VALUE OF MAIZE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 144, 3 June 1936, Page 5

VALUE OF MAIZE

Importance as a Poultry Food

ASSISTS GROWTH Maize is a most important poultry food, particularly in the winter time. Years ago it fell into disfavour because it was fed wrongly but food experts have now proved it by theory and practice to be indispensable, 'there is no truth in the belief that it creates liver disease. The same objection was taken to barley meal, but in both cases the effect upon the liver was due to wrong balancing with other meals. The yellow variety of maize is richer in vitamin A than the white, the value of which lies in its bleaching action upon yellow flesh carried by birds intended for sale. Maize is rich in starch (that w, energy and heat promoting) and low in fibre. It contains vitamin A, deficiency of which increases mortality and egg production. Vitamin Ais also essential for growth and disease resistance, and it has been shown that the vitality of the intestinal tract is lowered if poultry are fed rations deficient in this vitamin. Losses from worms and roup then become common.

MAINTAINS BODY HEAT. Yellow maize meal improves and maintains the colour of the egg yolk, and improves the leg colour in yellowlegged breeds. It is of especial value for maintaining body heat during cold weather. For increasing egg size, the addition of 5 to 10 per cent, yellow maize meal to the mash effects a notable improvement. White maize meal, although containing no vitamin A, is most useful in fattening and in bleaching out yellow pigment. The wrong use of yellow maize may, however, cause trouble. If fed to chicks excess growth may be forced at the expense of bone and stamina. If fed to growers the rate of maturity is considerably increased, and it will be found that pul,ets will be coming into lay at a too early ago and before they have attained a proper weight. The feeding of excess maize meal to layers will cause prolapsus, and if it is fed improperly to hens they will become fat and unable to lay properly because of the clogging of the intestines. The feeding of maize in the past has been alternately too small and excessive. Poultrykeepers turned from its utter condemnation to using it up to 65 per cent, of the mash. This in itself is absurd, and although maize is s' h a valuable food, it is certain that excessive maize meal in the mash causes many digestive disorders.

RICH IN PROTEIN. From maize is manufactured maize meal by grinding the whole grain, and maize gluten feed which contains a higher proportion of protein. All are valuable ingredients of a mash. Flaked maize is produced by treating grain with steam, passing through hot rollers and drying with hot air. It is preferable to feed maize as a grain in its kibbled form, not whole, because the outer cellulose covering is difficult to break down by the digestive juices of the hens. White maize in any form should not be fed to layers. When purchasing one should avoid samples which carry a high moisture content. It should not contain more than 14 per cent, of moisture; it should weigh at least 501 b per bushel, and it should not contain more than 2 per cent, of foreign material and heat damaged kernels. Kibbled maize should consist of particles of similar size and free from cellulose pieces and white husk. Maize may be included in the grain ration for layers up to 50 per cent., and in the mash rations up to 33) per cent. For growing stock it should be fed sparingly in the grain, but fed up to 20 per cent, in the mash. For chick rearing it should be fed no more than 15 per cent, in the grain and up to 25 per cent, in the mash.