FEWER HENS: MINISTER ADVISES POULTRY KEEPERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 April 1948, Page 2

FEWER HENS: MINISTER ADVISES POULTRY KEEPERS

“With the difficulties which may occur in ‘providing feed for fowls, it is obvious that this is not the time for any poultry farmer to increase the size of his flock or for new producers to enter the industry,” the Minister of Agriculture, Mr Cullen, explains in a statement in the Journal of Agriculture. “In fact, until the feed position becomes clearer,” he says, “producers should be more than usually severe in their normal seasonal culling operations and only really good breeding hens and pullets should be retained in flocks.” Because of the world shortage of wheat and coarse grains, the method of allocation of export cereal surpluses through the International Emergency Food Council, shipping difficulties and the small average of cereals in New Zealand this season, the Minister states that the supply of grain for poultry feeding, may present certain difficulties during the year. The Government was doing everything possible to obtain adequate supplies from Australia, and it appeared that sufficient non-millable wheat might be secured to maintain the poultry industry properly. Until such supplies had been transported and stocks were available in the Dominion there was a possibility that there might be some insecurity in supply. In the meantime, the fullest use should be made of the supplies of coarse grain available. Substitute Foods In an article in the journal, Mr F. C. Bobby, superintendent of poultry husbandry, Wellington, states that it will attempt autumn hatching this year in the present circumstances. The raising of pullets at this season of the year, he says, is tantamount to increasing a flock, and for that reason poultry farmers should not autumn hatch. Mr Bobby Says that barley is an excellent feed for poultry and may be used without fear of adverse effects cn laying or the health of the birds. Good plump oats are also a good poultry feed, but the feed value falls off sharply in light samples and where there is more fibre and less kernel. Barley compares well with wheat, but oats have not the same feeding value as the other two grains. Nevertheless, oats must play a promi-

nent part in the feeding of flocks until the food position improves. Fewer Eggs “The public can look forward to fewer eggs in the future,” a poultry farmer remarked, when his comment on the present position was sought. Poultry farmers throughout New Zealand had experienced a particularly difficult time during the past year or more, and flocks had been severely culled. In fact, he added, there were some poultry farmers who had disposed of their entire flocks. Eggs had been scarce in the past and that scarcity would become worse instead of better as the months went by.

The experts might suggest barley, oats, and standard/mash as substitutes for wheat, he added, but the hens themselves had different ideas. The “proof of the pudding” was in, the number of efegs in the nest.