AUSTRALIAN IMPRESSIONS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8183, 26 July 1912, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN IMPRESSIONS

Mr F. C. Brown, the State poultry expert, who lias recently visited Australia. gives a fow of his impressions ot the industry in that country in the current issue of the department’s Journal.” He writes: “I have continually pointed out that constitutional points are tho first essential in the breeding bird; and during my visit to Australia it was gratifying to me to find that the word ’stamina’ was the first word in the mouths of the leading poultry authorities of the Commonwealth when tho question of breeding was being discussed. They also attached due importance to typo in selecting the layer--1 noticed that the Bedfern birds, which put up the world’s record. at Adelaide in tho last test, were still laying at the time of my visit, while several had never moulted. They had constitution stamped all over them. I believo a pen of equal quality could have been picked out from a bunch-of the sisters on the same plant. Mr Hart, the Government poultry expert of victoria, who is a firm believer in type in judging utility poultry, selected the Eedfern pen for tho South Australian test. .It is a striking testimony to the principle of selecting on type that tho six pullets were able to lay an average of 264.83 iu twelve months, and thereby put up a world's record. The breeder informed me that ho had obtained 90 per cent, t of his points in breeding and selection from Mr Hart, who had also imbued him with the great importance of placing constitution as tne first consideration in breeding-operations. “The world’s champions are not small; they are alert birds true to Leghorn type and with a fair amount of timber. A noted feature about them is the clean face—in fact, they conform as nearly as a bird well could to the description of the layer contained in the issue of the ‘Journal’ of September of last year. All the great layers I saw in Australia bad the desired abdominal development, being deep in the hinder part of the body with great width, the legs standing wide apart. “Australian breeders have a great advantage in their climate. lam convinced they can get more out of their birds without a heavy forcing diet than wo can. The general rule is ;o feed a moist mash in tho morning. Great importance is attached in the Commonwealth to tho feeding of grbon stuff. Almost every little plant has a patch tt lucerne, and this is mostly chaffed before feeding. “It is very noticeable to a isitor to Australia to see the good-sized egg produced by the great majority of White Leghorn flocks of the Commonwealth. The sine of the egg is there considered almost of as much importance as the number produced. No doubt the weight clauses adopted in tho laying competitions of Australia have had much to do with this desirable development-*'