POULTRY INDUSTRY.

North Otago Times, Volume CIII, Issue 13656, 25 August 1916, Page 4

POULTRY INDUSTRY.

The poultry industry as a .whole con-, tinned to suffer more, or less from the high prices of poultry food, owing to the war, says, the report of. the Depart-j ment of Agriculture, Industries a ltd, I Commerce. The exceptionally heavy culling out of'unprofitable stock thafcj has taken place, together with the reduced number'of chickens reared during the past season, has given tlie industry a severe, lest, At '6iie/period' it 'was practically • threatened with disaster. Poultry-keepers are to be congratulated on the present position of the industry and the. maimer in. which they, fought against the trying hard times. These adverse conditions haveunfortunately liad the effect of compelling many poultrynien to give up, business. ' This was especially noticeable where, the man- ; agemeiit was conducted on wrong lines, and the class of .stock kept was .unsatisfactory. On. the other hand, properly; conducted plants with the right class of stock secured a good margin of profit,' thus, indicating that poultry-keeping-when-properly managed, even under tlie ; above conditions, is a profitable undertaking. Now that food values have declined and 'bejtter- prices are ruling for eggs and table, birds, .those poultrymen who did not curtail their hatching operation's last .season will reap a good re--ward for their labours. Notwithstanding the improved present outlook for the industry, it is generally realised by' the public-that the poultrymen of New Zealand will not be in a position to increase their output, and so reduce market prices, until they have at least another breeding season's increase to work on, So long as high prices rule for eggs heavy importations will have to be made to satisfy the local demand. This should bring home to the poultrymen the necessity for producing more eggs, and preserving the summer surplus for. winter use, thus regulating the" supplies throughout the year, ami enabling the disposal of them at"a reasonable cost to the consumer,

The effect of tlie abnormal conditions that have prevailed may yet prove to lie not an unniixell evil.-'it has direct-' ed attention- in .a- striking manner to the important work of culling and to, the necessityof keeping only good stock under proper management. It has also, forced investigations in regard to feeding for egg production. Previously it was commonly believed that inclusion of wheat in the ration of the heavy layer was imperative. Owing to the scarcity and the excessive high prices ruling for this favoured grain, the .Department is carrying but feeding tests at the Milton Poultry Station with the object of demonstrating what results can be obtained' from fowls fed on a dietary from which wheat is eliminated.