VALUE OF STRAIN

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 36, 11 August 1933, Page 13

VALUE OF STRAIN

WHICH IS THE BEST BREED ?

That the White Leghorn is the most popular breed is a fact, but often the question is asked as to which is tlio best breed to kocp. It is a catch question; the answer being, "There is uo best breed; it is woru a matter of strain." Because the Leghorn is tho most popular breed it is reasonable ,to conclude that it is tho most profitable and most suitable for the novice to com-1 menco breeding. Likewise, owing to its, popularity, more good strains are procurable fiaii iv gome other broeds. Keep, iv mind that typo makes the breed and colour the variety; and that a strain is i established only by a breeder establishing a particular family which possesses i and reproduces with marked regularity certain individual features which distinguish his strain from others. Tho word strain is frequently misused, even | by experienced potiltrymen. When considering the question of the best breed, ft study of the final results of egg-lay-ing competitions over a number of years will reveal that several breeds top tho list at different times in different countries, though the White Leghorn and the Black Orpington have tho highest averages. But high egg production is not always the only quality required in a breed, arid this will affect the decision when considering which to chooso. Then one must consider Dame Fashion, as often a breed becomes very popular for a few years. Just at present the Khode Island Eed is one of tho most popular breeds in England, though authorities state that 'Care must be exerciAed lest stamina be sacrificed for too high egg production. The first requirements in any breed is good health. Stamina, constitution, vigour'—call it what you will—is neces. »ary, otherwise a flock of fowls will not b6 profitable. Stock used to being pampered and fed on tf>o concentrated rations,'will break down under normal conditions. Whilst'single-penning and trap-nesting are very desirable in the production of a good strain, there are many leading breeders who would rather see thorn discontinued, relying solely on selection. Certainly the "experienced eye can solcct the potential breeder almost at a glance, and it is just hero wJiere the trapoiest is useful, for it helps the learner to recognise tho good layer. But if high egg records are allowed to decisions on health points, it would bo, better that records wero not kept. Never under any condition should a sick • bird be later used' as a breeder, whilst every bird in tho breeding pen should possess plenty of character. ■ The eye, tho plumago, and tlie general behaviour of a bird will Oosist the.selector in picking his breeders. High flock, averages are required rather than a few outstanding record-breakers. Body size must be maintained at all costs, for whilst a small bird will often lay very well, she lack* tho reserve to prove a first-class breeder. Size of-egg, quality of shell, and rate of maturity are other important points to consider. Line-breeding and * in-breeding are often practised bypoultrymen, but they sro dangerous practices for the novice, and more often" lead to disaster than profit. Careful out-crossing between two similar strains.-is advisable periodically to maintain vigour. ■ Tho .closer breeding stock can be kept to Nature, the better. Oho of the chief reasons why Stock imported from England does well in New Zealand is possibly because it has been accustomed to a more rigorous climatic condition, and therefore responds to a milder climate such as we are favoured with in New Zealand. Whatever breed is chosen, its breeding must be mastered before . success e*a 'be 'achieved. The best strains usually come from breeders who "Jiave specialised in one breed for. many-years, and who can demonstrate from their flock averages the value of their birds. There is a belief that first-crosses botwecn two breeds are stronger than purebreds, but there is no proof of this, and much to prove that purebreds are more profitable. One of the leading egg producers in Now Zealand,- who for years kept first-crosses, has of latp gone back to breeding purebreds, chiefly on account of the Uifjfr rate of bvoodiness frequent in crossbred poultry... INCUBATION TROUBLES. August and. September are the two busiest months for the poultryman so far as incubation is concerned, and the "dead-in-shell" problem frequently crops up. Given that tho breeding stock is in good condition and that the temperature has been kept close to 103 degrees throughout the 21 days' incubation period, the percentage of chicks from eggs set should average about 70 per cent. A hatch of 96 per cent, of eaas s»t has been witnessed from a 540----ezg machine, but that is most unusual, and more often on large plants the average is closer to 65 per cent, than 75 per cent. Failures can be accounted for by so many reasons that it is impossible to venture an opinion unless all the contributing factors are known. The most common is surely lack of vital-: ity in tho breeding stock; secondly, to faulty management during incubation; and, thirdly, to faulty ventilation, with which moisture is associated, both in side the incubator and in the shed containing the machine. Artificial incubation is not difficult, and there should be no necessity for frequent watching of the lamp and temperature. Regular attention night and morning is essential, and it the weather be changeable, such as is often the ease with spring conditions, it may be necessary to turn up the lamp on a

frosty night, or down a little on a hot sunny day, but otherwise most machines will give good results with commonsense, management. Fresh eggs of good hatching quality are most ■ desirable, and when eggs varying in ago from one day to fourteen days are incubated together, hatchability will invariably be poorer than when eggs of tho same age ore set together. "With most machines the testing of tho eggs on tie scvonth and fourteenth days must be faithfully carried out, otherwise the remaining good eggs will suffer from association with thoso lifeless ones alougsido them.