POULTRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 187, 27 April 1918, Page 13

POULTRY NOTES

I (liy 'Cliauticlccr.") Quality of Eggs, Now that vggs have risen to such a high it is essential producer* tnouia give, 'the greatest attention to quality. Jinny eggs show signs of stnleuess, indicating they have neon held for several wcclis for the rising market. This is certainly most unfair. It eggs have to ho held fur u few weeks, tlicy coulil ho placed, in cool atorc, when deteriorutiou is v«ry small. It ia strange that wc have no law in New Zealand to convict, anyono from pushing a bad egg on to the marki't. In America there is a fine up to £25 for this offence. Green feed or maize feeding are essential just now, or the yolk will.appear pain and rob tho egg •of Us flavour. • Tne producer who gives attention to the market's demand in- invaluable. His grading ami feeding should ho- of the Ticst, and eggs should be scut to market, quickly. Though wo have maao great advancement in the egg trade, much remains to be done before producers can claim (lie public arc. catered for with tho best. Wonderful Records, Many are inclined to think that tho egglaying competitions aro able to put up the nest average Because, the stock is selected from tno best yards In the Dominion. This is a fallacy. Several poultryiueii can show better averages for a similar number of birds in one Hock than for the sami! number divided up in peus ■it the competition. Jiecentiy, wo inspected a Hock of 250 hens, llio same number as kept in the light oreed section at. l'apatiut, ami the last montti qf the test the test birds were left hopelessly behind. Tho last week" of tTie test tho birds were actually 20 dozen behind the private breeder's results. The following bit of wisdom is by "Breeder," of the Aile'mme "uhvonicic." f have only ouo fault to find, and that is with respect to his remark about "Popular Science," generally consisting of misleading statements. . "Breeder" says:—"lt is reported from America that some breeders Jn. conjunction, with' pseudo-scientisis are considering tho question of inoculation to promote laying. They talk of preparing a serum (or something else) trohi tho blood of high-laying liens, and inoculate farmers' flocks ol common hens. Such a scheme is absolutely impossible, and is founded oil gross ignorance, not only of the laws of inheritance and tho physiology of reproduction,''but also of the effects of inoculation and of vaccine therapy. Such proceedings affect only the Hematic or body cells, and cannot by any meanß influence the- germ cells. People of this sort read only what is known as 'popular Ecience,' generally consisting of misleading statements. It is also an attempt of. the 'get-rich-quick' fraternity to avoid the", essential and careful work of tho scientific breeder. If only thiß class of writer had the slightest conception of the wonderful and -caseless chain of biochemical reactions, during the very intricate process of fertilisation of tho ovam and the subsequent growth of tho embryo, they would hang their heads in shamu. If ordinarily iuformed people would content themselves with records of observed facts and leave highly technical pronouncements to specialised experts, it would bo in the truo intorests of the poultry industry. The spread of incorrect information is rife at tho present time. Not one.writer in 100 is qualified in the least to express opinions on these technical points. If egg-laying strains are to be produced and perpetuated the proper system of breeding may be adopted. It is worthy of notice that a great many strains which were at one time prominent are not now in tho front ranks. The breeders had an accidental good beginning, . but had not the proper knowledge and ability to carry on from generation to generation. There iB absolutely no short .cut, to success." ■