DOMINION CONFERENCE FULL USE OF TESTS LIVERPOOL MARKET MANAWATU POULTRY SHOW

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 152, 29 June 1935, Page 30

DOMINION CONFERENCE

FULL USE OF TESTS

LIVERPOOL MARKET

MANAWATU POULTRY SHOW

Overseas visitors have frequently remarked on the poor support given to our egg-laying competitions. Comment has beep made to the effect that competing birds do not truly represent the best stud stock we possess, and since today the 'egg-laying competition is really the official show place of leading utility strains, it is surprising that many larger commercial poultrymen do not. enter pullets. Each year the respective management committees have difficulty in securing sufficient entries to fill the space available, and it appears that there must be some reason for this. The new Chief Poultry Instructor of the Department of Agriculture, Mr. C. Cussen, recently expressed the hope that entrance fees could be reduced to enable more breeders to enter, stating that he considered the contests invaluable as a source of information to the stud breeder. There is one outstanding reason why some poultrymen refuse to enter birds. It is that they are afraid of not gaining a leading position at the end of the year. This -should not exist, as so long as a breeder competes without utter disgrace his name is kept before the public as a utility breeder of some standing. Without in any way reflecting on the credit of a win, or of a record established, it is safe to say that there are many breeders who have not had that little bit of luck to win who deserve much credit, and whose stock are perhaps equal to or better than that of a winning competitor. If the larger breeders consider that they must have publicity by good scores, then they have every opportunity of doing so by making more than one entry. One most successful breeder used to enter'three teams in each of his breeds, and nearly every year his birds produced something outstanding. This breeder had a six-to-one chance against the smaller breeder with only one entry, and there is no refuting the fact that luck does play a most important part is^ securing high scores. The buying public today do not demand 300-eggers. They have learnt that the valuable breeding bird is one which possesses stamina, breed quality, good egg size, and the ability to reproduce its like. No man can select his breeders without profit from a knowledge of the actual number of eggs laid by such birds in their pullet year. Home testing is quite good enough for home use, but the buying public prefer an official record of performance established under uniform conditions. The day will soon come, if it has not already arrived, when high prices for stud stock, especially cockerels, will not be paid for birds without an individual pedigree. We know that paper pedigrees are of little value unless the birSs themselves are good, and there is a real danger in breeding from pedi-, gree stock without due regard to selection, blood lines, and especially stamina.

The principle of testing is now applied to all forms of commercial stud stock. We have the butterfat test as an example, and there are few dairy farmers today who would dare to use a bull without knowing his butterfat backing. Why then should poultrymen continue to use cockerels from unknown parents; at least, unknown in that the egg records of- their dams are not recorded? Price-cutting can account to some extent for this lack of appreciation of pedigree stock. A good pedigree stud cockerel cannot be produced under a price of at least two guineas, but far too many buyers expect to procure their birds more cheaply. ;

Many of our best breeders are those who keep only a few birds as a hobby. They know their birds individually as a good breeder must. Such hobbyists cannot always afford the time to home test their pullets, and in their group comes the largest supporters of the egg-laying contests. They serid a few birds to be tested, not with the prime idea of winning, but to find out how such and such a mating turns out. It the progeny from a certain mating does not produce good stock, then they will alter their breeding programme accordingly. «Due consideration is not always given to information gained other than that of the number of eggs laid. The type score secured under awards made by our poultry instructors should receive more attention. Without type, a high egg record layer is not of much stud use. Then there is the point of egg-shell quality, that barometer which records just when the breaking point in a strain is being reached. The wise breeder pays much attention to size of egg, shape of egg, and both texture and colour of shell. During the months of November and December, when the pullets have been laying at -top speed, those without! maximum stamina show it by a weakening in shell texture. When a strain is developed for high egg production and>. overreaches that margin allowed by Nature, the size of egg will suffer. The hen in her effort to produce a large number of eggs must needs produce a smaller article in order to do so, and we do not want undersized eggs. Undoubtedly in the past too much attention has been paid to high scorers without due consideration to "breeding ability." The glamour of a record appeals so much that the more important points are lost sight of. It is to the larger and more successful poultrymen that the beginner looks to for advice and example, and it is to be hoped that if these. notes should be read by those who do not compete in egg-laying competitions, in future they will consider making entries each year. Such poultrymen know best what ,type of bird to select for satisfactory results and it is they, and not the novice or fancier, who should set the fashions.

Being a jubilee show, extra supp6rt was expected for the Manawatu championship exhibition at Palmerston North last week, but lew expected the excellent display that resulted. Well over 1000 entries were penned, and it is safe to ;say that not less than 25,000 visitors passed through the poultry shed of this leading agricultural show. The lay-out of the show could not have been improved and reflects credit on the committee and caretaker. Every bird benched was placed on the same eye level, with plenty of space, between the long - rows, and excellent lighting arrangements. The biggest classes in any one breed were Rhode island Reds, closely followed by Black Minorcas, while the utility' Leghorns and Orpingtons produced first-rate classes. One could see many less common breeds, and quite apart from the display of poultry the cage bird entries were well worth a special visit. . Perhaps it is tho central position of Palmerston North, .but whatever the reason there is 'no doubt' that more visitors seem to attend this show than

j} .most others. Poultrymen made trips las far afield as Whakalane, Auckland, | Wellington, Hastings, Wanganui, and many other distant towns. It is always an asset to have these poultry j i experts at a show, as old acquaintances | are renewed and fresh ones made, j •c- There is a mistaken idea that poultry to shows are of no interest to genuine nt commercial egg producers, but the n- sooner such men realise this is wrong ie the better. Much could be done in the 0 . form of publicity by enterprising ly breeders which would help the poul,g try industry, and the sooner we adopt at the system of trade displays in con- - 10 nection with our poultry shows the e _ better for the industry. Poultry appliTQ ances, egg-grading machines, egg-wash- „ ing machines, mammoth incubators, battery brooders, day-old chick displays, dressed poultry exhibits, and n sundry associated trades could all help ■}' to make our poultry shows of far more ■l" interest, and it is really time that :Cl these shows were treated more from 'c a business point of view so far as ;o management is concerned. In the past lC the work has been done by voluntary i- workers for the love of their fancy, c but today such work is too tedious c and demands expert knowledge and is keen attention. j - 3 5 i : c > a r c ■ . i - ' i r " c '' \ 1 - c * '-. ' - T . i I 3 T J - . , 1 i • ■ ■ . ' ! ! • i : . . ; ■ : ; ! 1

" The report of the Dominion Conference of the Poultry Producers' Feder--11 ation has already appeared in the ' news columns. Undoubtedly this has c been the best conference ever Jield in d New Zealand to foster the interests of " commercial egg production. The Poule try Board has had hard work- in the t past year to organise branches of this ! r federation, so that a representative ] c conference could be called. Actually, 1 y this was not part of their work, but : y they realised that without a strong I t organisation behind the industry little j: progress could result. Many of the re- ', y mits presented deal with matters out- , . side the scope of the present board, ] or rather the powers given to the , board under the ,Act, but they show the keen interest in thei? business by , s producers. That the two retiring mem- ', _ bers of the board should be again re- ] commended for appointment shows ( . that producers have confidence in them ( and desire every opportunity for pro- ] ' gress. Some of the remits presented . r are far-reaching in effect and will re--1 quire much' executive consideration ] " before being accepted by the board. ECC-LAYING CONTEST « ..—_•.. ■ The following are the thirteenth week's results in the egg-laying contest conducted at Massey College:— . I SINGLE PENS. J Section B.—T. Dowthwaite, No. 3 (5), J 74; T. Dowthwaite, No. I (6), 65; E. 1 Hansen (4), 62; Mrs. D. M. Waddell I (6), 56; T. Dowthwaite, N0.12 (4), 54; < W. A. Larsen, No. 1 (6), 51; Miss E. T. ( Somer, No. 1 (0), 45; V. J. Billington i (6), ,41; W. A. Larsen, No. 2 (7),-41; ( K. Mouldey (3), 39; Miss E. T. Somer, < ■ No. 3 (7), 34; F. Seymour (0), 27; Miss , E..T. Somer, No. 2 (7), 24. ' Section A.—H. Poison, No. 2 (6), 69; \ J. T. Hazelwood, No. 2 (6), 66; H. More- l land (6), 66; H. Poison, No. 1 (5), 65; c Whenuapai Poultry Farm (5), 65; E. B. Wainscott (4), 63; A. G. Mumby, No. 1 £ (6) ,60; F. Lang, No. 2 (5), 59; A. G. \ Mumby, No. 2 (5), 58; A. J. Dudson (5), 58; J. Reilly (0), 58; Emery Bros., * No. 2 (5) 57; A. J. Davey, No. 2 (5), 30; ' J. A. Annan (5), 53; J. T. Hazelwood, x No. 1 (4),. 52; F. Lang, No. 1 (0), 45; « A. G. Mumby, No. 3 (3), 43; Miss E\ s Ladd (5), 42; H. Poison. No. 3 (4), 38; I ;A. G. Mumby, No. 4 (6), 31; A. J. \ Davey, No. 1(5), 30; Emery Bros., No. > : 1 (0), 23. i , TEAM RESULTS. ] . r ! Section D.—R. H. Morrison, 52, 71, 3 58, 64, 61, 47 (21)—353; J. B. Duthie, r 29, 56, 66, 46, 37, 56 (18)—290; Mrs. R. s Willers, 64, 35, '51, 41, 58, 35 (28)— 284; c M. L. Boyce, 66, 15, 67, 32, 52, 39 (26)— + 271; F. A. Dewhurst, 61, 27, 61, 56, 33, ' 33 (29)—271; Mrs. N. H. Short, 52, 17, a 32, 28, 54, 47 (9)—230; G. A. Edge, 36, f 32, 19, 49, 40, 45 (26)—221; A. Wood, 47, * 18, S2, 31, 52, 17 (17)—217; W. A. Larsen, a 45, 13, 48,.36, 10, 25 (26)—177; W. E. Jones, 4, 37, 24, 0, 20, 14 (16)—99. 1 /Section C—Mrs. M. L. Williams, 43, 28, 68, 36, 64, 64 (26)—303; A. J. Davey, 56, 67, 44, 59, 41, 35 (23)—302; S. D. ■ Morris; 42, 33, 47, 67, 62, 23 (29)—274; E. B. Wainscott, 28, 53, 42, 28, 66, 50 . (20)—267: M. Stephenson, 34, 49, 22, 60, 57, 39 (33)—261; Miss H. Keddell, 34, 65, 26, 47. 24. 58 (21)—254; H. A. Lucas. 51, 42, 46, 57, 37, 19 (27)—252; J. T. Hazelwood, 62, 58, 34, 16, 31, 27 (16)— 228; C. J. Hubbard, No. 1, 43, 8, 42, 27, 48, 44 (12)—212; Miss Moreshead, 0, 19, 62, 47, 62, 3 (21)—193; H. Poison, No.r 2, 46, 51, 22, 50, 12, 6 (22)—187; J. Graham^ 59, 9, 26, 32, 20. 32 (12)—178; C. J. Hubbard. No. 2, 45, 72, 5, 0. 24, 20 (19)— 166; Mrs.' R. R. Cannon, fO. 1, 22, 20, 20, 23 (19)—106: H. Poison, No. 1, 10, 8, 7, 23, 35' (22)—103.

• — ♦ • '■' . DAIRY BOARD ACTIVITY '■i■ . ■ . (From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, June 1. When the Lord Mayor of Liverpool (Alderman F. T. Richardson) distributed the awards to Liverpool grocers who had entered for the window-dress-ing competition arranged by the New Zealand Dairy Board, he was agreeably surprised to hear of the increase of direct New Zealand shipments. Mr. H. E. Davis, London manager for the board, said that during the past five years New Zealand had spent £70,000,000 in this country on manu-. factured goods alone, and no other part of the world with an equally small population could approach that figure. ''In 1930 our direct shipments of dairy produce to you were 3200 tons," he added, "and in 1934 they had reached 11,500 tons. But still we are not satisfied." The- Lord Mayor said the window display competition was not simply "an advertising stunt," otherwise he, in his official capacity, could not have supported it. It was an effort by a partner, in the Empire to improve its trade. He suggested that, as only 12 of the 320 entrants had won awards, the remaining 308 might be informed, possibly by circulars, what were the points on which they had failed. (Hear, hear, and applause.) "It has occurred to me," went on the Lord Mayor, "that the pushing of New Zealand produce would be a good thing for shipping—and God 'knows we want it in Liverpool. I hope I shan't be told that the produce goes to London. If a letter from me to the New Zealand High Commissioner to that effect would do any good it shall go within 24 hours." ■ Mr. Davis remarked that when the board first came to Liverpool, some ten or twelve years ago, they were told that Liverpool was "a Danish area." But the city now bought over 11,000 tons of New Zealand dairy produce in a year. The Lord Mayor: But where do you shirj it to? (Laughter and applause.) Mr. Davis: To Liverpool, sir—Liverpool. (Applause.) Frost kills a plant because each tiny cell in the structure of a plant contains a small amount of water. When this freezes, it expands, ruptures the cells, and kills the plant..