POULTRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 172, 17 April 1937, Page 10 (Supplement)

POULTRY NOTES

Selecting the Breeding Stock

HEALTH THE FIRST CONSIDERATION

(By New Laid.)

Success in the hatching and rearing of chickens primarily depends on the proper selection of the breeding stock. When selecting the breeders the health of the birds should always be. the first consideration, and if possible it should be based on a definite knowledge of the health history of each bird. in the absence of such knowledge, external indications which are generally regarded as more or less reliable guides to health and vigour have to be relied on. Good carriage is important, gait and a general appearance of sprightliuess and vivacity in movement being recognised as signs of qualities required in a breeder, and a healthy, vigorous bird is always a good mover. The next step should be to handle the birds. The body should feel firm and fleshy, and the shanks and feet warm. If they are cold it is an indication of poor constitution. The back should be fairly long and broad, especially across the saddle, and the body should be deep with considerable width behind. The legs should be of medium length, straight, and set well apart. Short, wellworn claws indicate a worker in scratching for food. The eye of a healthy bird should be very bright, bold, and rather prominent, with a large black pupil and perfectly round. Tight feathering is another indication of health. "Most Important Work of Years. ’ Referring iu the "Journal of Agriculture” for March to the selection of breeding stock, the chief Government Poultry instructor, Mr. C. Cussen, says: The most important work of the year on all commercial poultry farms is the selection of the breeding stock for the coming season. If this work has not already been done no time should be lost in giving it the very best possible attention. So important is this work, that no poul-try-keeper can afford to miss any opportunity of making the very best possible job of selecting his breeding birds. If this task- is delayed at this season, it will be impossible to select all the best birds, as once a bird starts to moult the points which mostly go to indicate usefulness mostly disappear. The difference between the cost of production and the price received for poultry products is often such that mistakes made with the selection of breeding stock may easily mean that the poultry-keeper may show a loss instead of a profit. “Disease is causing many poultrykeepers much concern, and. unfortunately some have experienced considerable losses. These poultrvmen should take extra care in the selection of their breeding birds. Quality, not quantity, should be the aim. and only the very best birds, having good constitutions, should be selected. If this is done it will be found that the resistance of the young stock will be such that disease will have little, dread for them. In fact, it 'may be said that the whole future of the poultry industry depends very largely upon the care taken and the skill shown by poultry-keepers in the selection of their breeding birds.

Advice to Beginners. ■ The novice who has had little experience in the art of selection should endeavour to get some practical lessons from a successful person and then try his hand at selecting from his own flock those birds which he considers will make suitable breeders. After he has made his own selection he would be wise to get some experienced person to check oyer his work, point out where mistakes may have been made, and how improvements could be effected. The successful breeder or selector has not only the ability to more or less correctly gauge the value of the visible characteristics- of his birds, but by years of careful selection and a constant study of the individuals of his flock he placeshimself in the best possible position when selecting his breeders ,to guard against those undesirable invisible characteristics which so often have such a disappointing influence on the progeny. It is well to remember always that each bird possesses not only visible but numerous invisible 'characteristics/ which may be transmitted to the offspring, and unless the selector has some knowledge of the pedigree of the stock he is selecting he is, to a certain extent, working in the dark. A pure line of descent from parents that have been carefully selected for constitution, production, and breed characteristics is what is required. Every healthy purebred bird is capable of transmitting certain characteristics of its breed to its offspring, and the longer and more carefully the breeding birds have been selected the more likely are those transmitted characteristics to be favourable. While a pure line or pedigree strain is so desirable, the great value and importance of individuality should never be underestimated. This point is mentioned because : many beginners’ plants have been visited where certain birds have been used as breeders just because they were brothers or sisters to certain competition or show winners. The results from such birds have, at times, been most disappointing, becalise they lacked that individuality or make-up of visible characteristics which is so necessary in a breeding bird. It is true that the secrets of heredity are. so far, well guarded, but there arc some people who, by a careful study of a particular breed and an almost uncanny ability or “gift”’ of selecting, ean detect those birds which have, in a marked degree, the power of transmitting good characteristics to their offspring. These people have a natural genius in. that particular line, and have by their natural ability been able to build up such a name for their stock that it is keenly sought after owing to -its general high quality. 1 If it were possible for those of little experience or those who have had trouble with their birds to engage one of those “gifted” selectors to pick out their breed-ing-birds and breed only from such birds, it would be the very best way of guarding against disease and maintaining the good name this country has for utility stock. Though all poultry-keepers are not likely to become outstanding in the art of selection, as the natural aptitude for the work is possessed by few, still it is well for beginners to bear in mind that the art of selection ean be cultivated, and if one is an enthusiast and is a keen observer, he will soon find that those, together with a little praet'eal experience, will enable him to make a very fair job of selecting bis own breeding birds. The chief essential characteristics required in a good breeding-bird are purity . of blood; vigour, constitution, and capacity to produce and reproduce.. The first step a poultry-keeper should take in order to become a successful selector and builder of a high-class strain or flock of utility birds is to acquire a knowledge of the standard requirements for the particular breed he intends keeping. for unless one has some defintie standard to guide him, much permanent improvement can hardly be expected. The second step should be, when selecting, to heed that principle “like produces like.” and always select those birds which show characters nearest to the model aimed at, for it is a fact that the offspring from purebred birds of the same breed are more likely to possess characteristics like their parents than those of other birds. No doubt at times variations will cause disappointments, but all successful breeders have experienced such setbacks, but they are not I discouraged by a few disappointments. I It is really these numerous variations I and more or less individual differences I which do crop up that make the great I art of selecting so difficult yet so wonderI fully interesting.

Body Size Important. The third matter, and perhaps the most, important when it comes to actual picking of the breeders, is the body—its size, strength and shape. Just as the life of any structure depends largely upon the strength of its foundations and frame, so also does the life and usefulness of a strain or family of birds depend upon the strength, type and size of its individual members. There is a tendency with some to place too little value on body-size, and rather too much on egg-

records. While it is true that the med-ium-sized bird is often the better layer, it is well to remember that experience has proved that the best breeding birds are as a rule a little larger than the best layers, and that smallness is not the cause of great egg-production, but its effect. At times some are inclined to be influenced too much by a nice comb or lobes, and, while it is most desirable to breed birds as near to the standard as possible, it is well to remember that the body is where the eggs come from, while tlie comb and lobes are furnishings It will prove better financially and otherwise to first pay the extra attention to the developing of good bodies rather than to developing good combs and lobes on poorer bodies. . . “The chief visible charae.eristics ot a good utility bird are: Body showing length, depth, and width; a good cropcapacity and depth of - abdomen—back i er flat with width carried well back to the tail—the texture of the abdomen should be fine, silky, .".nd flexible (a most important point) —legs of medium length carried well back, and wide apart—head fairly fine, showing strength and character not coarse, but rather wide at the top and of fair length—comb of medium size and thickness, not too small and not coarse or flabby—wattles should be of medium size, fine in texture and carried close together—feathering should be hard, ti fr ht, dense. and often of a worn, thieadbare appearance it this time of the year the eyes should be large, bold, and prominent.”

Poultry Board and Federation. At the conclusion of the annual conference of the Poultry Federation the newlyappointed executive conteiied with the New Zealand Poultry Board’with relerence to the board’s financial assistance to the federation for the coming year, remits adopted by the conference, and the necessity for closer co-operation between the two bodies. At the close of the dj^ _ cussion board members and the executive expressed their satisfaction with the results of the discussion, and that the clear and amicable arrangements arrived at would undoubtedly bring about a very much better understanding and more barmonious working between the two bodies than had been in evidence during the past 5 With reference to the board’s offer of a subsidy of £350 to the federation, subject to certain conditions submitted to the conference, it was agreed between the board and the executive that approximately £l5O of this sum would be held in reserve by the board for the purpose of meeting the expenses of the next conference of the federation (1938), the balance to be paid to the federation in monthly instalments of £l7. During the past year there was considerable overlapping in regard to representations to the Government on remits and other matters, the board and the federation in many cases having made separate representations on the same subject and generally along the same lines. By arriving at a complete and amicable understanding in regard to remits adopted at the recent conference, the federation will deal with remits relative to the domestic affairs of the federation, and the board will put forward practically all remits referring to subjects of major importance to the industry, it being distinctly understood, when doing so, the board will make it clear that such representations are made conjointly with the federation. ■ i The way was made clear for this arrangement bv the federation executive stating that Remit No. 7 (in which the conference asked the Government to recognise only the federation as the official mouthpiece of the industry) had. been wiped out as the result of the Minister’s reply to the deputation from the conference. With reference to Remits .No. 33 and 34 (Marketing of Eggs), it was agreed that the board and the federation act conjointly and in co-operation. Among the principal remits which the executive agreed should be left in the hands of the board were:—No. 15 (Stock Foods Bill) : 16 (representation on the wheat committee) ; 19, 20, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 (feed, wheat, pollard, bran, maize, meatmeal) ; 25 (cost of production) ; 24 (export of eggs); 36 and 37 (grading of eggs) ; 38 (“eat more eggs” campaign) ; 39 (chilled eggs) ; 41 (co-operation with Farmers’ Union) ; 44 (mass production) ; 45 (table poultry) ; 46 (Dog Registration Act) ; 47 (shipping facilities to Bay of Plenty district). In connection with the delegation, in general terms, of the above-mentioned remits to the board for action, it was clearly understood that the board would keep the federation fully advised from time to time of action taken by the board and the results arising therefrom, as well as to further consult the executive when necessary in regard to any such remits. For this purpose, anil in regard to the board’s activities in other directions, it was arranged that sufficient copies of periodical reports would be supplied by the board’s secretary to the secretary of the federation to enable the latter to supply a copy to each branch of the federation. It was also arranged that the secretary of the federation would supply the board with periodical statements of the expenditure of money furnished by the board. EGG-LAYING CONTESTS Taranaki Competition The third week of the Taranaki EggLaying Competition Society’s tenth test I resulted as follows , Black Orpingtons.—Tims. Dowthwaite, 6-7; 0-0; 0-0. Norman Ross, 5-14; 5-15; I 7-14. Mrs. F. A. Warren, 0-3; 6-16; 5-8. ; Mrs. AV. Busby, 6-10. Mrs. R. Willers, 0-0. A. C. Donnelly. 4-9. Mrs. D. M. Waddell. 6-17; 0-0. Mrs. N. Lilley, 4-14. Australorps.—Ancona Stud Poultry Farm, 0-0; 0-0; 0-0. J. H. Hurdle, 5-13; 4- 7-16. Mrs. H. Moreland, 6-15; 5-14; 6-17. Miss D. R. J. Playle, 0-0; 0-0; 0-0. W. A. Larsen, .",-9; 6-14; 0-0. Langshans.—S. T. Bason, 5-14; 6-16; 0-0. Light Sussex.—-Miss I). It. ,T. Playle, 0-0. H. Kirkwood, 5-16; 5-11. Rhode Island Reds.—Geo. A. Edge, 5-13; 6- 6-12. AV. Sellers, 6-0. Mrs. F. A. Dewhurst. 5-13. Mrs. AV. O. Gould, 5-14. Mrs. B. Hickman, 5-14. C. C. Cleaver, 0-0. . White Leghorns.—Cotswold Poultry Farm, 6-13; 2-6; 5-0. C. L. W. Urquhart, 7- 5-12; 0-0. Mrs. A. W. Revell, 6-15; 5- 7-20. D. M. Peek. 5-11; 5-12; 6-12. M. . Stephenson, 5-14; 5-13; 5-13. J. T. Hazelwood, 5-12: 5-8; 5-1). Sunny River ' Poultry Farm, 6-18; 6-19; 5-16. Walter Scott, 5-11; 0-7: 5-9. Mrs. N. Lilley, 4-4. V. G. Adams, 0-0. Mrs. ,T. Tippett'. 5-12. Mrs. R. R. Cannon, 6-12. A. C. Donnelly, 0-2. C. Hansen, 0-2. A. A. Hoare. 4-11. | Whenuapai Poultry Farm, 3-10. Miss E. >i. Ladd, 4-13. Crawford Strang, 6-10. An- • I conn Stud Poultry Farm, 1-9.

Brown Leghorns.—Mrs. IV. Busby. 0-0. Anconas. —Ancona Stud Poultry Farm, 0-0.

Minoreas. —Miss D. Swadling, 0-0. W. Sellars, 0-0. DUCKS. Fawn and White Indian Runners.—L. P. James, 0-0;'0-0; 0-0. H. 11. Melville, 1-1; 0-0; 0-0. Mrs. A. W. Revell, 3-3. Khaki Campbell.—Mrs. E. Kelly, 5-16; 7-21; 6-19. Ancona Stud Poultry Farm, 0-2. THREE-BIRD TEAMS. HEAVY BREEDS. Total

DUCKS.

B. —Black Orpingtons. W.L.—White Leghorns. Aus.—Australorps. R.I.R.— Rhode Island Reds. Massey College Results The third week’s results in the egg-lay-ing contest conducted at Massey College are as follows:— SINGLE PENS. Section A.—A. A. Hoare, W.L. No. 1 (6), IS; A. S. Harrison. W.L. No. 2 (5), 15; A. G. Mumby, W.L. No. 4 (6), 15; A. J. Shailer, W.L. (5), 15; Miss H. Reddell, W.L. No. 3 (7), 14; O. H. Markland, W.L. No. 3 (5), 14; Sininv River P.F., W.L. No. 3 (5), 14; A. G. Mumby, W.L. No. 3 (4). 13; W. Scott. W.L. No. 1 (6), 13; Sunny River P.F., W.L. No. 2 (5), 13; P. Wills, Brown Leghorn No. 2 (51. 13: W. N. Laws, W.L. No. 1(6), 12: O. H. Markland, W.L. No. 1 (5), 12; J. Mold, W.L. (3), 12; IV. Scott, W.L. No. 2 (4). 12; W. Scott, W.L. No. 3 (5), 12; P. Wills, Brown Leghorn No. 1 (5), 12; G. AV. Hawkins, W.L. No. 2 (1), 11; Miss H. Keddell, AV.L. No. 1 (5), 11; Miss H. Keddell, AV.L. No. 2 (1), 11; A. JSevern, AV.L. No. 3 (5), 11; J. AVilson, AV.L. (5) 11; A. S. Harrison. W.L. No. 1 (2), 10; A. G. Mumby, AV.L. No. 2 (5), 10; Sunny River P.F., W.L. No. 1 (4). ID; AVhenuapai P.F., AV.L. (1). 10; ,T. A. Annan, W.L. (3), 8; J. T. Hazelwood, AV.L. (1). 8; O. H. Markland, AV.L. No. 2 (2), 8; C. L. AV. Urquhart, AV.L. (3), 8; J. Reilly, AV.L. (3), 7; A. J. Severn, W.L. No. 1 (4), 7; O. H. Markland, AV.L. No. 4 (0), 4; P. Mummery, Min. No. 1 (1), 4; P. Mummery, Min. No. 2 (0), 3: A. G. Mumby, AV.L. No. 1 (1) 3; A. A. Hoare, W.L. No. 2 (2), 2; Rangiuru Egg Rauch, AV.L. No. 2 (1), 2: A. J. Severn, W.L. No. 2 (0). 2; Mrs. M. L. Douglas, AV.L. (0). 1 : G. AV. Hawkins, AV.L. No. 1 (1), 1; Rangiuru Egg Ranch, W.L. No. 3 )0), 1; Ancona Stud P.F., Anc (0), 0; Mrs. R. R. Cannon, AV.L. (0), 0; Mrs. L. Hubbard. AV.L. (0), 0; AV. N. Laws, W.L. No. 2 (0), 0; .1. A. Pearce. Anc. (0). 0; Rangiuru Egg Ranch. AV.L. No. 1 (0), 0. Section B.—Huxtable Bros., 8.0. No. 1 (6) IS: Mrs. AV. J. Huxtable, 8.0. (7), 18; Miss E. T. Sonier, R.I.R. No. 1 (7), IS; AV. A. Larsen, A.O. No. 1 (6), 17; Miss E. T. Somer, R.I.R. No. 2 (6), 17: Mrs. AV. O. Gould, R.I.R. (6), 16; T. B. Hoidaway, R.I.R. (7), 16; J. D. Rowlands. R.I.R. No. 2 (6), 16; AV. Fletcher, A.O. No. 1 (5), 15; R. Feist, R.I.R. (6), 15; Huxtable Bros., B. No. 2 (5), 15; D. E. Hopkins, lUI.lt. (6), 14; AV. A. Larsen, A.O. No. 4 (5), 14; Mrs. M. L. Douglas, 8.0. (5). 13; E. Jensen. R.I.R. No. 1 (4), 13: J. D. Rowlands, R.I.R. No. 1 (3), 12; Mrs. R. AVtllers, 8.0. (6), 10; John AValker, A.O. (2). 9; AV. Fletcher. A. No. 2 (3), 3; E. Jensen, R.I.R. No. 2 (2) 2;'AV. A. Larsen. A.O. No. 2 (0), 1; Ancona Stud P.F., A.O. (0). 0; T. Dowthwaite, 8.0. No. 1 (0), 0; T. Dowthwaite, B. No. 2 (0), 0; T. Dowthwaite, 8.0. No. 3 (0), 0; AV. A. Larsen, A.O. No. 3 (0), 0; Miss E. T. Somer, R.I.R. No. 3 (0), 0. TEAMS RESULTS. Section C.

The strongest living thing in proportion to its weight, is the beetle, which can carry a burden 850 times heavier than itself. If a man possessed proportionate strength he could carry a load weighing 70 tons.

1 Thos. Dowthwalte, B.O. G 2 3 0 0 Wkly. to Tfl. Date 0 17 Norman Ross, B.O. .. 5 7 17 43 Mrs. F. Warren, B.O. 0 0 ;) 11 27 Ancona Stud P.F., Aus. 0 0 0 0 0 J. H. Hurdle, Aus. .. 5 4 7 IB 43 Mrs. H. Moreland, Aus. 6 n B 17 46 Miss D. R. Playle, Aus. 0 0 0 0 0 W. A. Larsen, Aus. .. 5 6 0 11 23 S. T Bason, Lang. .. 5 G 0 11 30 Geo. A. Edge, R.I.R. 5 6 6 17 40 LIGHT BREEDS. Cotswold P.F., W.L. . G «) r, 1.') 31 C. L. Urquhart, W.L. 7 , k 0 12 28 Mrs. A. Revell, IV.L. . 6 ;» 7 18 50 D. M. Peek, W.L. .. 5 1 a q 16 35 M. Stephenson. W.L. 5 . 5 Io 40 J. T. Hazelwood, W.L. 5 ; k 1) 15 211 Sunny River P.F., W.L. 5 Walter Scott, W.L. .. 5 6 5 17 53 0 □ 10 27

L. P. James, I.B. ... . 0 0 0 0 ■ 0 H H. Melville, I.B. . . 1 0 0 1 1 Mrs. E. Kelly, K.C. . . 5 7 6 IS 5(1

H. A. Lucas, W.L.: 15, 12, 10, 11, 15, 8 (28), 71. .Mrs. G. E. Sewell, W.L.: 5, 12, 7, 11, 14. 10 (15), 50. Ancona Stud P.F., W.L.: 11, 14, 3, 10, 12, 5 (17). 55. S. G. Batlen. W.L.; 13, 12. .13, 5, 10, 2 (2o), oo« C. L. W. Urquhart, W.L.: 15, 4, 10, 12, 0. 0 (20). 47. J. T. Hazelwood, W.L.: 10, 11, 2, 2, 10, 8 (20), 43. Cotswold P.H'., W.L.: 13, 10, 0, 1, 2, 4 (10), 30. M. Stephenson, W.L.: 0, 1. 0, 11, 0, 8 (11), 20. Section D. L. G. Hooper, KO.: 13, 15, 16, 0. 16, 17 (29), 77. W. A. Larsen, A.O.: 1-1, 1, 0, 12, 14, 7 (17). 48. G. A. Edge, K.I.K.: 4, 6, 15, 0, 0, 7 (17), 32. G. A. Mitchell, B.O.: 8, 0, 11, 10, 1, 2 (18), 32. Austral P.F., B.O.: 2, 11, 0, 0, 3, 0 (10), 10. Bliss Bros., R.I.R.: 0, 0, 8, 0, 0, 0 (4), 8. P. A. Dewhurst, R.I.R.: 0, 4, 0, 0, 0, 4 (8). 8.