POULTRY NOTES

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 2077, 18 March 1922, Page 3

POULTRY NOTES

LESSONS OF THE CONFERENCE. (By "The Cackler.") One of the lessons of note from the conference recently held in Palmerston North is the necessity of cooperation among all poultry folk, from those who market only one to two dozen eggs per week to the man who markets his 900 dozen. By it you secure the benefits of selling all your produce and buying all your materials through the one channel. To every man and woman, who had the pleasure of listening to the various delegates and visitors, expressing their views and local requirements, the necessity was felt of something that would bring all into one market, thus enabling poultry men to make a profit and at the same time produce eggs at a price and condition that would please the public. No doubt the appointment of a market commission will go a long way towards meeting the desired end. If for no other reason than this, the conference just closed will be looked back on the most business-like one yet held. The demonstrations were of 'no such value. The plucking and dressing of poultry, as shown by Mr Biggins, was a lesson never to be forgotten. This paper gave a very good report indeed of the same. But to my mind, the greatest and most instructive lesson of the whole conference was that given byMr Mead, Government Vet., on the anatomy of fowls. It was a great pity that a whole afternoon was not given up to him alone. I only hope that in the. near future Mr Mead can spare the time to give another demonstration. For if poultrymen will think for a minute, how can they know how to run their business successfully unless they know all about the. very thing that produces their profit, viz., the hen herself? To sec Mr Mead demonstrating on a carcase, first faking the logs then the whole of the breast, leaving the inside of the bird in its natural form. so that he could explain every part and its functions, well, to mc, words cannot express my astonishment. As other said, I could have done with hours more. As I said before. 1 hope the poultry-men of this district will endeavour to get Mr Mead to demonstrate again. 1 would suggest that if possible it be on a Saturday afternoon, for there are a number who could not attend at any other time. I have been asked to give my im-

pressions of the tour round the farms of Levin, Foxton. etc. At each plant visited there were different types, both male and female. In fact, even in some plants the same thing applied to their birds. Of course, 1 know as well as the next; one how hard it. is to get hundreds of birds of one type, li»t alone thousands. But still, the fact is there that it is so. The most important part of the plant seems to me to have insufficient attention as a rule, viz., the male birds. Unless you get to bedrock with the class of male bird you require, and breed for it, this multiplication of types will appear. The next point of note was the different styles of sheds. The day of the wholely opened-front shed has passed. Any man who has had any experience in exposed places will be satisfied on this point, when winter eggs are required. The shed with 3ft netting in front is still holding good, after all. 1 would like to comment on the various systems of brooding meet with, as each plant, had its differences, but space will not permit. The great lesson of the tour was this: That when one intends to start in the poultry line and build up a plant, it is wise to visit as many plants, both large and small, and take from those that appeal to you the ideas that suit you. Draw out. a plan of what you hope to attain to, then make another visit, and gradually work up to your plan, remembering that Rome was not built in a day.