SKIM MILK FOR GROWING? CHICKENS..

Otago Witness, Issue 2685, 30 August 1905, Page 32

SKIM MILK FOR GROWING? CHICKENS..

Skim milk is a food which contains muscle and 1 flesh-forming material in a forni to be readily taken up and digested by the system. Milb that has been skimmed has really lost bufc a portion of its value as a food, the cream consisting 'of considerable fat, which in itself is , the least nutritious part ,of the milk. She cheesy matter left in the' milk is its most valuable part for food, and tends to produce a vigorous, healthful growth when . fed to calves, pigs, and chickens. . If chickens were fed on loss corn and' mora skim milk it would be a benefit to the- farmer financially, and also increase the quality of flesh, and make the colour a clear white. An -experiment was conducted some time ago at an agricultural experiment station in America under the- following conditions, in whioh two lots of chickens were under observation. There were 10 chickens of two breeds in each lot, ranging from four to six -weeks' old. at the beginning of the experiment. Each lot received the «ame food, care, and treatment, excepting that ona lot was given all the milk they would take, whiteb the other lot received none. The grain fed consisted of two parts crushed corn, on© part bran, and one part ground oats. 1 Th*iy also had cracked bones., cab- ; bage, and lettuce. When the experiment : began the iotal weight of one lot of chickens was only ioz more than the other. Tlie experiment lasted from July 11 to September o The results of the feeding show that the chickens fed on milk and grain ate considerably more grain than those did which received no niilk. The results also show j that the chickens in lot 1, receiving no milk, made an average weekly gain of 2.620z, I while those fed on milk made a gain of 4.460z, or near 2oz per week more than theothers. The chickens also fed on milk made a more rapid and uniform gain than those fed on grain daily. The general results of the feeding in every way goes to show the superior influence of the skim milk on the growth of the birds. Theve chickens were reared on tha station grounds, were uniform, in character, and kept under good conditions in confinement, so that no food was available, excepting such as was given by the manager, who conducted the experiment. It would be very beneficial if our poultry rearers would provide plenty of skim milk I for their young stock. The vessel containing the milk ahould be thoroughly j scalded every day, so that the milk would keep fresh and sweet, and if this condition were observed the feeding of the milk would unquestionably result in profit to the poultry breeder.