POULTRY FEED

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25172, 9 April 1945, Page 2

POULTRY FEED

A SERIOUS POSITION WHEAT RATIONING URGED The present supply of poultry feed and the future prospects are causing grave concern to commercial poultry farmers. The position is no worse than was anticipated earlier in the year, according to representatives of the industry in Auckland, but poultry farmers are facing a seHous problem and the prospects for relief are dim. Already the production of duck eggs has been seriously affected by changes of feed in the past few months and the output since Christmas is believed to have been only about 10 per cent of the normal. The production of hen eggs has been slightly affected, mainly in the case of young birds. j The chief problem was stated to be the supply of wheat, for which there was no official rationing as in the case J of bran, pollard and stock meal. Although the sale of wheat to merchants was controlled, the merchants had to adopt their own rationing system to customers. It was considered that full rationing should be introduced. Australian Drought The shortage was due to the Australian drought and the Canterbury floods. Hopes of relief from the Australian harvest at the end of this year were not bright, as it was believed that the drought had so impoverished the soil that a good crop could not be expected. Difficulty was being experienced in Auckland m obtaining supplies of wheat from the South Island. A number of firms and organisations held their three-monthly warrants from the Flour and Wheat Controller for supplies of fowl wheat, but were unable to obtain them, while other firms with stronger connections in the south were having no difficulty. It was also believed that tinder-grade wheat, the sale of which was not controlled, was bringing higher prices than the graded and controlled fowl wheat, owing to the shortage and consequently stimulated demand. Steps were being taken, it was understood, to have the sale of under-grade wheat Controlled and this would rectify that position. Gulling of Stock It was too early to judge the effect of last month's regulation which prohibited the use of wheat as food for stock other than poultry, but it was not expected that any appreciable easing of the position would result. It was felt that the amount previously used for stock was probably small and in any case there was no adequate check 011 the enforcement of the regulation. Although the position was regarded as serious, there were no known cases of poultry farmers having to dispose of good laying birds which they would normally have retained, but in accordance with the recommendations of the authorities there was heavy culling of unprofitable stock. A suggestion that grass seed was being purchased as fowl food was considered to be improbable, as commercial farmers would prefer to reduce their flocks rather than bear the heavy dost which would be involved. KEY TRADESMEN RELEASE IN BRITAIN LONDON, March 19 By the end of March about 1000 men —former key building workers—will have been released from the British Services to make the first big start on reconstruction. This is the first move in the Government's demobilisation plans. The building industry has submitted to the Ministry of Works lists qf names i t men required to organise rebuilding operations. Before these were called up they were foremen, supervisors and charge hands. They will prepare the way for builders in the Services who will be released as required to supplement other labour available for building houses. GIANT OYSTERS SHELLFISH AS "NOVELTIES" SYDNEY, April 5 Giant edible oysters are cultivated along the coast j>f New South Wales, but they are never seen in shops. They are grown as novelties. Several dozen of them, in their shells, were exhibited at the annual conference of the New South Wales Oyster Farmers' Association. Mr B. Cincotta, of Woolooware Bay, George's River, exhibited the largest — five inches long by three inches wide by two inches deep. Veteran oyster farmer, Mr J. E. Warn, of Bermagui, a former prize winner, said he had some giants between six and seven inches long by five inches wide, while Mr R. Shroeder, of George's River, claimed he had some about the same size. Experts said that the age of these oysters would be anything up to 10 or 15 rears. Their flesh was tougher than that of the normal commercial oysters, which are from three t-o four years old. Between 4000 and 5000 oysters were eaten by the 120 delegates and visitors present. LOWER DAIRY OUTPUT DROUGHT IN AUSTRALIA Dairy production is still falling throughout Australia, and the continuing drought in New South Wales and Victoria threatens to keep winter output lower than ever. Australia's output for the eight months ended February was 1.02,086 tons, a drop of 16,'208 tons on the eight months in 1943-44, and of 24,450 tons on the eight months in 1942-43. Cheese production in the eight months to the end of February was 27,980 tons, compared with 29,709 tons for the eight months in 1943-44 and 29.380 tons for the 1942-43 period. PIG CROP SUBSIDY LAST-MINUTE RUSH (0.C.) HAMILTON. Sunday A heavy last-minute rush of applications for the pig crop subsidy of £5 at) acre is reported by Mr P. 0. Bonham, chairman of the Waikato Pig Council. Mr Bonham said yesterday that following the extension of the closing date from March 1 to March 3i a flood of applications had poured into the Waikato council's office and these would materially improve the position revealed by the department's figures to the end of January. Up to the end of March the number of applications received by the Waikato council totalled 12to, compared with only 11(i announced in the interim report. The number of acres cropped was 5391 and the amount of subsidy sought was £20,955. Mr Bonham said he thought the total of the Dominion applications at the close of the period wonid reach over 5000, involving an acreage of about 25,000 and a subsidy of over £IOO,OOO.