MINERALS FOB POULTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18664, 21 March 1924, Page 13

MINERALS FOB POULTRY.

CALOIUM AND PHOSPHOROUS,

Laying ioyls naturally require relatively large amounts of mineral food, calcium and phosporous being of greatest importance. The addition of meat scrap, and more specially ground, raw, or cooked bone, will supply the lack of phosphorous, On the other hand, both calcium and phosphorous are more easily taken from the bones of the bird than from the dead bone-ash in the food.

Under ordinary circumstances the food pven a hen is deficient in calcium, since the need of this mineral is very great, in heavy egg production. The functions of calcium are very important, and since part of the material for egg-shell formation comes from the bones •of the body, and part directly, and indirectly, from the minerals fed, it is imperative that a liberal supply of calcium in the form of oyster shells, be provided at all times. A deficiency of calcium supply in the food, causes a decrease in egg production. Watch for bowel trouble—-keep all drinking water shaded. Keep charcoal and shell grit before the birds all the time. Mervel given in the water a couple of times a week, will keep your birds in good health. When green feed is not available, lucerne chaff makes an excellent substitute, but it must be prime.- Reduce the quantity of heating foods, such as meat, maize, etc. Eggs sliould now be unfertile. They market better. Spray out the fowlhouse, you: cannot afford to beep both fowls and lice. Remember this is the breeding season for lice and mites. Millions natch in a few weeks. Forward pullets should now be housed in permanent quarters.

EGGS FOB feXPOET.

REDUCING THE EXPENSES.

NEED FOR HARD SHELLS,

REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESS

BY B.H.S. One of the most important moves made by the recent Poultry Conference was the adoption of a remit sent in. by an affiliated society that a select committee be set up to confer with the chief Government Poultry Instructor re the future export of eggs. The committee as set up met during tho conference and went fully into all the details of the export trade. Evidence was given of the past year's work that helped considerably, and the recommendations arrived at by the committee v ere of such value to the conference that they were adopted almost unanimously. The committee dealt with the systems used in each centre'for the collecting, selecting and testing of export eggs; also class of crate used, cost of same and improvements that might be effected so that expenses might bo reduced;

There is no doubt initial expenses for last year's shipments were on the high side. This was caused in many cases by the producers having no idea of the class of egg required for export, Eggs that would be considered first grade for local markets would not be suitable for export. Eggs for export must be very firm in Shell and very fresh. What I mean is this, eggs for local consumption may be a week or two old and even older and yet be first-class for table purposes, provided they have been kept under proper conditions and collected every day on the farm. But eggs kept so long are ( not fit for export because they have a six weeks' journey to face and although in the cool chamber of the steamers that .carry them, a certain amount of .drying down in the air cell cannot be avoided. Therefore to secure the highest price, eggs must be as fresh as possible. Fertile Jlggs Unsuitable. -

■ It is wonderful how long 6 fresh egg I wiU keep fresh under proper conditions. | Again fop export all eggs should if possible be unfertile as there is. less danger of eggs going bad if the germ is not fertil- | ised, fact should also be noted for , local trade and poultry * Keepers are I working against their own interests if they | keep male birds running with the females I at any time provided the eggs are not : wanted for breeding purposes. Male i birds do not help the production of eggs; ; rather they lessen the output: All unnecessary males are better in the saleyards than in the pens spoiling the keepi ing qualities of market eggs. By this I do not wish to infer that fertile eggs collected fresh each day are not fit for 1 consumption. Fertile eggs will keep under proper conditions for weeks and j still be fit to class as fresh eggs, but - there is always the danger of them being I kept in heated places causing the germs I to coma to life. | Again, eggs with shells not too strong are not suitable for export and our poul-try-keepers will have to adopt quite the right methods of feeding so that the birds I wfll be able to produce the eggs fit for exi port. It is no use over-forcing our layers, getting them to lay at too early an "age, making them lay extra heavily while eggs are dear and thus not only affecting the firmness of the shell but causing the bird to ' lay undersized and "" mishapen eggs. AH these points must be considered in the future by the poultry-keepers who are to assist in the export trade. If .we can relieve the flush season of surplus eggs and get a fair return for the. production of same it will pay all of us to allow our birds to properly mature so that they can produce the right quality of egg needed for a successful export trade. [ One thing - that is highly essential in ; the ; export : trade." /is a ; firm yolk and as 'rich as possible. This can only be obtained by proper feeding and conditions above referred to- Feeding has all to do with the quality of the inside of the market egg and it will also help greatly in the production of good -,- healthy chicks from ertilised eggs. ■ Too little attention is i paid to feecmg for market eggs. As long as the birds lay eggs in abundance, one is careless at times about the firmness of the shell and richness of the yolk. One of the reasons why we had so much success « with par shipments last season was because the yolks on arrival Home were so firm and of good colour. Good colour can be obtained by feeding plenty of green feed and a ; proportion of maize. Both these tooda' add colour and richness to yolks of eggs. Testing Methods, Contrary to expectations, it was thought that eggs from the practical poultryfarmers who made their living out-of egg production would be of the best quality as regards shell and yolk. This was not always so, although in certain instances there was no cause to complain. The up-, to-date testing methods used in testing the last year's export eggs found out the pale yolks and weak shells. It will pay the big egg producer to give more attention .to .'. the feeding of his, layers, especially as the export season arrives. Fortunately as the export eggs have to be gathered early in the flush season the general quality in shell and yolk is much better than at the end of the laying season from December to March. I have always considered a fair-siaed pallet egg at this time of the seafSon has far more nutriment in it than a much larger hen egg laid by a bird finishing her laying season. The committee dealt with various phases of the export trade and it is intended to send out instructions so that we shall be able to get our egg producers to fully understand what is required to * keep up the success that has attended our first commercial shipments of market eggs to the aistant British Isles. We should be a proud people. We have mad© a great success of our first shipments without a guarantee or any financial help from the Government. All other industries have had financial guarantees against loss, but we had to depend on private enterprise organised by one co-operative organisation. Perhaps it is best this way as we are now more firmly )on our feet and egg ■ producers all over the Dominion should back up ■■ and ;; support the broadraindedness of the co-operative spirit that has done so much for the poultry industry. It is time the big man, the small man and all those who have, the progress of the poultry industry at heartit is time also for the person who cares not for those who are doing the organising work, it is time for everyone—to see the great work being done in their interests and to do theiK share, bo that the export trade may grow, so that the poultry industry may grow and so that all who take up poultry-keeping seriously may make it a payable proposition. Why this aloofness by so many egg producers when their help is so urgently needed? The committee appointed at the conference just concluded to go into this matter struck ihe right note, and I cannot ,; see how in the future when the deliberations of the committee are given effect to that any right-minded -poultry-keepers, eggfarmers and poultry-breeders can ignore their responsibilities in this matter. In fact, I think it will be necessary to act strongly on this question .in the future.