INSTITUTION TO HELP

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 18, 22 January 1927, Page 8

INSTITUTION TO HELP

NEW BREEDING STATION

PROSPECTS FOR INDUSTRY

In April of last year' a start was made by the Public Works Department on the erection of buildings for the now poultry experimental and breeding station at Wallaceville, and now, although the work is not completed, there are about 60 adult birds and 772 chickens already housed. The. stock was selected by the Vef Poultry Instructor (Mr. F. C. Brown) from the Seacliffe, Euakura, and Waipukiirau State farms, and is mostly from strains which were stocked by the Government Poultry Station at Milton before it closed down. The birds comprise. White Leghorns, Black Minoreas, and White Plymouth Eoeks, and later there will be Black Orpingtons as well. "One of the chief functions of the station," said Mr. Brown to a "Post" reporter, "will be to investigate certain theories in regard to the various branches connected with the management of pouJtry, especially those problems whore opinions differ as to the value from a practical standpoint, in other words^ problems that are out of reach of the\ average poultry-keeper to grapple with.

SELF-SUPPORTING.

"It is also proposed to supply to farmers and others, sittings of eggs, and birds for breeding purposes, from purebred tested stock, and several hundred hens wil bo kept for laying purposes for the production of market eggs. In this way it is expected that the revenue derived will go a long way towards making tl*e plant self-support-ing.

" The-concentrated plant covers about three acres, but in addition to this it is proposed to have colony houses, chief-' ly for the rearing of the young stock after they have passed the brooder stage. From what I could learn, the Department's great aim is to breed a class of stock possessing a high egg capacity, and particularly constitutional vigour. With the ideal natural conditions available for rearing the stock it is confidently expected that there will be no difficulty in securing the class of bird desired."

THE»PLANT.

The buildings already completed at Wallaceville are constructed on most modern lines and comprise an incubator room, feed room, small office, mixing feed room, two large broody sheds (each 20ft by 20ft), two scratching sheds (loft x 20ft), and a young house (20ft x 20ft). These are all under one roof, but there are also two young stock houses, sixteen single pens, and- eight experimental pens to hold six birds each. At present Mr. Freethy, one of the poultry instructors, is in charge, and doing all the work, but it is proposed to later make'it a "two-man" plant. ••> .. . ._

. ' One point which I would particularly stress," said Mr. Brown, "is the cooperation which will exist at Wallaceyille between the scientific' officers of the veterinary laboratory and the poultry officers}, for the combating of poultry diseases. X am convinced that a really good work will be done for the benefit of the poultry industry by this close co-operation."

CHEERFUL PROSPECTS.

Mr. Brown holds out cheerful prospects for the poultry industry.. He said:—

• There is little need to fear that egg-production. in, particular can be overdone in the Dominion. We have one of the best local markets in the

world, and can easily get rid of any surplus. ■':.'■" "Other countries, besides England, want our goods. To the side-line poul-try-keeper, the small settler on the land, the industry holds- out the greatest promise, but it is unfortunate that more farmers- do not avail themselves of the free practical advice and assistance of the poultry instructors and of the literature issued by the Department. Although foodstuffs are hignly priced, bggs and table poultry are correspondingly high, and with the knowledge at his disposal and ihe class of stock available, there is no excuse, other than bad management, for the poultry-keeper if his birds do not pay. The new Wallaceville branch will be under the control of the Live Stock Division of the Department of Agriculture, and poultry-farmers should view with pleasure the establishment of such a useful institution for their benefit.