POULTRY NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 22085, 19 July 1935, Page 2

POULTRY NOTES

« Brother.”—The first few eggs after the birds have been mated may have been fertilised, but it is unlikely unless the birds have been penned together for at least a week. After the sire has been with the hens for a week all the eggs laid may be fertilised, but there is no assurance oven,then. One hundred per cent, fertility is > only rarely attained; and it is unwise to guarantee it if you intend to sell sittings. v DRAWBACKS TO SEXING. Professor R. C. Punnett, F.R.S., who with the late William Bateson, after 25 years breeding research, was able to formulate in 1906 the principles underlying the breeding for sex-linked chickens, explains that they discovered that one sex in fowls, the female, transmits certain characters to the opposite sex only, whereas the other sex in fowls, the male, transmits such characters to both sexes of his offspring, proving that sex itself was a character transmitted in accordance with the Mendelinn scheme. Next he says came the production of the Cambar a pure breed in which the down colours of the sexes are quite distinct. It came, as it were, by accident. Mr M. S. Pease had joined me in the work, and we were investigating the different types of plumage in which the feathers are transversely barred. _ We knew Rock barring to be dominant to self colour, and we had found out that the transverse . barring such as occurs in the Campine was recessive to self colour.

We asked ourselves how these two types of barring were going to behave if they were both got into the same bird. Our idea was that we might in this way get some insight into the rhythm of feather growth. So we put them both into, the same bird, and. having done so, we found that we had made the Camoar. The professor further explains that ia his opinion the principal of camberising is clear and consists in transferring the barring factor to a breed with a full brown type of down. It would, he says, be a simple matter to-day to Camberise such breeds as the Brown Leghorn, the Barnevelder, and the Dark Dorking on the gold-laced Wyandotte. The Cambar_ is now classed as a pure breed and is being improved for egg production, before being let loose upon the world, an event which the professor thinks will be in the near future. A breed the sex of which chickens will be clearly seen at birth, will certainly be an acquisition. Speaking of the drawbacks to the Japanese or others methods of sexing chicks, the professor says: “ The introduction of sexing by inspection has undoubtedly advantaged tne pure-bred as against the sex-linked. Nevertheless, it has its drawbacks. It adds several pence to the cost of every day-old, pullet ; its accuracy’, is not absolute; &nd unless in skilful hands, some proportion of the chick's may suffer damage in manipulation. While it may prove of great service to those who hatch by the million, and can afford to keep experts busy on the spot, I doubt whether those who hatch py the hundred will find it worth their while. /‘ Rather I incline to think that the future will belong to breeds of which the Cambar is the forerunner; —breeds which sex themselves at hatching with 100 per cent, accuracy. “ Moreover, such new breeds may he so constructed that they cap be used also sex-linkage or crossing. The Camhar itself has been so made that its hens will give a sex-linked result when crossed with a cock of any breed save dominant white or barred.

“ If I am alive to welcome the golden jubilee of the discovery of sex-linkage, I shall . expect to find the bully of our poultry ‘ Cambarised.’ For, given the necessary basal knowledge, I am con-vinced-that the good sense, eye, and enterprise of the British breeder ’ will do the rest.” MANAGEMENT OF AN EGG BOARD. What ‘ Poultry ’ (Australia) describes as “a system of extravagance, subterfuge, and low prices ” is its opinion of the New South Wales Egg Board.- It says:—“ Gradually * but surely the Egg Marketing Board is digging its own grave-. It would be a pity to lose an organisation that has cos.t so much to bunt up, and which in itself has so many potentialities for good. But a system of extravagance, subterfuge, and low prices will not always be condoned by suffering producers, and eventually, if matters do not'improve, they-will vote it out of existence—they will be compelled to in order to save' themselves from their friends.” . The extravagance referred to is principally the £2O per week paid to the chairman. t lt is asked “ How can a man accept 'it when he knows that hundreds from whom he takes it cannot meet their produce bills?” It is said that the chairman cannot earn it, and

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By “UTILITY-FANCY”

Championship Winners at Oamaru Poultry Show.

that the job .is not worth it if he could. As to subterfuge, it seems that the board is selling cold-stored eggs as fresh, and this, as it is pointed put, is a deception on the general public, and that, the result “ greater returns for the producer ” does not justify the deception. As to low prices, it seems that- prices for eggs for local consumption were reduced by the board in the middle of the winter, whilst agents are complaining that they cannot get enough eggs. The suggestion is that Mr Crooke (the chairman) has a kink for export, and what is happening, probably,' is that he is bringing the price to a level which allows him to commence export with as little loss as possible. THE WHITE LEGHORN. An English poultrynian remarks that the White Leghorn used to occupy the premier position at laying trials and at utility shows. It used to be the ideal in the eyes of commercial egg farmers. He asks, what is happening to-day? On most farms it has been replaced by Rhode Island Reds, White Wyandottes or some first or sex-linked crosses. Entries at laying trials are greatly diminished, and the mortality of this breed at the trials is considerably higher than that of other popular breeds. What is the reason for this alleged waning in favour of the White Leghorn? Some think that the preference in England for brown eggs has something to do with it; but there can be no doubt in the minds of thoughtful people that the breeding and forcing for high egg production is gradually spoiling the White Leghorn. Fanciers in ■ the past bred solely for prize-winning at shows. Exaggerated points were favoured by judges. The production of eggs was a secondary consideration, consequently on© breed after another was spoilt for utility purposes. The utility man not concerned with show points has bred only for one characteristic, namely, production. He has bred from the best layers, mating them to the pen of a best layer, and unfortunately has lost sight of the necessity of considering stamina, vigour, constitution, health as of ■more importance in the breeding-pen than mere fertility. It is not too late to save the White Leghorn, and many breeders are already amending their ways. Inherited fertility is a very important point in selecting birds for the breeding pen, but .no matter how wonderful the production of a bird may have been it should be excluded from the breeding pen if it has not improved its heavy laying in the best of condition.

WHAT FOWLS PREFER. When the questiop of imported liquid eggs from China was raised in the House of Commons (England) it is reported that the Minister of Health denied that the food consumed by a hen affected the content of the egg she laid, with the result that he has received, says Sir Edward Brown, a wide and" well-deserved castigation. Sir Edward says" Here is a problem for those who are responsible for what was said. In a certain coast line area where Targe quantities of surplus fish are spread over the land as manure, it has been found that the eggs laid by liens running thereon are tainted as ‘a consequence. That I found to bo the case in two European countries visited, and we have only to consider the evidence from experience with fowls running on varied soils and herbage to further support our statement. It may well be aslccd what is the food and its nature preferred by fowls when their instincts are given free play? The fact cannot be denied that some of the finest and most nutritious eggs are produced by fowls on free range, including even access to the farm steading. There they pick up much that no poultrykeeper would think of supplying, and in these respects our knowledge of feeding is very limited. Real progress lies in its investigation froni the hen’s point of view, for it knows better than even the scentist. and much more apparently than the Minister of Health.”

GRIT AND THE GRAIN RATION. Fowls have only a simple digestive system and cannot obtain nutriment from coarse material of little food value, although often given credit for the power of doing so. Sharp grit is helpful to them because it assists the muscular action of the gizzard in breaking up grain into smaller particles so that the digestive juices can help to convert them into solutions which can be absorbed into the system. Birds can digest even hard grain, like barley, without any grit at all, but more economical use is made of the food if they can always find the grit they want. This is an easy matter on gravelly soils, but on clays grit must normally be provided. It should be placed in a box which cannot be fouled, and not mixed with the soft food, a practice which only results in overloading the gizzard and serves no useful purpose. Some bulkiness in the soft food is of value because this prevents it forming into indigestible balls, and there is nothing like bran for giving a crumbly consistency which is very attractive to the appetite. THE PAPANUI EGG-LAYING COMPETITION. Readers interested in the-weekly reports of results at the Papanui Egglaying Competition will notice that they did not appear in my notes last week, and that they are omitted again to-day. The explanation is that the reports have not come to hand as usual from Christchurch.

MORTGAGE CORPORATION FIRST MEETING OF BOARD EARLY ANNOUNCEMENT OF LENDING RATE [Pm United Association.] WELLINGTON, July 18. The first meeting of the board _of directors of the Mortgage Corporation of New Zealand was held yesterday, and was attended by the chairman (Sir William Hunt) and Messrs A. D. Park, T. N. Smallwood (joint managing directors), James' Robertson (State director),,G. A. Lewin, L. W. Nelson, and C. Russell Smith (shareholders’ directors), and B. C. Ashwin (Assistant Secretary to the Treasury, ex officio director). The Acting Minister of Finance (Hon. Adam Hamilton) briefly addressed the board prior to the commencement of business. In an interview to-day Sir William Hunt stated that matters of major importance engaged the attention of the directors. The board was at present conferring with the Acting of Finance as to the terms upon which the State Advances and other Government mortgages were to be taken over by the comporation, and as this was a financial transaction involving many millions of pounds it could not bo expected that details could be settled without mature consideration. He added that this was the first step in the business organisation of the corporation, and while the board would naturally like to make a public announcement as to the lending rate of the corporation, it regretted that until details in connection with the transfer of State mortgages had been concluded it was not exactly practicable for tho board to give final consideration to what its lending rate would be. _ There was another and most important aspect of the* corporation’s activities that must also be concluded before the board could fix its lending rate. He drew attention to the fact that the lending rate of the corporation depended largely upon the rate of interest at which the corporation could borrow. He intimated that the board was at present considering the question of the debenture issue, and upon the terms of this depended the _ lending rate. Th directors felt that it would be premature at this early stage to fix a definite lending rate. The directors were very pleased with the that had been made up to tho present in the preparations for taking over the State Advances mortgages by the corporation. This transaction alone would make the corporation one of the largest financial institutions in the Dominion, and the directors felt confident that, with such a solid foundation. the corporation must oxert a powerful influence for the good of borrowers and lenders alike. The board woujd make an announcement at the earliest possible date, probably early in August, as to the lending rate decided upon, and as to when the corporation would be in a position to accept applications for new loans.

The corporation would arrange for its shares to be listed on the respective Stock Exchanges of the Dominion. The share certificates would *be ready for issue this week, and the corporation hoped to be in a position to' accept transfers in the near future, _ The hoard had appointed Mr G. E. Miller, at present superintendent of the State

Advances Office, to the position of manager of the corporation. Other appointments were Mr F. E. Mitchell, at present chief inspector to the Treasury and secretary of the Local Government Loans Board, to the position of secretary and inspector to the corporation, and, Mr K, J, Caverhill, at present deputy-superintendent of _ the State Advances Office, to the position of chief accountant to the corporation. The staff of the State Advances Office had been seconded for duty with the corporation, but it was the intention of the board of directors at an early date to consider the whole question of staff with a view to making permanent appointments to the staff of the corporation.