POULTRY RESEARCH

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 253, 25 September 1939, Page 5

POULTRY RESEARCH

INVESTIGATIONS ABROAD. NEW BREEDS IMPORTED. Numerous agricultural colleges, research institutions and commercial poultry plants in England wore visited under the guidance of Lord Greenway, Messrs Powell Owen (president of the Poultry Club of England) and Mr R. D. \Yliyt6 (formerly of Palmerston North) by Mr J. H. Kissling, poultry manager at Massey Agricultural College, who returned last week after spending several months abroad. He had been granted leave to visit England and the Uuited States to study .poultry-keeping methods, and to represent New Zealand at the seventh World’s Poultry Conference, held at Cleveland, Ohio, from July 26 until August 7. “Through an extension of a special permit issued about two years ago, I was able to secure from Cambridge University nine additional male birds of the auto-sexing breeds including three Legbar males, the first to arrive in New Zealand,” stated Mr Kissling. “These will be used at the college plant in furthering the work alreadybeing undertaken to produce stocks for distribution to poultry-keepers at a later date. Lord Greenway, of Edenbridge, Kent, with whom I stayed tor a week, kindly presented the college with an experimental consignment ot Rhode Island Red hatching eggs. These were sent out via Panama and one chick actually hatched. It is believed that this is the first time a chick has been hatched from eggs sent from England. Then, repeating an experience of 1932, 60 hatching eggs were brought out from the University at Vancouver and these are at present being incubated at the college plant. . “Although climatic conditions compare most unfavourably with tor poultrykeeping, the industry in England has developed tremendously during the last twenty years— owing mainly to cheap foodstuffs,” Mr Ivissljn„ added. “Many commercial plants are” devoted entirely to the production of 41b table chickens, which can be produced with a good margin of profit. Very few- light breeds w-ere to be seen, the "most common breeds being Rhode Island Reds, Light Sussex and White Wyandottcs, whilst the average farmer keeps mainly first crosses. “Whilst most, of our breeders favour the intensive system of keeping pou - try, in England the full free range system is used, excepting that m recent vear.s the battery laying cage system has gained popularity. Layers aie reared to maturity on range and then placed in small wire cages about l»m square with wire floors. As many as 1000 layers are housed in one sficct under this system and are easily looked after by one person. Under this system egg production in cold and wet weathei is maintained at a profitable level. “Labour is easily obtained at much lower wages than those here, and on most farms two or three boys would be employed where one is employed n New Zealand. Cadets of about -0 often pay as much as £1 a week in order to work on the leading farms to gain experience. DISEASE PROBLEMS. “Owing to the large size, of many of the farms,” proceeded Mr Kissing, “disease problems have been moie acute than those here, and serious losses resulted daring the period IJJO to 1935. Now, owing largely to the result of research work, preventive measures can be taken to avoid I > l G C ‘| tion The advisory service or the Ministry of Agriculture is very highly de- j veloped. Buildings have just been j completed at Weybridge to cope withadditional services to poultrymen. Hie; two major disease problems are bacil-; ] a ry white diarrohea and fowl paraly-| sis. The former is now- quite under control by the tube blood testing system, whilst at the School of Agriculture, Cambridge University, it ap-. pears that the cause of fowl paralysis j will shortly be known and control measures adopted. “At tho Northern Breeding fetation at Reaselieath, Cheshire, a longterm inbreeding experiment is nowshowing results of great importance. The eighth generation of brotfier•iister matings of one blood line are showing excellent progress, and a standard line of White Leghorns has * been established of most uniform characteristics. These birds will be used for experimental work, and for topping over other purebred blood lines to give increased vigour and egg production. This work is being closely watched by research workers in America. At Edinburgh, the work on pouttry genetics bv Dr. Alan Greenwood, who is assisted by Dr. Nancy Galpin (formerly of Massey College) is opening up quite a new scientific field for poultry breeding. “Although pedigree breeding is far more highly developed in England than in our country, tlio general standard of their utility stock does not appear any higher than ours, excepting on a few of the leading stud farms. The policy of the New Zealand Department of Agriculture’s poultry instructors and of our leading breeders, in aiming at good body size and good egg size combined w-ith stamina, is undoubtedly a very sound one, for whilst our stock may give a slightly lower egg production, our birds appear to be more healthy. “The importance of the poultry industry in the United States can hardly bo appreciated here,” continued Mr Kissling. “With many largo cities where the keeping of poultry is impossible, a wonderful market is created. Again corn (maize) and wheat can be grown very .cheaply. Perhaps the liest. point to mention to indicate the value of the industry is the fact that the Federal Government's experimental research farm at Beltsville near Washington, D.C., receives an annual grant of £IOO,OOO in order to undertake essential research work. “The Poultry Congress and Exposition attracted delegates from almost every country in tlio world. Cleveland, with its population of over a million, set- out thoroughly to entertain visitors, and the pace for the ten days was hectic. Nearly a million people paid to attend this congress, and it w-ns claimed to bo the largest international exposition ever staged by any primary industry. “After the congress, delegates were' w-elcomed at Chicago and several farms on route. As interest in poultry matters began to w-ane after almost three weeks of intensive ‘education,’ I left the official party at Chicago and travelled on the Santa Fe route via the Grand Canyon to Los Angeles and then up the coast to Vancouver. I had the pleasure of visiting the largest poultry farm in tho world at Van Nuys, where 300,000 adult White Leghorn are kept. Dr. Taylor at. Berkeley University- (near San Francisco) was particularly kind and I have some excellent literature on their research activities.” -

Concluding, Mr Ivissling said that after he reached Vancouver on August 24 the available time was spent mainly at the University of British Columbia, through the kindness of Professor Lloyd, in charge of the Poultry Department there, and at the Agricultural Show then being held.