POULTRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 72, 17 December 1938, Page 10 (Supplement)

POULTRY NOTES

Efficient Continuous Culling

ITS BEARING ON PRODUCTION AND THE

FEED BILL

(By

New Laid.)

The act of culling is a phase of poultrykeeping that far too many engaged in the industry neglect to learn, and to put fully into practice. Some have not the knowledge, and others take the easy road, and make a wholesale clearance of their old 'hens without looking them over, thereby disposing of many birds which it would pay to keep on the plant. Discussing in “Poultry World” the importance of efficient systematic culling, D. P. Reynolds, referring to the practice of indiscriminate discarding of all old hens, says:—-This procedure always amuses me; and yet it annoys me when I think of all the sound hens which have been disposed of before their usefulness is fully exploited, while others are kept whose sole claim to continued existence is their youthfulness—a far. different thing from “usefulness.” Culling, in too many instances, is considered an annual or, at the most, a bi-annual job, whereas a monthly visit to each flock will, if the culler uses his judgment and observation, serve the useful purposes of removing layers which are a non-paying proposition, and also give them an inkling as to the condition of the rest of the flock. Continuous trapnesting is beyond the scope of the commercial poultry-farmer, but if he has any doubts as to bis ability to cull in an effective manner, then he should ‘trapnest his poorest producers and use ‘the resultant figures to check his own observations and handling tests. ■ Discussing the birds to cull out, Mr. Reynolds says: —Among nine . ot ten months’ old pullets will sometimes be found a number which have not laid an ■egg, or have produced very few. The nis■tinguishing signs of pullets of this description are an abdomen .very firm to hie touch and thickened pelvic bones showing the deposition of the usual fat accompanying non-layers. The vent. will be small and unwrinkled in comparison with that of a pullet which has ceased laying, with ■a consequential contraction of the vent 'and, in the case of the yellow-legged varieties, highly pigmented, as will be the legs and beak. Another usually certain sign if the culling is done after. the fowls have gone to roost —the best time to do it —is the condition of the crop. The poor ■layer will have a partially-filled crop, the organ possibly retaining a portion of the morning meal, specially if it were grain. The profitable fowls will be found with full ‘crops containing leas of the breakfast. ’ When hens are being culled after their period of rest during the moult, the crop is often the factor which can give the casting vote in cases which are otherwise doubtful. Many hens, though fat. are for that very reason perfectly capable of giving an excellent account of themselves. The ones which should be suspect are those whose appetites are poor either through their inability to use the food for egg-production or through some internal derangement. In the early spring a hen which is not laying or on the point of doing so, can be culled with a large degree/of certainty—except in such circumstances as an early bout of broodi'ness after a period of heavy laying. If, on handling the stock, a large proportion is found to be overfat,, and egg-production is below normal, then it is natural to suppose there should be some alteration in the feeding. But. where the majority is in laying condition and production is normal, then feeding cannot be blamed, and the flock should be culled. . If all poultry-keepers made up their minds to be free from all. “passengers, ’ then a lowered consumption of food would invoke the law of supply and demand and would, in the nature of that law, tend to make for lowered prices in that direction—a possibility which all poultry feeders would find agreeable and for which they themselves hold a portion of the responsibility. Too much stress cannot be -laid upon this. If this suggestion were carried into practice, it would give results which might be astonishing in view of the fact that there are few poultry farms where anything from a 5 to 10 per cent, reduction in stock could not be effected as ■ the result of efficient culling. A lowering of the poultry stocks by the disposal of all mefficients” would not only make an immediate saving on the food bills but would affect food markets by the. mere consequence of lowered consumption. Numbers alone count for less than nothing if a large percentage is using up what should be the margin of profit from the remainder, but stock whose business seems to be the consumption of food without giving an economical return must be placed early on the lists of “public enemies.” It cannot be too thoroughly emphasized again that all the instructions for culling which have been stressed many times are not for use only on special occasions but should be practised constantly throughout the year both on pullets and hens if they are to be used to full advantage. Mass Production and Disease.

Referring to the mass production of ■poultrv, the annual report of the New Zealand Poultry Board says:—‘Due to the concern of poultrymen over the spread of disease and. the increase of mortality in flocks, the board, working in co-opera-tion with the officers of the Department of Agriculture; endeavoured to de'’} 9 ® a method of solving this problem. This resulted in an'offer from the ’department to initiate a voluntary system of certification of flocks with the object of certifying to the standard .of. breeding stock, and thus ensuring an increasing production Ot sound and virile-offspring. A conference of delegates, following meetings of poul-try-breeders in the main centres, met the Director-General of Agriculture and his officers, but general agreement could not be reached and the scheme was abandoned in the meantime. The board is .oi opinion, however, that prominence given this matter at the time will help to bring home to all poultrymen the dangers of the situation, and the increasing need of safeguards being provided. It is to be hoped that safeguards will be applied before conditions reach the same disastrous stage which prevail in many other countries today.”

Sprouted Grain as Green Feed. All that .can be said in favour of feeding day lucerne, is in any of its forme, aS a substitute for grain feed, is that it is perhaps better than nothing. Such is the opinion of Jas. Hadlington, the isew South 'Wales expert, referring to substitutes for green-feed when there is a shortage during the summer. In. Mr. Hadlingtonis opinion poultry-keepers have a most efficient substitute iu sprouted grain, but it involves preparation aud some labour. , There are two methods in use tor sprouting grain. One is to lay it out on a boarded floor in which holes have been bored for drainage. The floor should, however, be well above ground level, so that the space underneath can be kept clean. Boards, or even 3xl i nc^." at ‘ tens, may be used for dividing the different lots. * 'Che other method is to use a rack or cabinet in which to do the sprouting. A suitable size for a farm carrying up to 11X10 birds • would be: 6ft. high, Lift, wide, and 2ft. 3in. from front to back, with runners on which to elide the trays holding the grain about I<> inches apart. The trays require to be of a suitable size, but must be made to fit ’loosely to allow for the swelling with moisture. The outer framework of such a rack might be biHlt of 3 x 2 inch dressed Oregon, with 3xl inch runners on which the trays rest. The trays will require to be three or four inches deep, and, as in the case of the floor, holes must be made in the bottom for drainage. Trays made of No. 24 gauge galvanised iron have been suggested, and might be tried out experimentally. If the sprouting is to be done in an open shed, .be framework of the rack should be walled in. to retain tb£ moisture and warmth. bitt? or barley are the two cereals most

commonly used for sprouting, and either should- be soaked for 12 to 2-1 hours before being placed iu t lle ,rll l ß ’ About two inches thick is sufficient, and from the time the grain is placed in them it should be kept watered and not allowed to become dry. A temperature of about TOdeg. Fab. or higher is required for good sprouting. The grain is best turned over once or twice daily until the sprouts are about an inch long. Io guard against moulds, the trays might be scrubbed out as they are emptied with a 1 per cent, solution of formalin and water. There are two methods ot using sprouted grain ; the one, almost as soon as sprouted, in which case the whole of the grain is fed. The other is to allow the sprouts to grow to three or four inches and cut it off the mat of grain, using it as green feed.

egg-laying contest

Taranaki Society’s Results

Following are the results for the 38th week, ended December 14, of the Taranaki Egg-Laying Competition Society’s eleventh tQ White tio Leghorns.—Cotswold Farm, No. 1, 2-96; N0.,2, 0-118; No. 3, 4-133. Mrs. J. Tippett, No. 1, 6-182, NO. 2, 5--03. No. 3, 5-190. Mrs. A. W. Revell No. 1, 7-195* No 2, 5-155; No. 3, u-120. C. Hansen, No 1, 5°i69; No. 2, 0-166; No. 3, 4-191. Sunny River Poultry Farm, No 1, o-lbl, No. 2 5-133; No. 3, 6-131. A. A Hoare No. 1,6-19 S; No. 2, 3-122 ; No 3, 0-111. JHazelwood, No. 1, 3-Ha; No. -, 0-133, No. 3, 0-204; No. 4, 1 ; „ N o 6-247. F. S. Allen, No. 1,6-13 o; No. -, 3-179, No 3 5-213. Mrs. D. Cottle, No. 1, 4-10-,

No •’ 6-166' No. 3, 5-l<)2. Russell Harrison, No' 1 5-159; No. 2, 4-161. S. R. J. Moore, No'. 1 4:179; No. 2, 6-189. K. M. Smith, No: 1, 4-190; No. 2, 6-165. Mrs. J. PhihP, 6-166. Whenuapai Poultry I'arm, Miss E. Ladd, 4-132. J. Hurley, 4-114. Mrs. R R Cannon, 4-173. Millar Bros., 4-161. G.‘ Clark, 5-183. D. M. Peek, OTSTBrown Leghorns. —W. E. Bublitz, No. 1, 4- No. 2. 4-166; No. 3, 6-132. Black Minorcas. —Miss D. Swadling, 0137. Anemias.—Mrs. J. McNeil, 4 ; lo2. Langshans.—S. T. Bason, No. 1. 6--3 G, No. 2 5-200; No. 3, 6-183. Black Orpingtons.—Norman Ross, No. 1, 5- No. 2, 0-100; No. 3, 0-23. Ihos. Dowt'hwaite, 4-148. Stan Cloke 0-133. Mrs. A. Patterson, 5-19-1. Miss L. Ladd o-140. C. Coueens. 4-81. , Australorps.—Mrs. H. Moreland, No. 1, 4-"l9’ No 2, 1-171; No. 3, 5-136. 11. A. Larsen, No. 1, 5-163: No. 2. 6-165; No. 3., 4148. J. H. Hurdle, No. I, 1-2-7; No -. °’ 18S’ No. 3 4-184. S. R. J. Moore, 3-lbl. Rhode Island Reds.—J. 11. Sutton No. 1, -->-181- No. 2, 5-I+2; No. 3, 0-I.HI. Mrs. B. ilickman. No. 1, 4-224; No. 2, 0-134; No. 3. 5.14° Geo. A. Edge. No. 1, 0-1.-. No. 0-68* No. 3. 5-143. J. Hus ( -|en Salt, 0140. Light Sussex.—H.- Kirkwood, No. 1, 5179; No. 2. 4-104; No. 3, 0-153.

DUCKS. Khaki Campbell.—C. Cousens. No. 1, o--196: No. 2, 6-200; No. 8, 7-193. White Campbell.—Mrs. E. Kelly, No. 1 7-195; No. 2, 1-158: No. 3. 0-233. Fawn and White Indian Runner.—Mrs V W Revell. No. 1, 5-192; No. 2, 7-248; No. 3 ’4-67. Mrs. E. Kelly, 0-161.

THREE-BIRD TEAMS: LIGHT BREEDS. Weekly to

1 2 3 Tl.’ date Cotswold P.F.. W.l 2 0 4 6 347 575 47S 577 425 437 Mrs. J. Tippett. W.L. •• 6 16 Mrs. A. W. Revell. M .L. i 5 9 16 8 C. Hansen, W.L. Sunny River P.F.. " -L. A. A. Hoare, W.L 5 0 3 4 6 0 J T. Hazelwood. No. 1, ' W.L. 3 0 0 3 452 J. T. Hazelwood, Q 0 6 8 473 F. S. Allen. W.l. Mrs. D. Cottell, W.L. ... 4 3 6 5 14 15 527 370 AV. E. Bublitz, B.L. 4 4 6 14 420 HEAVY BREEDS. 619 37 470 599 S. T. Bason, Lang 0 b 17 Norman Ross, B.O. Mrs. H. Moreland. Aus. W. A. Larsen, Aus 11 0 0 4 1 6 4 10 15 ,T H. Hurdle, Aus. 4 ;.i 13 ,T. H. Sutton, R.I.R. .. o o 0 10 473 500 383 436 Mrs. B. Hickman, R.I.R. Geo. A. Edge, R.I.R 4 0 0 4 5 9 H. Kirkwood, L.S DECKS. 589 606 511 C. Cousens, K.C. Mrs. E. Kelly, AV.C. .. ■ Mrs. A. AV. Revell, I.R. . o 1 7 0 4 18 16