus be in a position to employ suitable assistance. So far the subject of producing market eggs had been dealt with; hut 100 Indian Runner ducks could be added to any plant, with results that would surprise those who had never kept them. The business was capable of almost infinite expansion. For instance, the question of caponising and fattening cockerels for the table, growing and preparing suitable stock for export, breeding birds for the show ring, and most important of all, building up strains of birds for egg production. It should, however, be remembered that in one and all of these lines speical knowledge is required. Of course, people would want to kndw how best to start to build up a poultry business. Anyone going into the business now would do so with splendid advantages. The patience and experience .of the pioneers are available for the asking. Strains of laying hens that would average of 160 to 175 eggs a year each could be procured for a few pounds, and well tested methods of feeding and housing are always available. Personally he would recommend a breeding pen of six hens and a cockerel of White Leghorns, also a pen of Black or White Orpingtons or Silver Wyandottes. Buy from a reliable breeder, and get the best that can be bought regardless of cost. Any cheeseparing at the start in securing foundation stock may mean the difference between success and failure. If a start is made with a view to egg production, some arrangement should be made for the disposal of cockerels as soon as they can be detected, and the whole of the operatore' attention be given to "doing"

his pullets thoroughly. The cocke-1 rels could always be sold in small lots | at a reasonable price for table purposes. The method of incubation must be a matter of choice. I know of one breeder who raised between 300 and 400 chickens last season by hens alone; and for a small plant I would advise the use of hens; for large production of course artificial incubation must be resorted to. For sitting hens White and Buff Orpingtons are best; they are quiet, gentle, good sitters, and splendid mothers." With regard to feeding chickens in the early Btages, Mr Veale recommended coarse oatmeal, and a little later on cracked grain; after six weeks old pollard and bran mixture might be used, with the addition of a small quantity of linseed meal as the birds begin to fledge. For egg production probably little improvement can be made on that adopted at the late competition; but the feed for breeding birds should be less stimulating, and the meat broth in the mash could be omitted with advantage.

The questionjis sure to be asked which is the best breed? As a matter of fact there is no best breed—the whole question hinges on strain; a glance at the result of the recent competition will convince one on that point. The question of heavy versus light breeds is exactly on a parallel with the question of Jersey or Shorthorn crosses. If butter fat only is required take Jerseys; but if butter fat and beef are wanted in the one animal, grade Shorthorn is the ticket. So with fowls. If eggs alone are wanted, light breeds will fill the bijl; but if allround qualities are Expected, one of the heavier breeds must be J[aken up. Personally Mr Veale would select White .Leghorns for egg production; but for all round purposes he would choose Black or' White Orpingtons. The conclusion of the paper was: "Let]me say in conclusion that the business is one that the lazy man, the careless man, and the dirty man should keep as far away from as possible. The poultry industry is no place for him. Cleanliness, constant watchfulness, regularity and enthusiasm are the qualifications for the successful poultry-, man; without these no |marked success must be looked for."

In the absence of Mr Veale, Mr Trythall undertook to answer any questions. is The Chairman said in Mr Trythall they had an expert who was thoroughly capable. » Mr Christie asked if the industry would be payable at the present cost of foods if labour was allowed for? The reply was Yes. The hens in the competition brought 6s each for eggs, and the cost of rearing them, with labour included, wodld not be more than 2s 6d or 3s. Mr J. S. Fisher said he found the Minorca and Orpington cross gave good egg-producers and good table birds.

Mr Trythall said he considered the winter layers, such as Orpingtons, would make about Id per dozen more than the summer layers.

After some informal discussion Mi Tudehope said he had appreciated Mr Veale's paper. He thoroughly believed the poultry industry would pay if properly undertaken, and he referred to the methods adopted in America, where it was the leading industry. He knew a retired commercial traveller who had quitted the road and gone in for poultry, and he was making £350 per annum.

The Chairman said the farmers knew the poultry industry was a paying one, but they did not want to go into it.

A hearty vote of thanks to Mr Veale for his paper, and to Mr Trythall for his lucid remarks terminated the proceedings.