POTATOES AS POULTRY FOOD.

Colonist, Volume LX, Issue 14654, 7 March 1918, Page 7

POTATOES AS POULTRY FOOD.

Owing to the scarcity of bran and pollard and the good supply of small potatoes, there is a tendency to make too""free, use of the tubers (writes "Utility" in i;he "Manawatu Standard"). I am indebted to a writer in the "Otago Witness" for the following information:—-Small potatoes are a good 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 the hen and a fresh egg respectively will show conclusively that, by themselves, potatoes cannot conduce to egg-laying. The English authority from whom I am quoting suggests that if fish meal can bo procured, 141bs of fish meal to 81of cf potatoes, or say one in ten of meat or blood meal, makes • a good ration. Such is used at various egg-laying competitions there. My authority sayi>. To understand how to make-;'the most of the potato, it will be well to bear in mind its analysis. In lOOlbs of potatoes there are: Water 751bs, crude protein 2.libs, crude fat o.lft, star<"b 21.011b5, fibre 0.71b, ash 1.11b:-total lOiflba.

A glance at the fig-arcs reveals the fact that the largest and most valuable ingredient in the pototo is starch, and at the present time starch is scarce and extremely dear. As a source of starch fonergy-producjrs matter) the potato is, therefore, of the highest benefit. Looking at the figures representing the flesh-forming (protein) matter, they are found, to be very low. Their actual value is ©yen lower than would appear from the figures given, as almost half of tho 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. Wo cannot safely reckon on more than ono per cent., or in very dry potatoes 1£ per cent., of true protein matter in evo^y... IOOIbs of the tubers.. Fat is aJmo.it entirely absent, nnd of mineral matter (ash) there is only a very small n-roportion. The following are the fi/nves .for the hen. as given by Jentor, <*f the New York experimental station : Tbo body of a. hen (including blood. f°ntrers, and all the viscera), contains on an average: Water iioA per cent.. n-'-ot«iu 21.2 per cent., ash 3.4 per cent., fsi> IS nor cent.

A fresh egg with a good firm slieii consists of about: Shell 11.4 per cent., water 65.7 per cent., fat 8.9 per cent.' protein 13.2 por cent., ash O.S' per cen\. (other than shell).

Comparing the t!:-r-?.-e tables, it is at once apparent that thc-..potato,~ as compared with the body 01 the hen, or._tb« egjr, is very dpficient in protein matter and in fat, and to make it into a good ego--producing food it ne^ds to he mixen wifch Popiethinp- very riclf in fiesh-form-*>t<?. and moderately rich in fat. Worms give exactly Avhat is needed. a"d this explains the ravenous apnet'to of jiotato-if-pd hmis for earth wofmN. oi.^i When tb<v i,°vx ;>.rn. not ]n<'in.othey have not this rvaviiig'to anything like the same- extent.

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