POULTRY NOTES

Taranaki Daily News, 28 April 1934, Page 12 (Supplement)

POULTRY NOTES

COMMERCIAL EGG PRODUCTION. EFFECT OF AUTUMN MOULT.

(By

Geo. H. Ambler.)

A reader sends me the following letter, which I certainly think raises a topic of general interest to most poultrykeepers:— “May I suggest that you give your readers the benefit of your advice on the question of moulting and its management, with a view to the production of April, or at any rate May and June eggs from second season fowls. 1 have been rather surprised at the different views on this subject held by poultry-keepers with whom I have conversed, and am like others I know, rather confused by apparently contradictory opinions and experiences. One hears and reads rather a lot on the subject of the production of April eggs, but in the main reference is made to accomplishing this with pullets. What I should like to know is how far it is possible to succeed with second-sea-son birds and how to go about it with the aid of artificial lighting and, therefore, intensive feeding. “My experience with artificial lighting so far is that it is very useful in that it enables people in business, who run poultry as a side-line or hobby, to attend to their stock after busmess hours, and it also enables one to get more winter eggs; but I think it considerably reduces the production from November onwards. This brings me to the point of whether it is possible and advisable to regulate the feeding of birds emerging from their first winter laying season, so as to get the moult over and their second laying season commenced by, approximately, April. This is very important now that eggs are fetching a good price. Personally, I refer only to birds being kept foi' egg-produc-tion and. without regard to breeding, and further, to such birds kept on the intensive system. If you consider this a subject of sufficient general interest to justify an article I, for one, shall be very interested to have your views. “If you could go one farther and deal with the question of moulting and management in respect thereto’ through the various stages of a bird’s career up to the end of the termination of its second laying season (assuming this to be the end of its period of value as a layer), I shall be still further obliged. I must apologise for writing you at such length, which I realise is only justifiable if I have touched on a subject which others may be interested in.” It is undoubtedly the fact that the majority of hens do not fully recover from the moult until near the end of the season that makes the winter production of'.birds not in their laying season such a poor affair. However, the birds must moult some time, and while they are taking on their new plumage it is useless to expect any quantity of eggs from them. It is quite natural in these circumstances that the idea should occur of forcing the birds into a moult in the summer when eggs are comparatively cheap, so that they can be get into production again in time to give those much-prized and highly priced winter eggs. In theory this seems a simple, sensible, and straight-forward practice; nevertheless, it is not entirely without complications. My own experience of the matter has not led me to regard it favourably since the hens in question did not produce sufficient extra winter eggs to compensate for the summer production sacrificed to achieve an earlier moulting period. I find that experiments of this nature are apt to prove disappointing. The hens which moult very early seem to be in much the same position in regard to an autumn moult as do very early-hatched pullets which commence laying in the summer. I fancy the risks of a neck moult in the case of the early hatched pullets, and of a double moult in the case of the very early moulting hens, is about equal. In the ordinary way, a hen would have to commence moulting by the end of January in order to have recovered again in time to lay the following April, and to compel a moult at that time against the bird’s inclination usually necessitates rather drastic treatment, such as greatly reducing the quality and quantity of the rations. I think such a practice is apt to upset the birds, with the result that they are likely to hang in the moult longer than usual. From a purely commercial point of view my own opinion is that rather than take the risk of forcing a moult it is better to feed very heavily and well towards the end of the laying period with a view to deferring the moult as long as possible. It seems better to make sure of the March and April eggs and forgo May and June production. Feeding at night under lights during the winter months has a decided effect upon the date of moulting. Birds so treated invariably moult earlier than usual. At first this may appear to be a distinct advantage, but it takes on a much more favourable complexion when the birds are again placed under lights the following April. They should then be practically, if not quite, through the moult and, with the little extra stimulus which the night feed gives, should lay very creditably just when eggs are most valuable. It has been my experience that it is difficult to get Leghorn hens into lay in May and June, even when they are through the moult, without some special treatment, such as a night feed under lights. I am convinced that the night feed under lights, especially when it is practised regularly each season, does produce a larger proportion of winter eggs. The best time to commence using the lights is at the close of summer time. For the first year this may be too early to commence treatment of the hens, but in the following year they %hould be sufficiently far advanced to receive the night feed early in April. After a week or two under lights the birds’ egg yield will greatly improve, as will the general appearance and condition of the flock.

Although I am not inclined to favour a forced early moult, the earlier moult, which comes naturally to lighted stock, fits in very conveniently with farm work as it is then possible to give the houses their annual clean before the bad weather sets in. For the birds’ sake this should not be done until they have fallen, into the moult: and, of course, it is iiseless re-littering the houses until the old feathers have been shed. On the other hand, if the birds are very late to moult the annual overhaul of the buildings has to be rushed through during the bad weather, when the birds are least able to stand the unavoidable disturbance which the work occasions. Under the Plough.

The area of land that has been put under the plough in the back country of Taranaki this year is surprising. One has only to get out into the back country roads anywhere to see very large areas of rough hill country carrying splendid crops of swedes. All along the roads leading from the coast to the mountain reserve, as well as along the Otaraoa Road and other inland roads, are to be seen patches of swedes looking green and bright. As in the majority of cases the swedes will be followed with pasture it means that a considerable area of country is being broken in.

Gcod Mangold Crops. Mangolds and other crops seem to have been favoured by the climatic conditions this year. Some splendid crops are to be seen about, notably one on the Lower Puniho Road.

NEWS AND NOTES

Several Good Crops. There are some splendid crops of swedes to be seen this year in the Tarata district as well as in other parts of Taranaki. A few years ago the Tarata-Pukeho district was noted for its swede crops, being one of the first districts to hold a swede growing competition, which was sponsored by the Tarata Settlers’ Association. The district also won the swede championship in open competition at the New Plymouth Winter Show. Owing to the prevalence of club root and dry rot, however, it was found practically impossible to grow swedes successfully, and the growing of those root crops dropped out of fashion, as even on new ground it was found difficult to grow them free of disease. Of late year the disease has not been so prevalent, and it is stated that they can now be grown successfully on ground where it was formerly found that they were infected with club root. Runner Veal. A farmer who is carrying on mixed farming operations in a Taranaki back country- district, carrying dairy cows, sheep and other stock, is seriously thinking next year of putting out 5 or 6 per cent of his dairy cows and allowing their calves to rim with them, thus raising runner veal. At present he sells his calves as “bobby calves,” only keeping his best heifers. As his dairy cows include some Shorthorn cross, the calves should be very suitable for veal purposes. He thinks, too, that it might be possible to run two calves with one cow, though he might find that it will prove more profitable to let each cow run one calf and do it well. There is a good demand- in England,’he says, for veal, and with the new . chilling process it should open up a market., for New Zealand veal. He intends to make inquiries on the subject before next season. The experiments of Mr. P. A. Openshaw, of Lepperton, have caused him to turn his attention to veal, as he realises that it might afford a means of diverting a certain percentage of butterfat to some other channel. Source of Firewood Supply. There is some magnificent rata to be seen spread over considerable areas in the country about the upper Saunders, Oxford and Puniho Roads. This country no doubt in the next few years will become the main source of firewood supply for the coastal factories, - also for New Plymouth. Particularly will this be so with the opening up of the Carrington Road through to New Plymouth. Indeed all along the Carrington Road there is beautiful mixed bush, which when felled will serve the two fold purpose of assisting to bring the country into production and also of providing posts, firewood, etc. It is safe to say that with markets for firewood handy, the bulk of the saleable wood will be salvaged before the match is applied to bum the country. In the old days much timber that would be valuable now has been ruthlessly destroyed in the process of bringing bush land into cultivation. Noxious Weeds. The opinion was expressed by members of the Inglewood County Council that the position as regards the noxious weeds menace in the county had improved this year, there not being nearly so many weeds noticeable. Cr. Willans held the opinion that ragwort came in cycles. One year the position would appear to be greatly improved, whereas next year it would be much worse. That position, he considered, prevailed in alternate years. Another councillor considered that there were more weeds this year, but that they had not been allowed to flower, which is the important factor in preventing ragwort spreading. If there were no flowers there would he no seed to blow. One Tarata farmer with a large area stated that a few years ago he could control his few ragwort plants by carrying a little sheep dip with him when he walked over the farm. Now, owing to the seed from a neighbouring property, he finds it practically impossible to control his ragwort. Memories of 1921. / The present depression has been very severe but quite a number of farmers still have memories of the short sharp slump of 1321. One farmer purchased a line of two-tooth wethers at 325, kept them a year and then sold them at the Smart Road works for Ils each. He also purchased 50 2-year steers, which he kept a year. He was offered 17s 6d per cwt at the works, as compared with £2 5s the previous year, and he declined to accept. He had the steers shipped home on his own account. When he received the accounts he had to send Home £239 to pay the expenses. That was only one instance of many, though in some cases the losses ran into very large amounts. Permanent Fences. Whether it is advisable to put up expensive permanent fences on rough bush country at the outset is doubtful, remarked a farmer who has had considerable experience. He points out that in new country there is considerable settling down process to be gone through before it is broken in. Slips, bush fires, etc., are inclined to play havoc with fences, and lie therefore considers that it might be advisable to first erect a fence of a more or less temporary nature and wait a few years until the country has settled before putting in expensive permanent posts, etc. Freshened Pastures. The pastures throughout. Taranaki have freshened up as the result of the recent rains, and there should be plenty of grass available for the stock to start the winter. There is still plenty of the supplementary autumn fodder available in the shape of soft turnips and maize, the season not having proved as dry as anticipated. As a result a good deal of the maize, instead of being fed out, will be converted into ensilage. With the large areas of swedes that have been sown for winter feed, together with the amount of Surplus pasture that has been converted into ensilage and hay, and the present condition of the pastures, Taranaki farmers can face the coming winter with a comparatively easy mind.

DEMONSTRATION FAIRM WORK

STRATFORD SOCIETY’S ACTIVITY. PROGRAMME FOR THE MONTH. I The most important seasonal work is that of top-dressing grassland. While the time is hardly opportune to bring down any extensive top-dressing scheme we should endeavour to maintain our pasture land at its present productive state at all costs. A medium to good butterfat pasture composed of perennial rye, cocksfoot, dogstail, timothy and white clover requires a fairly high standard of fertility to keep it going, and this -standard has been pretty well reached on most of our dairying farms to-day, or on parts of them at all events. Now the position of the man who fails to keep his fertility standard tip over the next year or so is going to be that in a few years time he is going to be faced with heavy expenditure in the renovation of his pasture lands by having to break them up and resow them. The expenditure of from 10s to 15s peracre this, and perhaps next year, is actually going to save him the expenditure of several pounds per acre in a year or so. And not only that. Even at present low prices for produce the expenditure of from 10s to 15s per acre must be immediately recouped. Little time need be given to the consideration of what manures to use. At present cost will be the determining factor. To those keen on slag, use slag by all means, but in all probability super and lime super mixtures will be found to be economical buying just now. Where lime-super is to be used endeavour to get at least 3cwt per acre on, and if possible 4cwt. As a supplementary measure to economise in top-dressing the harrows should be used to better advantage. Even in good times the loss through non-utilisa-tion of animal droppings was criminal and how much more so is it to-day. Care must be taken, however, in using the harrows on paddocks infested with grass grub.' AH that is required of harrowing at present is a reasonable distribution of the droppings. It is not too early to consider the question of supplementary crops for the coming season, and where swedes are to be grown and the area can be spared and time permits it should be remembered that double ploughing for this crop offers great advantages. The early ploughing of lea land for mangolds and carrots is also an advantage. Accumulations of droppings at the shed can be used to advantage on these areas. Ensilage feeding will probably follow the completion of soft turnip feeding. The feeding of large quantities of the outside waste is dangerous and this material is much better used as manure on the land being prepared for root crops. In commencing to feed ensilage to stock do so gradually, as the sudden change will upset the digestive system and this will be reflected in both yield and quality of milk. Feed the best ensilage whili- the cows are milking, reserving the poorer quality stuff for the dry stock. Time spent in opening up drain outlets and storm water drains is always time well spent at this season of the year. Gateways and round troughs should also be given due attention before the winter rains set in.

DISEASE IN PIGS

NEED FOR PRECAUTION. A North Taranaki farmer purchased a line of young pigs recently only to have six of them die the following week. Enquiries elicited the fact that the vendor had lost five or six of a,line of young pigs under somewhat similar circumstances, just prior to disposing of the others. It is considered probable .that the deaths were caused by the same disease, which was responsible for con-

siderable mortality in the Matamata district in the Thames Valley. This was investigated by the Live Stock Division of the Agricultural Department, when bacteriological examination disclosed that deaths were due to typhoid, ’for which, there is no cure and for which vaccination is not a safeguard. It fc caused by a germ called suipestifer (pig fever) which for many years was considered to be the swine fever germ but has later been discovered to be a secondary organism. It causes ulceration of the bowels, a characteristic symptom of swine fever. It is not a dangerous infectious disease like the latter, but conditions such as poor or imbalanced feeding, unsanitary housing, etc., encourage it. Farmers therefore should be very careful in buying in pigs to see that they give them a properly balanced food containing the necessary vitamins and mineral matter. Pigs can only get the important vitamin A through fat such as butterfat and cod liver oil, so that feeding a small amount of new milk with the skim milk would probably provide the requisite amount of vita’nin. Under the pasturing system where pigs enjoy plenty of sunlight they will probably secure the necessary amount of vitamin D, without the necessity for any cod liver oil. Grass also contains a certain amount of the necessary vitamins, the exact amount of which wifi no doubt be determined by scientific investigation. Dehorning Necessary. A prominent South Taranaki farmer holds very strong views on the matter of dehorning, which he considers should be universally adopted. He points out that not only do dairy cows suffer injury from the horns of other cows while confined in the yard at milking time, and frequently in the paddocks, but cattle while being driven along the road to be trucked to the freezing works also suffer in this way. As a result the carcases when hung up at the works are found to be badly bruised, and in some cases unfit for export. Nov.- that it has been found practicable to send chilled beef Home from New Zealand, it is more than ever necessary.that only high quality tender beef should be exported, and this 'must be handled carefully to ensure that it reaches the market in the primest condition. It is necessary, therefore, that all cattle should be protected from any chance of injury while en route to the works, and dehorning would certainly obviate that to a very great extent. White Manuka. There are some magnificent clumps of white manuka on the property of Mr. G. W. Rogers, Okoke. The manuka, which is over 50 feet high and in some cases a foot in diameter, is over 50 years old. As it has become a great nesting place for blackbirds and thrushes, which are inclined to distribute seeds of woods all over the property, Mr. Rogers is getting rid of it. Cleaning the Country. Cattle are absolutely necessary for cleaning up back country. An Okoko farmer holds the opinion that cows are much better for that purpose than steers, as they work better. There is no country that they will not get over once'ths timber is off.