DRIED GRASS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22714, 29 October 1935, Page 3

DRIED GRASS

HOT AIR METHOD fFitoM Ouit Own Correspondent) (By Air Mail) LONDON, October 5. Ntsw information on the remarkable qualities of young (trass, iirst discovered 10 years ago by Dr Woodman, of Lambridge, is Riven by experiments carried out recently in Scotland, writes a special correspondent of the Daily Telegraph. The dried young grass was produced by Messrs Duncan, ot Borgue, Kirkcudbright. It was dried by the hot-air method. 'lhe grass was made into meal which was compared with other feeding stuffs, including one of the best-known rations for putting on beef. In comparison with this, a ration containing 50 per cent, grass meal showed an increase in live weight over the other of more than 21b. It is also claimed that the grass meal gives livestock a stronger resistance to disease and that its use has eliminated other diseases. The stock show more vigour and seem in better l)lr»^>i. Messrs Duncan claim to have found a gras-s that permits them to take 12 cuts in the season, giving altogether five tons of grass meal per acre.

concentric layers of yellow yolk. Under the microscope additional thin layers or white yolk-cells can be distinguished amongst the yellow layers. On the top of the yolk rests the blastoderm (germskin), a small disc. The difference between a fertilised and an unfertilised egg is solely to be found in this small disc, and much of its detail can only be distinguished under the microscope; but with a pocket lens it can be discerned that whilst in an unfertilised egg the little disc is whitish all over, except for small clear spots very irregularly distributed over its surface, in the fertilised egg an outer ring or margin is whitish, while in the centre is a smaller _ clear in which are very small white spots. This central clear space is the germ from which the chick will be developed. Laying Trials Need Reforming Mr K. D. Downham, advisory veterinary officer to Harper Adams College (England), in the course of an article in the Feathered World on "How to Reduce High Mortality Figures " starts off with the remark that although the Harper Adams 1934-35 egg laying trials had—when he wrote —five more weeks until its completion, the mortality was 18.5 per cent., the highest figure yet recorded. He proceeds: "It is poor consolation to reflect that the mortality at several other trials is higher than our own. A comparison with some American laying trials is certainly enlightening if not encouraging. " In the New York State egg laying contest for 1929 mortality was 28 per cent, amongst White Leghorns and 45.6 per cent, among Rhode Island Reds. Alder (1934) gives the mortality percentages in six successive contests in Utah as 13, 35, 27, 18, 20, and 58 respectively. " Kennard records some alarming figures of the pullet mortality on commercial farms in several States in America; his figure of over 50 per cent, is very amazing. "It is fairly common experience for me to receive birds for examination with a statement by the owner that his flock mortality to date has been over 50 per cent. " In my opinion laying trial mortality is a reflection of the disease situation in the poultry industry as a whole, and I consider the losses are far too many, and a great deal more might be done lo reduce them both at laying trials and on poultry farms in this country." After mentioning the chief diseases which led to deaths at laying trials he directs attention to the fact that worms head the list, and says: — " For the first time at these trials the deaths from intestinal worms heads the list.

"A proportion of the birds arrive at the trials already infested with worms, hundress of eggs are passed on the ground; these become infective, the birds pick up large numbers of infective eggs, and as the fowls are reduced in resistance because they are producing large numbers of eggs, the dice is loaded against them, the parasite wjjs and the bird begins to go down hill. " By the time they die many are skeletons and are very heavily infested, and trouble is laid up for future birds. " I compared a number of pens which had been used in a section of the trials since they started at the college with another section which had been added some 12 years later. In the new section, comprising 789 birds, the deaths from intestinal worms was 5.2 per cent., and in the old section, which housed 519 birds, the mortality due "to worms was 6.7 per cent. The percentage death rate from intestinal worms upon the total number of birds entered being 5.7 per cent. This shows 1.5 per cent, increase in mortality on 6 per cent. " Coccidiosis and intestinal worms are the chief predisposing causes of fowl paralysis, leucosis and tumours. " It will be seen that the majority of losses at Harper Adams Laying Trials at pjresent come under the group represented bv parasitic diseases, leacosis, tumours and diseases of the digestive system with enteritis. Concentration of attention to tlie causes of these troubles will rpcluee the losses enormously." Fresh Ground Prevents Disease The following from the pen of Sir Edward Brown accentuates the opinion of Mr Downham that crowding fowls on the same .soil for too long a period is one of the chief causes of disease. Sir Edward, in the course of an article in The Feathered World headed " Dangers of Poisoned Soil," says: "The danger of poisoning the soil by an excess of manurial content is no new question, though enhanced of late by the risk of coil infection where disease has been present in the stock maintained thereon. Under distributive and semiintensive systems of poultry husbandry an attempt is made to give the soil a limited extent of recovery by removing birds to reserve areas, and thus permitting the growth of herbage to utilise to some extent manurial excess. In this respect the smaller the holding the greater is the danger of poisoned soil. " Some years ago when on a visit to America I saw in California poultry farms where 1000 hens were being kept per acre. Proposals are being made for doing the same in this country. The former did not last long. The birds were poisoned by their environment, and the mortality which followed wa« fatal to success. That was even in spite of the rapid growth of grass, etc., due to the soil being thus over-charged. This was one reason for the adoption of ultraintensive methods of poultry-farming so f ns to keep the stock under conditions and under cover where they are not exposed to the dangers indicated. " There is, however, a further question to which adequate attention has not been given—namely, how far the soil may itself be infected with disease germs, and also how long such germs remain potent. It is seldom that poultry-keepers whose Etock have been stricken with disease realise that it is not enough to get rid of the birds affected, or even to give the land a short rest, so that the natural plant growth may clean the soil. Where poultry can be removed to an entirely fresh location, there can be no excuse for continued use of that on which a serious outbreak of disease has taken place. That is why small and easily removable houses are to K& preferred. It explains the abandonment of long range housca which at one time were popular in this country and America. There are farms where semi-intensive methods have been adopted, and that have been financially successful, on which the dangers of infected soil are considerable. On smaller holdings these are still greater. My own belief is that the increasing mortality is in part due to infected soil, and that remedial action will continue to fail so long as conditions conduce to such infection. *' Everyone admits, in theory more than practice, that overcrowding is indirectly responsible for a large percentage of mortality among domestic poultry. Although such overcrowding appears in the earlier stages to be at times harmless, its effects are only deferred. Early mortality may be reduced when the chicks are hatched out of season by so protecting them that those which would have succumbed to spartan methods are coddled to adulthood or the pullet age. Where chicks are raised to a laying stage as pullets, deficiency in bodily vigour and development then means greater mortality, and this explains why so many fowls present an

aneemic appearance and lack the necessary stamina for layers, and still more so for breeders." A Loss to the Fancy Many of my readers will have learnt with regret of the passing away of Mr E. Oswald Reilly, who for many years was a prominent figure in the' poultry world both as a fancier and utility poultry enthusiast. Mr Reilly was practical in everything he undertook. Many a time 1 have approached him for information, and, not to learn what he thought, but for which he knew from practical experience in matters of breeding, feeding, etc. At one time he farmed at Studholme, where he kept fowls and ducks in large numbers. His homes were well built and he provided duplicate runs for each pen of birds he kept. He bred both light and heavy breeds and every day he met the trains going north and south as they met at Studholme Junction, despatching his consignments of eggs and retrieving his returned crates. At the Waimate annual shows he was a regular winner of prizes for his exhibits of birds, fruit, etc., and mention of fruit reminds rue that he always termed his fruit " eggfruit," declaring it was his fowls in the orchards that accounted for the quality of the fruit. Mr Reilly had a great deal to do with the forming of the New Zealand Poultry Association and was its first president. His S3rvices were sought over a period of years as judge of poultry (hows by several South Island clubs, and he was a very successful exhibitor of various breeds. Notwithstanding a serious physical disability which would have permanently handicapped most men for any work, Mr Reilly's indomitable courage never allowed him to call a halt and it was only during recent months that he was compelled to relinquish control of his business and hobbies. Amongst the latter may be mentioned horticulture, in respect to which he imported many rare plants and bulbs, specialising principally in gladiolas and narcissi. Reilly's report:—Values were quite satisfactory for the fair supplies to hand. Hens: 6 at 6s 4d, 3 6s 2d, 1 6s, 10 5s lOd, 16 5s Bd. 11 5s 6d, 39 5s 4d, 36 5s 2d, 66 ss, 2 4s lOd, 11 4s Bd, 20 4s 6d, 4 4s 2d, 1 2s 2d; bantams—--2 3s, 2 2s; cockerels —4 7s, 3 6s, 1 5s 6d, 1 5s 4d. 2 4s Bd, 1 4s 6d, 4 4s 2d, 4 4s, 3 3s lOd, 11 3s Bd, 9 3s 6d; pullets—3 5s 2d, 4 4s 6d; geese—2 8s; chickens — 26 Bd, 39 6d; ducks—6 6s 2d; all at per pair; 1 hen and 10 chicks for 10s 6d, 1 hen and 10 chicks for lis 6d, 1 hen and 10 chicks for 12s; turkeys, 2 at 8d per lb.