POULTRY RAISING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20244, 2 May 1929, Page 21

POULTRY RAISING.

X-RAY FOR HATCHING.

INFLUENCE ON SEX. Thfc value of scientific research to the poultry keeper was emphasised by Sir. R. T. Paxkhurst, M.Sc., director of the National Institute of Poultry Husbandry, Harper-Adams Agricultural College, Newport, in the course of an address at the East Anglian Institute of Agriculture, Chelmsford, lately, says an English paper. The speaker said there were some people who felt that scientific research was a waste of energy and of the public's good money, without realising that many of the economic practices being used in poultry-keeping at the present time were based on scientific research. One interesting line of scientific research was in connection with X-rays. In bis home town in New England a man named Paul R. Hadley had been working with X-rays almost continually since the war. The results, not unconfirmed, indicated that here was something which might be of very great practical value. -

Hadley had used X-rays for hatching eggs, find the " rayed " eggs showed from 29 to 50 per cent, better hatchability than " unvayed " eggs. Another investigator found that by an dight-minute exposure ho was ablo to stimulate growth, and by five hours' exposure he was able to produce only female chicks. There were also new discoveries being made both on the scientific and economic side in connection with poultry disease, and he felt that very soon they would have vaccines against most of the serious diseases of poultry. Another practice which had recently been developed was the " all-mash " method of feeding chickens. The criticism of those who opposed 'the method was that the birds would not hold up during the following winter when they were heing forced for egg production like " scrach and mash " birds would. Until they bad proved otherwise they would not recommend this system, although their birds during the first year's test had held up quite satisfactorily. By means of the battery system a large number of chickens were being raised in a very small area, and apparently quite successfully, but it was a matter which must be considered very carefully before they accepted it as an economic practice.