POULTRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 249, 17 July 1937, Page 10 (Supplement)

POULTRY NOTES

Separated Milk For Chickens

“A COMPLETE, WELL-BALANCED FOOD”

(By New Laid.)

“Several months ago.” writes “Sussex.” “extracts were published in ‘The Dominion' from an interesting article eon- ■ cerning English research into the value ■ of separated milk as a food for chickens. I I have forgotten the details and would be ' glad, now that another chick-rearing season is on us, if you could trace the i extract I have in mind.” I The reference is probably to a review 'by J. H. Prentice, B.Sc., B.Agr., then I Director of Poultry Nutrition, Northern j Ireland Research Institute, Hillsborough. | Stressing the value of separated milk as a • means of building up in chickens con- : stitutional resistance to disease. Mr. j Prentice pointed out that separated milk ; contains fully 75 per cent, of the more ■ important solids originally present in the j whole milk, and added : —“Separated milk is such a complete, well-balanced I and digestible food that chicks receiving it build up reserves of strength and are highly resistant to adverse influences, such as chills. It is during the first few weeks of the chicken's life that separ- ' ated milk is most to replace, both, for growth and for health. . At later j stages substitutes can be devised to give ! comparable rates of growth, but even : then nothing I know of will give the same bloom and appearance of health. The i second danger period is generally con- [ cerned with parasites, either worms or ' coccidiosis, or both. Here again, milk has I a unique value, which appears to be the I result of two factors. First, milk-reared i chicks are well-nourished and in n high ' state of health which enables them to resist acute infestation if infection with parasites occurs. Secondly, _ the use of milk seems to lead to a condition of the intestine that is unfavourable to paraI “It has been suggested that since the droppings of milk-fed chicks are markedly more liquid than those of wild birds, or of fowls on another type of ration, this must be a disadvantage. This is not necessarily so. True, more frequent . cleaning of the litter may be called for, but this is not altogether a drawback, be- . eause clean litter is a great step toward having healthy fowls.” i To Counter Legweakness. I Legweaknesi? ia another trouble rffilicting young chicks, even when cod-liver oil lis given. A number of forma of legweakness exist, and the causes are almost all I nutritional. In my experience, no weakI ness occurs tinder intensive conditions, I when separated milk is tired, so long as cod-liver oil is given. With, some kinds of legweakness the use of milk will lead to very rapid cures. In one form the i chick suffers from turned-in toes ana ‘ walks on its knuckles. The use of milk will eure this condition in twenty-four hours if used at an early stage. This effect is due to one of the many vitamins that it contains. It will not cure ‘‘slipped tendon.” but it will prevent it. Surplus cockerels of laying strains can be disposed of for table purposes at thirteen weeks old when reared on milk. At the Poultry Research Institute at Hills- , borough the entire stock are white Wyan- j dottea of a highly prolific laying strain, 1 but the surplus cockerels, reared on separated milk, average 3Jlb. live weight at thirteen weeks, off the run. and are fat and ready for the table without any intensive “fattening” treatment. Indivi- , dual cockerels reared on milk have weigh- ' ,ed as much as 51b. 2oz. ct 12 weeks 3 , days old. Normally, at th’rteen weeks old it has been found that the food consumption is of the order of 91b. of meal and 2 gallons of separated milk per fowl. The ration used with the milk consists of grain and a mash of cereal meals only. Where liquid milk is not used, j and substitutes are employed in its place. | food consumption is of the order of 121 b. ! per head for a similar period of growth. I Salt Content Important. | It is desirable that the ration used j with separated milk should be of the proper composition. The proportions of the actual cereals used ; s of comparatively little importance. What does matter is that the salt content of the mash should be low. . Complaints are made sometimes that the use of liquid milk leads to excessive liquid consumption, to scouring, and to the ehicks spilling milk over their bodies and so becomirfg chilled. This occurs quite frequently and is caused by using milk with a mash designed for use withou + it. Such mashes are. or should be. fairly rich in salt, and when used in conjunction with I'quid milk, which is also rich in. salt, the salt intake of the fowl is too great and leads to an ex- I cessive thirst. The fowl seeks to . quench this thirst by drinking more ) milk, which only aggravates the trouble. I The droppings become almost entirely ■ fluid on account of the large amount of ; liquid that the fowl takes in. and. in its i eagerness to drink, milk is splashed oyer , itself or its neighbours. At best the | fowls become very sticky and dirty-look- , ing, and at the worst they become chi’l- | ed. It is remarkable, however, how seldom the worst does happen, so_ long as the hover has a good reserve of heat. I A Mistake to Avoid. I Another frequency made mistake is to dilute the separated milk or to offer water with it. Such a course will not give good remits, especially with "Oting stock. They require- all the milk they can drink. In the normal course of events they w'll consume a greater quan'ity of milk than ( they would of water; this is all to the ; good. If the amount of milk available I is limited it should be given to the youngest chicks, without any water, starting at two days old. When they outgrow the supply they should be changed to a ration designed for use without milk anl the milk should be diverted to the next hatch, i It is not generally derivable to try to , combine the use of a limited amount of • liquid milk with other protein supplements for the same stock at the same I time. After the cockerels have been re- ' moved it will be found that the pullets will thrive well if offered water to drink i as well as separated milk; but. to ensure i that the salt supply is adequate, it is advisable to include half a pound of salt to each cwt. of mash.

There is only one way in which milk can be actually harmful to young chicks, and that is rs the result of a lack of reasonable cleanliness. Ordinary souring, difficult to prevent in hot weather, is not in the least harmful, but if dirty fountains are continually replenished without cleaning the milk will become putrid m a short time, .-nd there is no poison more fatal to young chick,? than this. Separated milk used in conjunction with cereals will be found the nearest approach to the perfect ration for chick rearing. Moisture in Incubation.

The part moi-ture plays during the incubation process is considered by many to be rather a technical question, but it is possible to understand all that is neces-' c-ary in connection with the moisture problem without delving too deeply into scientific matters. The problem is reduced to the following simple terms by Mr. F. IV. Parton, late lecturer to Leeds University: “The moisture question is important because if the air surrounding the egge be too dry or too moist, the | hatching percentage is adversely affected. . In the latter case, the embryo chicken 'is , too large for the shell; in the former ’he ; embryo is weakened because it lores too 1 much of its water content. Dry air causes the water in>-ide the shell to eva- ‘ porate too quickly ; moist air retards evaI poration unduly. Air is capable of hold- | ing water vapour in suspension. If it contains- as much water vapour rs it possibly can. it is said to be saturated. If I it contains. say. half as much as it is I capable of doing, it is said to be at 50 I per cent, saturation. If it con'ain.s no water vapour, it is said to be at 0 per 1 cent, saturation. In misty or rainy weather the air is generally saturated. During the hatching season it is on the average about 75 per cent, saturated. That is, of course, the ouh-ide atmosphere. and not that within the inetil.tiler room or incub tor itsel:'. The inc I ! ’i the air is 1 generally fairly mu's>t in the spring, gives

rise to the idea that it should be sufli- ■ ciently moist, if not too moist for successj ful incubation, but this is quite wrong. I "Many hundreds of experiments have ' proved that the best results are obtained | when the air surrounding the eggs is at •50 per cent, saturation. This figure is i not : n exact one, because it has alro been I found that nlmort as good results are obtained when the air is as low as 40 per ' cent, and as high as 60 per cent. It is I extremely difficult to maintain the same I degree of humidity in the egg chamber, I but it is not difficult to see that it does I not fall below 40 per cent, nor rise above 160 per cent. The addition of water vapour is essential if hatching is to be suc- | ecssful. Even if the outside temperature i be as high as 54 degrees and the., air is I at 75 per cent, saturation, it means it ■ is only at 15 per cent, when raised to | incubator temperature. This is well beI low the danger-line. I ‘‘Practically all modern incubators are ‘ fitted with some device for adding to rhe ‘ moisture in the egg chamber. It is a ; good insurance. however, to procure a i hygrometer or humidity gauge. There ; are simple to use. and in most cases the j percentage of water vapour in the air shown by suitable graduations. The ■ hygrometer should register as near 50 per cent, as possible. If the air be too , dry. additional waler-adding devices may ■■ be used—these are sometimes provided. ! A saucer of water may be placed in the machine for a short time; the floor of rhe incubator house, if it be of cement or wood, may be sprinkled with’ water, or the ventilation of the machine may he retarded a little. Reducing the speed at which the air circulates through the egg chamber naturally increases its humidity, because this rises owing to the evaporation of the liquid portion of the egg. It is not, however, a wise proceeding to interfere wi‘h the ventilation too much, especially after the fourteenth day, because the slower the air circulates rhe greater the proportion of carbon dioxide it contains, and an excev’S is harmful. It is seldom that the air becomes *oo moist. If it does, the water-adding device may be removed for the time being, or the ventilation of the machine increased. It may not be possible to maintain the exact percentage, but a hygrometer will indicate when the extremes of dryness and moistness are being reached.” Treatment of Vent Gleet. Mild cases of vent gleet can be treated I by bathing with a strong solution of per- | manganate of potash, made fresh for every application, followed by carbolised vaseline. The use of pure tea-tree oil has also proved effective. The affected birds should be completely segregated from all other stock, and it is advisable to wear rubber gloves when handling I fowls suffering from this disease, as it is highly contageous. If cases prove obstinate or an offensive odour arises, it is best to kill the birds immediately. Control of Cannibalism. A practical poultryman commends the following mixture for use where canni' alism is causing trouble: 4oz. vaseline, }oz. carmine and »oz. aloes. Dress the wounds with the above mixture, and also daub some liberally in patches on unharmed birds. Seeing the “bloody” patches, the cannibals peck at them, but are repelled by the taste of the mixture and give up pecking. The plan works on the same principle as the old practice of filling an egg with mustard to cure egg-eating. The plan described has been found an effective cure for pecking. Simple Measure for Feeders. Where it is desired to measure quantities of feed, the following simple measures are useful:— A kerosene tin is frequently used as a measure, and net weights without the tin can be taken approximately as follows: One tinful pollard 181 b., bran 12 lb., lucerne meal 121 b., whole wheat _3olb„ whole maize 281 b., cracked maize 251 b, A quart measure filled, but not pressed I down, represents the following weights: Wheatmeal 11b. Boz., pollard lib., bran Boz., lucerne meal Boz., oatmeal, lib., barley meal lib. Boz., maize meal lib. 8oz„ linseed meal lib., whole wheat 21b., whole maize lib. 12oz„ whole peas lib. 120 z., meatmeal 11b. Boz., bone meal lib. 120 z.. common salt 21b., flour of sulphur lib. 4oz.—“Red Comb Bulletin.” Wasteful Use of Disinfectants. It is is not uncommon to see a poultrykeeper when using potent disinfectants for washing appliances or cleansing wounds look for the advised dose and then add probably half as much again to make it doubly effective. Generally speaking. ' that is sheer waste, for the dose the maker advises will kill bacteria if the article or wound treated has been properly cleaned, and the “little extra” disinfectant added cannot kill them a second time. When an extra dose is used for the dressing of wounds it is often so strong that it will prevent the healing process rather than assist it. Beginners will be well advised to keep strictly to the strength recommended by the maker of the disinfectant. EGG-LAYING CONTESTS Taranaki Society’s Results The sixteenth week of the Taranaki EggLaying Competition Society’s tenth test resulted as follows:— BLACK ORPINGTONS. Thos. Dowthwaite, No. 1. 0-71: No. 2, 4-62; No. 3, 5-59; Norman Ross, No. 1, i 1- No. 2, 4-75; No. 3. 5-C6: Mrs. F. A. > Warren, No. 1, 4-51; No. 2. 5-76; No. 3, ; 4-70: Mrs. W. Busby, 0-75: Mrs. R. Willers, i 2- A. C. Donnelly, 0-62: Mrs. D. M. Wad- i dell, No. 1, 6-93; No. 2. 2-59; Mrs. N. Lilley, I 0-8. • AUSTRALORPS. | Ancona Stud Poultry Farm. No. 1, 4-44: No. 2, 4-48; No. 3, 0-17; J. H. Hurdle, No. 1, 5-70; No. 2. 0-37: No 3. 5-SS; Mrs. H. Moreland, No. 1, 5-77: No. 2, 4-77: No. 3, ; 6- Miss D. R. J. Playle, No. 1. 0-49: No. I 2, 1-13: No. 3,3-3 S: W. A. Larsen. No. 1, 0-59; No. 2, 0-70; No. 3, 5-69. LANGSHANS. S. T, Batson, No. 1, 5-56; No. 2, 0-74; No. 3, 5-56. LIGHT SUSSEX. Miss D. R. J. Playle, 4-7; H. Kirkwood. No. 1. 4-70; No. 2. 5-71. RHODE ISLAND REDS. Geo. A. Edge, No. 1. 2-27: No. 2, 6-100; No. 3. 5-87: W. Sellars, 5-64; Mrs. F A. Dewhurst, 0-39; Mrs. W. O. Gould. 6-83; Mrs. B. Hickman, 4-75: C. C. Cleaver. 5-29. WHITE LEGHORNS. Cotswold Poultry Farm, No. 1, 0-35; No. 2, 4-31; No. 3. 4-71: C. L. W. Urquhart, No. 1. 0-75: No 2, 5-59: No. 3. 4-37; Mrs. A. W. Revell, No. 1, 4-77; No. 2, 3-39: No. 3, 6-96; D. M. Peek, No. 1, 0-60; No. 2. 5-24: No. 3, 4-37: M. Stephenson, No. 1, 2-55: No. 2, 4-67: No. 3, 5-70; J. T. Hazelwood, No. I, 4-70: No. 2, 5-77; No. 3. 0-22: Sunny River Poultry Farm. No. 1, G-S6: No. 2, 4-S6: No 3, 4-71; Walter Scott, No. 1. 5-72; No. 2. 4-60; No. 3. 5-70; Mrs. N. Lilley, 4- V. G. Adams, 0-37; Mrs. ,1. Tipnett, 5- Mrs. R. R. Cannon, 6-39: A. C. Donnelly. 5-18: C. Hansen. 4-41; A. A. Hoare, ! 5-51: Whenuapai Poultry Farm. 6-54: Miss E. Ladd, 5-61: Crawford Strang, 5-49; Ancona Stud Poultry Farm, 6-56. BROWN LEGHORNS. Mrs. W. Busby. 0-27. ANCONAS. Ancona Stud Poultry Farm, 0-0. MINORCAS. Miss D. Swadling. 4-29; W. Sellars, 0-9. DUCKS. Fawn and White Indian Runners. L. P. James, No. 1, 0-0; No. 2, 1-1-: No. 3, 0-0: H. 11. Melville. No. 1. 7-78: No 2. 7- No. 3. 7-54- Mrs. A. W. Revell. 7-92. Khaki Campbell. Mrs. E. Kelly, No. 1, 6-64; No. 2, 7-112; No. 3, 7-104; Ancona Stud Poultry Farm, 7-56. THREE-BIRD TEAMS: HEAVY BREEDS. Total Weekly to

Massey College Results In the egg-laying contest conducted at Massey College, the sixteenth week’s results are as follows :— SINGLE PENS. Section A. A. A. Hoare, W.L., No. 1 (4) 84: A. G. Mumby, W.L.. No. 4 (5) 84; J. Wilson, W.L., (6) 82; W. Scott, W.L, No. 1 ,4) 81: O. H. Markland, W.L., No. 3 (0) 76: Miss H. Keddell. W.L., No. 3 15) 72; A. G. Mumby, W.L.,, No. 2 |3) 72; O. H Markland, IV.L., No. 1 (1) 70: J. A. Annan, W.L., (4) 69: W. N. Laws. W.L., No. 1 (I) 09; P. Wills, Bn. L„ No 2 (0) 63: A. S Harrison, W.L., No. 2 (5) 67: P. Wills. Bn. L. No. 1 (2) 04; Mis.s H. Keddell, W.L., No. 1 (0) 63: Sunny River P.F.. W.L., No. 2 (0) 62; J. Reilly, W.L., iol 6:i; O. H. Markland, W.L., No. 4 (0) 58: .1. T. Hazelwood. W.L.. (3) 57: A. J. Sliailer. W.L., (0) 57: J. Mold, W.L., (2) .16: A. .1. Severn, W.L.. No. 1 (0) 56: A A. Hoare. W.L., No. 2 (4) 55: O. 11. Markland, W.L., No. 2 (t>) 50: A. G. Mumby, W.L., No. 3 (4) 50: G. E. Moody, W.L., (5) 49; A. J Severn, W.L., No. 3 (2) 48: Mrs. M. 1.. Douglas. W.L, (4) 46: A. S. Harrison, W.L.. No. 1 (0) 43: A. G. Mumby, W.L., No. 1 (O) 43; Rangiuru Egg Ranch. W.L., No. 3 (0) 13; P. Mummery. Min., No. 1 i.l) 42: W. Scott, W.L.. No. 2 (0) 40: Ancona Stud P.F.. Anc.. (4) 38; Miss H Keddell, W.L.. No. 3 (4) 37: Rangiuru Egg Ranch. W.L.. No. 1 ,3) 37: J. A. Pearce, Anc., (II) 36; W Scott, W.L., No. 3 (0) 30: G. W. Hawkins. W L., >3) 35: W. N. Laws, W.L.. No. 2 (4) 35: Whenuapai P.F., W.L„ (0) 3-1; Mrs. K. R. Cannon. W.L., 12) 34: A. J Severn. W.L.. No. 2 (4) .32; Sunny River P.F.. W.L.. No. 3 (1) 31: C. L. W. Urquhart, W.L.. (0) 31: P. Mummery. Min., No. 2 10) 28: Mrs. L. Hubbard, W 1,.. (2) 21: Sunnv River P.F., W.L., No. 1 (0) 13; Rangiuru Egg Ranch, W.L., No. 2 (0) 11. Section B. | Miss E. T. Somer. R.1.R., No. 1 (5) 97; ' Miss E. T. Somer, R 1.R.. No. 2 (5) S 9: ' Mrs. M. L. Douglas, 8.0., (5) 87: Mrs.‘W. J. Huxtable, 8.0., (3) S 3: Mrs. R. Wlllers, 8.0., (4) 82: D. E. Hopkins. R.I R., 15) 80; Huxtable Bros., R.1.R.. No. 2 (0) 78: W. A. I Larsen, A. 0., No. 1 (1) 78: Mrs. W. O. Gould. R.I R.. (3) 74: W. Fletcher. A. 0., No. 1 (4) 73: J. D. Rowlands. R.1.R.. (0) 71: Huxtable Bros. 8.0., No. 1 (2) 70;. T. B. Holdaway, R.1.R.. (4) 69: E. Jensen, 1 R.1.R.. No 2 (4) 69: W. A. Larsen. A. 0., No. 4 (4) 69: R. Feist, R.1.R., (0) 62: T. Dowthwaite, 8.0., No. 3 io) 61: T. Dowthwaite. 8.0.. No. 2 (5) .16: E. Jensen, R.I.R , No. 1 (0) 54; Ancona Stud Poultry Farm, A. 0., 15) 52: T. Dowthwaite. 8.0., No. 1 (3) 4L' w. Fletcher, A. 0.. No. 2 (0) 43: Miss E. T. Somer. R 1.R., No. 3 (4) 32; W. A. Larsen, A. 0., No. 3 (0) 28: John Walker, A. 0., (4) 28; W. A. Larsen, A. 0., No. 2 (0) 23. TEAMS’ RESULTS. Section C. , H. A. Lucas. W.L.: 81. 70, 64. 73. 75, 71 (29) 434. Ancona Stud P.F., W.L.: 73. 65. 72. 38. 56, 54 (27) 358. Mrs. G. E. Sewell, W.L.: 34, 70, 31, 66, 44, 74 (23) 319. j S. G. Batten, W.L.: 53, 49. 59. 32, 36. 38 (12) 267. C. L. W. Urquhart. W.L.: 70. 36. 55. 39, 45. 20 (11) 265. Cotswold P.F., W.L.: 37. 48, 55, 52, 2, 32 (10) 226. J. T. Hazelwood, W.L.: 37, 43, 30. 17, 28, 59 (13) 214. M. Stephenson, W.L.: 40, 30, Od, 62, 22, 53 (11) 207. Section D. L. G. Hooper, B.O.: 73, 81. 64, 55. 90, 74 (28) 437. W. A. Larsen. A. 0.: 78, 60. 70. 90, 76, 22 (23) 396. F. A. Dewhurst, R.1.R.: 51. 65, 44. 66. 70, 70 (26) 366. Austral P.F., B.O.: 61, 81, 75, 42, 52, 37 (19) 348. G. A. Mitchell, B.O.: 84. 30, 63. 72, 34, 25 (21) 308. G. A. Edge, R.1.R.: 55, 72, 48. 43, 11, 34 (11) 263. Bliss Bros., R.1.R.: 0, 23, 45, 0, 0. 62 (7) 130. "d” Bird dead.

1 2 3 tl. date Thos. Dowthwaite B.O. .. 0 4 5 9 102 Norman Ross. B.O. 1 4 5 10 244 Mrs. F. A. Warren ’ b’o’. 4 5 4 13 137 Ancona Stud P.F., Aus . 4 4 0 8 109 J. H. Hurdle. Ans. 5 0 5 to 203 Mrs. H. Moreland. Kus . 5 4 fl 15 251 Miss D. R. J. Playle Aus. 0 1 3 4 100 W. A. Larsen. Ans 0 0 ,) 189 S. T. Bason. Lang 0 n 10 18G Geo. A. Edge. R.I.It 0 fl 0 13 214 1.1'll IT BREEDS. Ise eld P.F. W.L. 0 4 4 8 137 V. L. W. Uryuharl, wX'. 0 5 4 3 173

Mrs. A. W. Revell, W.L. . 4 3 6 13 21° D. M. Peek, W.l 0 M. Stephenson. W.L. ... 2 3 4 1) 121 4 5 11 192 J. T. Hazelwood. W.L. . 4 5 0 9 169 Sunny River P.F., W.L. 6 4 4 14 213 Walter Scott, W.L 5 4 5 14 202 DUCKS. L. P. James. LR 0 1 0 1 1 n. H. Melville. LR. ... 7 7 7 21 193 .Mrs. E. Kelly, K.C. ... 6 7 7 20 2S0