POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3278, 10 January 1917, Page 43

POULTRY NOTES.

Bv Tkeuor.

The contributed article which appears below deals with a subject of great importance to poultry-keepers. It directs attention to the fact —proved at the Milton Poultry Station —that by the use of lucerne chaff wheat may be dispensed with, and for that reason alone, in view of the high price of cereals at the present time, the article should bo carefully read and considered by all poultry people. An unfortunate fact nat mentioned in the present advocacy of lucerne is that the cost of feeding the fowls at Milton was greater in respect to the nonwheat than of the wheat-fed birds, and, as this was the caso notwithstanding Government facilities, the probability is that with private owners it would be greater still. As I pointed out at the time the Milton test was first reported it was no matter for surprise to discover that wheat could bo dispensed with when pollard, bran, maize, meat meal, oats, and lucerne chaff were fed in its place. My imprcss : on is that if the Agricultural Department can contrive to demonstrate that not only wheat, but bran and pollard also can be profitably displaced by some other easily-obtainable food commodity, they will do a great service to the industry they are already spending much money in fostering. Tt is pood news tint lucerne chaff is already on the market in Wellington. The next question is. What is it going to cost the poultrvman? Lucerne is undouhtedlv a good food for poultry, but, although if can he grown and fed green on the sea border, I am told it must lie grown inland so far as the South Island is concerned if it is to !)■•' _turned into hay and chaffed in any quantity. Whilst on the subject of cost of foodstuffs, it is interesting to note that warbread is now being supplied in England! We may- 1 imagine, presume that war-bread contains a. good deal of pollard and bran, and if such is the ease, how about the cost of poultry food in England? It is quite possible that war-bread may bo in use in Now Zealand before long, and in view of this fact it is certainly worth while trying to find substitutes for bran and pollard for poultry. A cause of satisfaction to poultrykeepers in this district is that if foodstuffs for poultry become dear owing to war conditions, so* also will the foodstuffs they themselves supply for human consumption. Thanks to our Egg Circle organisation, poultry-breeders need not in future wring the necks of their birds simply because wheat is u ■ in price, but, like the bakers with bread, they can regulate the price of eggs accordingly. The difficulty for them to face is, How to produce eggs without

wheat, and probably without bran ami pollard! —'• Farm." —The fact that you found a largo clot of blood on the liver of the fowl you examined is not much ot a guide to tne reason why your fowls are dying, ii you had found trie same kind ot tiling in a number of cases it would be more interesting. You say your lowls are "very fat and in good heart," so 1 imagine they are overfed with too stimulating food. Veryfat fowls are not profitable layers, and too stimulating food is apt to produce liver troubles. Feed sparingly on oats for a time, and if confined in close quarters try to arrange for run on fresh ground ior a fewdays. A little Epsom salts in the drinking water will help to restore the birds lo health.

Messrs Reilly, Gill, and Co. report: — " Only a few head of poultry forward for our sale, and prices realised are no indication of this market. We expect to sec the market settle down after the holidays, and look forward to hens realising Is 6d to Is 9d. Eggs during tho week have been in very keen demand, and we were able to secure Is 3d to Is 4d for our consignments. At the present moment we hold orders for 5000 dozen eggs for shipment, and we would be pleased to hear from those who have eggs to market."

The New Zealand Utility Poultry Club's twelfth egg-laying competition for lightbreed fowls for the thirty-eighth week ended January 2 shows that tho following are the leading pens: —■

1. Mrs J. Milk (YVoodliaiigh), W.L. .. 1166 2. J. Nancarrow (Burwood), W.L 1108 3. Master Jack Green (St. Albans), W.L. HOG 4. Calder Bros. No. 2, W.L 1095 5. Calder Bros (Oaiuaru), W.L. .. .. 1084 6. Kangiuru Egg Ranch (Otaki), W.L. .. 1071

There arc 49 pons (204 birds) in this competition, and the total number of eggs laid to date, is 48,041.

In the third heavy-breed contest the leading pens arc :—■ 1. T. E. Conway (Kirwce), 8.0 1033 2. C. J. Norton (Ashburlon), 8.0 347 3. J. Nancexrow (Burwood), 8.0 91-5 •1. T. Dowthwaite (Avondale), S.W. .. 905 5. Miss E, Willis (Shirley), 8.0 809 5. Mrs J. James (Sockburn), 8.0 809 There arc 11 pens (66 birds) in this competition, consisting of two pens of white Wyandottes, one pen Plymouth Rocks, one Rhode Island reds, five black Orpingtons, and two silver Wyandottes. To date the total eggs laid is 9669. First single-pen contest: — 1. Mrs J. Mills (Dnnedin), W.L 211 2. R. H. James (Marshlands), W.L. .. 205 2. Caldor Bros. (Oamaru), W.L 203 4. W. Davey (Wellington), W.L 197 There are 14 birds entered —viz., two Rhode Island reds and 12 white Leghorns. The 14 birds have laid 2320 eggs to date. 1. W. Bower (Levin) 1224 2. Heretaunga Poultry Co. (Silvcrstream) 1101 3. W. Knight (Lower Ilnti) 980

Indian runners only are competing, and there are only three pens entered. The total laid to date is 3308.

SOUTHLAND EGG-LAYING COMThe secretary_ ol the Southland Egglaying Competition reports the result for the thirty-ninth week ending January 2 as fnllnwc •

37 *R. Ferguson .. .. 2323233—18 850 29 *J. H. Harrell .. 2232322—16 GSS —White Plymouth Rocks.— 21 T. E. Davis .. .. 3131131—22 009 Campines.— 17 E. Dunlop .. .. 1623313—19 816 Columbian Wyandottes.— 4 Mrs J. Mills .. .. 1243343—20 705 967 36,741 ■"One bird dead. fTwo birds dead.

POULTRY KEEPING. IS WHEAT INDISPENSABLE? (Contributed.) The present high price of wheat is again giving poultrynien sonic concern, and as the culling season is approaching,, it may be seasonable to point out that' although wheat is generally considered to be an indispensable item of the ration of poultry, this theory is now in a fair way to bo disproved. The higher price and the scarcity of wheat need not occasion the same concern to poultrynien as it did in the season of 1914. when the industry was giver, a severe set-back, from which if lias not yet recovered. It is hoped that the position will now be faced with as much equanimity as possible, and a substitute looked for to wholly or partly take the place of wheat find pollard. Feeding ex perimente were recently conducted by the Department of Agriculture at its Milton Poultry Station with the object of ascertaining what results could be obtained from fowls fed on a dietary from which wheat was eliminated, lucerne ch..rT or meal and oats being substituted. The results of these tests, which have been published in the Journal of Agriculture, have demonstrated in a striking manner that a good egg yield can be secured from the heavy layer without the inclusion of wheat in its. ration. From a ration consisting of pollard, bran, maize, meatmeal, oats, and lucerne chaff a pen of six brown Leghorn pullets pro-

duccd 1449 eggs for the year, or an average of 241 eggs per bird. For the same period and from the same ration six white Leghorn pullets laid 1433 eggs, an average of 233 each, 'these birds are being continued in a further year's experiment, with a slightly different ration. In the case of the brown Leghorn pen, both wheat and pollard being eliminated, the dietary now consists of lucerne-meal, bran, maize, meatmeal, and oats. For the first six months ending October 26 last this pen produced an average of over 100 eggs each, which must be considered a good result for birds in their second year. One of the outstanding features in connection with these tests is that it has been proved conclusively that lucerne is a most, valuable constituent of a fowl's dietary. This highly nitrogenous and valuable plant can be grown in the majority of districts in tho Dominion, provided a good preparation of the soil is made for the crop. There is probably no other green plant that the poultryman can grow to the same advantage. It is the opinion of the Chief Poultry Instructor that, a& a green food, there is nothing to equal it, while lucerne hay, chaffed and steamed overnight, or ground into meal, and mixed in tho morning mash will prove most effective for egg-production, and be decidedly economical. At the department's Milton Poultry Station the area of ground given to tho growing of lucerne has been largely increased. Suificient will be produced to provide green food for the greater part of the year. In addition a large quantity will bo made into hay, chaffed, and ground into meal. Tho object of tho department is to, as far as possible, use lucerne in conjunction with the before-mentioned ingredients as a substitute for wheat and pollard, tho latter of which must necessarily become more costly as the price of wheat advances. The lucerne hay is first chaffed in an ordinary chaffcutter, and is then ground into meal by means of a No. 3 Wilson powermill. Lucerne-meal ie now on tho market at Wellington, and it is to he hoped that* before long it will be available to poultrykeepers throughout the Dominion.

follows: — — White Leghorns.— Pen No. Daily laying. Grand Total. 31 John Dowel all 4254635—29 1175 2 J. Stevens .. 2434555—23 1172 5 C. Crichton 3553653—30 1154 3.s C. Warburton 5445654—33 1072 9 Mrs Gorinski 2544452—26 IOCS 13 J. B. Merrett 5614643—32 1062 35 P. Farm 5115342—24 1061 23 *J. J. Schultz 1531333—19 1058 35 J. Stevens .. 6516665—38 1056 22 Miss Sutherland 2222111—11 1017 G S. L. Beer 5423353—25 1045 1G J. Strang .. 4661663—34 1036 25 H. Wooclnorth 3443233—24 1034 28 K. Finlayson 4634355—30 1023 7 J. Thomson 3565034—26 1016 32 James Strang . * 4454515—28 1013 24 Rangiuru Egg Ranch 4133433—24 1007 20 Green Bros. 4434534—27 1000 34 +J. llmlop .. 2323442—20 997 12 *W. Hamilton 1133253—18 984 11 James Ireland 4544534—29 980 30 Hillsfone and Davies 4535644—31 967 10 Enterprise P. Farm 5344312—25 918 8 C. Clayton 3353344—25 944 3 Mrs Carr .. 3145554—30 939 16 C. Matheeon 3445433—26 932 15 C. Mat heson 3415433—26 932 30 Tracy King 4343342—23 906 2G F. Orme 3461416—25 903 1 K. Boss 3354243—26 901 14 T. E. Davis 3333534—24 865 27 H. Fortune 4535633—29 854 19 K. W. Hawke 3543453—27 795 18 C. Raines .. — Black .. 4445254—28 Orpingtons.— 789