POULTRY NOTES.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 2, 26 March 1920, Page 10

POULTRY NOTES.

DRY MASH OR WET. WHICH IS THE BETTER ? SOME INTERESTIN G DETAILS. Mr Rintoul, one of the Victorian Government Poultry experts, give some detuils of the feeding of the fowls at Burnley Egg-laying competition, and in relation to the above says : "The question is frequently raised whether the dry mash or wet mash system is the better. Each system has proved highly suocessful in th } official egg-laying oompetitions. In the test for teams of six birds a score of" 1667 was made one year in the wet mash section by Mr J. H. Gill's team, whilst the following year Mr W. N. CMullane's team in the dry mash section scored 1699, which is the world's record for a team of six birds. As these scores were made in different years and by different breeders, it can hardly he claimed that they proved anything conclusive. In single test the 300 mark has been reached in different years by both dry and also wet mash feeding in White Leghorns. The official world's record single test, 335, by Mr Graham's Black Orpington, was made on the wet mash system. GREAT SAVER OF LABOUR. Undoubtedly the dry mash system saveg an enormous amount of labour, so that even if it were a fact that on a flock average the dry mash system gave a dozen eggs less per bird, it is probable that it would still be quite as profitable, if not more so, than the wet mash. But it has not been proved conclusively that a flock will lay more on wet mash. In the writer's opinion, a hot feed at day-hreak during the winter months is conductive to better results. As far as the heavy breeds are concerned, there is with them a tendency to get over-fat on dry mash, particularly with big-framed, strong constitutioned birds, though less robust birds, lacking spring of rib, have been observed to do well with dry mash. The practice is to feed as much wet mash as will he eat-en up by the birds in a period of about twenty minutes, whereas the dry mash is available all day long. The usual custom in Victoria is to f eed grain at night and mash in the morning. There is no neeessity for this at all, and a certain amount of time would be saved, and the birds kept far more busy during the day, if the grains were scattered in the litter directly after breakfast, and mash fed at night. To warm the birds np in winter and take the keen edge off their appetites, ahout half an ounce of wheat per bird with an equal amount of water could be put on a slow fire over night and fed hot at day light. The - heat should just absorb the water without either burning or leaving any 'soup' over. The birds would then be ready to scratch for the dry grains in the litter between 9 and 10 o'clock in the morning. THE BURNLEY MASH. The rations as fed at Burnley for the competitions averaged out as follows : — WET MASH. Parts. Wheat Pollard ... ... ... ... Wheat Bran ^ ... ... ... ... ^ qi Oaten Pollard 1 Pea Meal ... ^ Wheat Meal w ... ... ... ^.3 DRY MASH, Parts. "Wheat Pollard _ ... w ... Wheat Bran ... . . 2 Oaten Pollard ^ 1 Pea Meal ... ? Meat Meal ... ^ J Per cent. Sagar, about ... ... ^ ^

SOUTHLAND EGG-LAYING COMPETITION. FINAL RESULTS. The winning pens in the Southland Test are as follows : — Light Brseds. 1st. — T. Stratton 1364 2nd.— H. S. Woodnorth 1356 3rd.—1 T. Paul 1344 4th.— Mrs F. Gorinski 1338 C. Thomson's and E. Williamson's pens are disqualified owing to the eggs being under the standard weight of 23oz to the dozen. Heavy Breeds. lst. — Miss H. King 1098 The popular caretaker (Mr J. McNeil) of the Southland Competitions is now on holiday, and intends visiting the various competitions of the Dominion. Mr McNeil will take a keen interest in the methods of the caretakers of the competitions ; but, judging from the splendid results of the Southland tests, he has little to learn in the way of tending to the wants of t!io birds. We wish him an en joy able trip, and trust that he will come back fit and well to commence another successful year for the Southland Competitions. The Southland Utility Poultry Club has at least two members on its Committee of Management who are worthy of the "iron cross." Messrs Rogers and Hill have been doing good work at the new pens and, with the aid of hurricane lamps, have been working well on to midnight spraying and cleaning the old pens in readiness for the coming tests. A few more helpers would be welcomecL