POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3336, 20 February 1918, Page 39

POULTRY NOTES.

Bv Teebok

food for poultry provided you add other food rich in protein. Potatoes serve to form bulk in an egg-laying ration, but are simply a fattening feed when fed "on their own. The following particulars of the analysis of potatoes compared with that of the body of a hen and of a fresh egg respectively will show conclusively that, by themsolTCfi, potatoes cannot conduce to egglaying. The authority (England) from whom I am quoting suggests that if fishmeal can be procured 141 b of _ fishmcal to 81b of potatoes—or, say, 1 in 10 of meat or blood meal —make a good ration. ■Such is used at various egg-laying competitions. My* authority says: —"To understand how to make the most of the potato, it will be well to bear in mind its analysis. In 1001 b of potatoes there are: Water 751 b 0 Crude protein 2.11 b Crude fat .lib Starch 21.01 b Fibre • .71b Ash l.lib Total 1001 b A glance at the figures reveals the fact that the largest and most valuable ingredient in the potato is starch, and at the present' time starch is scarce and extremely dear. As a source of starch (energy-producing matter) the potato is, therefore, of the greatest benefit. Looking at the figures representing the flesh-forming (protein) matter, they are found to be very low. Their actual value is even lower than would appear- from the figure given, as almost half of the nitrogenous matter present is of a non-protein kind—that is it has no power of body-building, and Is therefore of little value, its only value being, in fact, to produce heat, for. which purpose it is less valuable than starch. We carmot safely reckon on more than 1 per cent., or, in very dry potatoes, li per cent, of true protein matter in every 1001 b of the tubers. Fat is almost entirely absent, and of mineral matter (ash) there is only a very small proportion. The following are the figures for the hen, as given by Jeiiter, of. the New York Experiment Station:— "The body' of a hen (including, blood, feathers, and all the viscera) contains on an average— Water 55.4 per cent. Protein .. ..- .. 21.2 per cut. Ash 3.4 per oent. Fat 18.0 per cent. _ A fresh egg with a good firm shell consists of about— Shell H. 4 percent. Water 65.7 per cent. Fa-t 8.9 per cent. Protein 13.2 per cent. Ash other than shell ... .8 per cent. * Comparing the three tables, it is at once apparent that the potato, as compared with the body of the hon or the egg. is verv deficient in protein matter and in fat, and to make it into a perfect egg-producing food it needs to be mixed with something very rich in flesh-formers, and moderately rich in fat. Worms give exaotlv what is needed, and this explains the ravenous appetites of potato-fed hens for earth worms, etc. When the hens are not laying .they have not this craving to anything like the same extent." War Feeding for Poultry.—The National Utility Poultry Society' (Food Committee), England, have issued' the following instructions ns .to feeding. The committee consists of Mr Toovev, Mr Tom Barron. Mrs Baynes. and Mr T. R. Robinson. While not binding themselves to any one system of feeding, they are of opinion that the following will give the best results in egg-production:— (1) -Grain in litter first feed. (2) Dry mash hoppers during the day. (3) Wet mash in the evening. Owing to food restrictions grain should not be given in a larger amount than per bird per day. Mashes to make up the daily quantity of food to about 4oz per head are as follow, and mav bo used as wet or dry mash:

Nutritive ratio.. 1:2.76 1:3.06 1:3.23 1:3.79 Professor Graham, Ontario Agricultural College, sums up an article on selection and breeding as follows:—"Many people appear to believe that the secret of getting eggs, particularly in winter, is in the feeds given and the methods of feeding: others believe the whole problem is in the breed or strain, whilo others think the housing is the problem to solve. All these are important: but the main reason for poor results is a lack of careful work months before the c-.2:gs arc wanted. While you are collecting the high-priced winter egg;-, one should be makinT careful plans to secure the crop of pu'lets for-next season. The factors are fecrlinc. honsinqr. nee of stock, strain, possibly breed, the attendant, cleanliness, and the weather. All of these may be controller! except the weather, and it is, pcrhans. the least important factor. "To sum up, in .Grcncral the requirements for high egg-yroduction are clears dry, com-

fortablo houses freo from direct draughts, and that are well lighted: that the feeding consists of a variety of grains, green food, animal food, grit and shell, which is clean, sweet, and wholesome, and is given to tho birds regularly and in such quantities that they have all they want to eat before going to roost at night; that the supply of drinking material is clean and abundant; that the attendant is regular in his or her work and « interested in the same; that the birds aro bred from good-laying ancestors; and that thej' are hatched and reared troll and freo from disease."

The following paragraph is copied from an Australian paper, where I found it headed "No Inconsistency." I would liko some of my' readers who have had experience with fowls to read it carefully, and let me know what they think of it. I am prepared to admit, and do admit., that, whilst I am a bit puzzled as to the reasoning, there is a subject here which is worthy of free discussion:—"lt may be urged.that it is no more unwise to forco a hen to moult at tho wrong time than it is to force the bird, originally intended to lay about 30 eggs a. year purely for propagation purposes, to shell out 250 egga in that time: but th» cases are not on all fours. In tho forced moult the bird is made to do something at the wrong time—to upset the natural timetable, in fact. In the case of egg-laying there is nothinrr forced and no time-table is disturbed. All that is do;. • is to carefully select and breed from the- best specimens, year after year, by judicious breed' mg and exercise ' to Gtrcngthen "the bodily frame and genera! constitution, find by intelligent feeding to cause the hen to manufacture eggs at a high rate' of speed. The hen is subjected to severe pressure, but by intelligent breeding has been strengthened! to sustain the strain. It is merely a" matter of building up a machine of blood, bones, and feathers, into which a largo arnounfi of food is placed and out of which a largo number of eggs aro made. The egg-laying habit was there originally.; what lias been, done since has been in the way of improving and cultivating a 'natural tendency. In tho case _of forced moult the bird wants to do it in March; but the man forces hen to do it in December, and, in the writer's, opinion, this interference with Nature ca;i only have a bad result." Tho Price of Eggs.—Now Zealand! poultry breeders may bja interested in the following quotations given in Australian papers anent the market price of eggs. An Adelaide quotation is: "The market "reports maintain tho monotonous level of 6d per cloz." In Melbourno the quotations were: "Case eggs 7d, new-laid eggs 8d and 3d, and specials lOd." In Sydney: "Case eggs were le and suburban new-laid up .to Is 7d3 per doz." The agents for the Otago EggCircle reported last week: "Market Srm. Fresh egjrs Is sd, stamped eggs Is 6d. Will rise"; and the Co-operative Otago, Ltd.. (Mr Reilly, manager) reported.' "We were able to secure for. all consignors Is 6d, Is 7d. and Is 8d per dozen." Considering .tho price of feed, I fancy it must occur to New Zealand poultrymer: that perhaps it is fortunate thing for them that those abnormal times the ego; circles are protecting their interests. Wore it not for the 30 per cent duty on imported eggs which, tho Government has levied in response to pressure brought to bear by thfc Utility | Poultry Club and the ogg circles, New Zealand producers would havo the competition of Australian poultrymen to contend with. . The egg-circle movement does not seem to be quite so successful in Australia as in New Zealand. The following reports show that New Zealand prices aro being maintained. - The Co-operative Fruit-growere of Otagi (Ltd.) report:—"A nice yarding of poultry forward for our sale on Wednesday, and prices for all lines were well maintained, hens realising from 2s to 2s 5d each for good quality birds, young cockerels from Is 9d to 2s lOd each, chickens from 5d ." to Is Id, small white Leghorn pullets 3s fjd ' to 4s 3d each, goose from 4s 30. No duck- . lings on offer. We hold orders for white Leghorn, silver Wyandotte; black Orpington, and Rhode "Island red pullets, also for ducklings, prime cockerels, boiling hens, and turkeys, and we will be pleased to have consignments from those- having poultry for sale. Eggs during the week have been short of requirements, and realising Is 3d to Is 9d per dozen." Messrs Fraser and Co., agents for Otago Egg Circle, report: "Egg.?: Fresh Is 7d. stamped Is 9d. At out poultry sale on Wednesday the following record prices were realised at per head:— § Twenty hens at 2s. 19 at 2s Id. 114 at 2s 2d. 200 at 2s 3d. 51 at 2s 4d. 43 at 2s Sd-jjj chickens. 20 at Is, j 5 at Is 2d, 30 at Is 6d;'■■";. cockerels. 3?lb to 41b live weight, account Mrs Carmichael. Kia Ora. 15 at 3s. 16 at 3s 3d. 25 at 3s 3d. 6 at 3s 3d. 8 (account M. Graham, Wyllie's crossing) 4s each J ducks. 10 at 4s Id. 6 at 4s 3d. 6 (accounts ' H. Garbutt. Anderson's Bay) 6s 3d each; pullets, 8 at 5s 2d. 20 at 6s. 6 at 6s 7d. 4 at 7s 3d. 5 at 7s each j geese from 3s 6dr to 5s each: turkevs. gobblers to IHd, hens 9£d to IOAd live weight. Write lor | poultry crates."

A B c D lb. lb. n>. 11) Middlings .. .. 25 35 30 20 Palm kernel meal... 10 25 20 10 Bran 15 — 20 Bran or 'harps .. — — 20 — Bran or clovjr — 80 — Maize meal 35 — 21 20 Clover meal 5 — 5 20 Fish meal — 10 16 Fish or meat meai 20 — — 10 Total .. . 100 100 US 100