INCREASING EGG PRODUCTION

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 672, 25 May 1929, Page 28

INCREASING EGG PRODUCTION

Hens cannot produce eggs profitably on grain alone. The grain ration must be supplemented by protein concentrates. Recent investigatioins show that the source of protein also influences egg production. That is, protein concentrates of animal and vegetable origin differ in ability to stimulate laying. Many tests have been conducted to determine the relative efficiency of animal proteins represented in experiments with meat meal and sour milk and vegetable proteins, represented by oil meal, gluten meal and cottonseed meal, in rations for egg production. Feeding tests have shown that:

(1) Meat meal and sour milk are the most economical sources o£ protein for laying hens. (2) It Is poor economy not to fui--nish the laying hen a protein concentrate of animal origin. (3) Vegetable proteins alone cannot be fed economically. (4) Fifteen per cent, meat meal is a sufficient amount of animal food in a dry mash. (5) There is no evidence that vegetable proteins alone, or in combinations with animal food, increase egg production. (6) One pound of eggs can be produced with every four pounds of feed if the proper ration is fed. (7) According to tests, 1001 b of sour milk is worth 5.4ib of meat meal. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS “R.1.R.." Papakura.—Your birds have a bad attack of roup, and consequently, some will die, whatever you do. You should make ev v ry effort to prevent other birds from contracting- the trouble by adding some medicine to their drinking water. Sulphate of copper should be added to the drinking water of the whole flock. For this you should obtain loz of sulphate of cup-

per and dissolve in a pint bottle of distilled water, and allow to stand 12 hours. Then add 1 teaspoonful of the clear fluid to each gallon of drinking water. The mouths and heads of the affected birds may be swabbed out with a lotion made by adding 1 teaspoonful of Izal to 1 pint of hot water. This should be done once or twice a day. 'C.H.E.L./' Te Puke.—The trouble is due to rupture of the minute ovarian capillaries. Such a condition may be the result of over-feeding of the birds with stimulating food, or due to cold and damp weather. If you can detect the pullet which produced the faulty egg, give her five drops of tinct. ferri perchlorid (steel drops) in a teaspoonful of milk daily.