Poultry for Export.

Temuka Leader, Issue 3538, 23 January 1900, Page 3

Poultry for Export.

The following circular has been issued by the Department: — The Department of Agriculture is prepared to receive chickens, ducks, goslings, or turkeys of this season's breeding for export on the following conditions: — Howls —Should be from three to five months old, well fed, and not less than 3-llb each, live weight. Ducklings—Should be from 10 weeks to five months old, weighing not less than lib each, live weight. The younger birds give better prices. White ducks are most admired in the English market. Goslings—Should not be over six months old, and should weigh not less than 101 b, live weight. Turkeys—Should not be over 10 months old. The gobblers should weigh not loss than 131 b, and the hens not less than 91b, live weight. If young, the heavier the bird is the better price can be obtained in proportion. - It is important that the birds should be as equal in weight and quality as possible, and all birds not complying with the above conditions will be rejected. All birds must be sent alive to the export depot at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, or Dunedin, addressed Department of Agriculture (Poultry for Export), and the name of sender. Advice note, with full particulars cf consignment, should be posted prior to the despatch of the birds. The Department w.H receive, grade, kill, pluck, prepare, supply cases, pack and freeze the birds at the following uniform rates Fowls and ducklings, 4deach; geese and turkeys, Sd each. The Department reserve to itself the right to reject any bird over the age stated, or in poor condition, or otherwise unsuitable, and all birds rejected must be at once removed from the depot by the owner or his agent. Should any of the birds be rejected the Department will endeavour to till up the crate with suitable birds and charge actual cost, or dispose of the odd birds at market price. The Department will pay railage or steamer friegbt to the depot on all birds accepted for export. The freight, railage or other charges on rejected birds will, however, be charged to the owner. Egus—ln ordinary seasons these can be shipped in cool chamber from September to January, and will be received, graded, and packed at a uniform charge at 2d per dozen, cases included. _ Eggs for this purpose must be newly laid; any suspicious ones will be rejected. All rejected eggs must be at once removed from the depot by the owner or his agent. Best Time for Shipping—Fowls, ducklings, and goslings, December to April, turkeys, September to October (to leach London for Christmas markets); eggs, September to January. Quantities.— The following are the numbers usually packed in cases for export, and shippers would do well to regulate their consignments accordingly : —Fowls and ducklings, 15 in a crate; goslings, 10 in a crate; turkeys, eight in a crat j; eggs, 20 dozen in a box. Eesponsibilities of Owner. —The owner must make bis own shipping arrangements, and pay cost of receiving, grading, etc., before shipment. Several firms in the colony have intimated their willingness to advance against shipments. Particulars will bo furnished on application. It may be mentioned that one firm has offered to advance Is 9d per bead on fowls and ducklings sent through the department. . The following instructions for fattening poultry, from the Government pamphlet on “ Poultry and Eggs for Market and Export” (by Mr D, D. Hyde, Government poultry expert), are given for the information of poultry-keepers:— Fattening Geese, Ducks, and turkeys— The way to fatten geese is to place them in a shed, using plenty of straw. Divide them into flocks of 19 or 20. The process of fattening takes about 12 days, bolt food should be given in the morning, served warm, consisting of barley meal mixed with Indian meal sharps, and boiled potatoes, scalded with milk, and add some fat; in the evening, wheat, barley, oats, and maize should be given, after it has been steeped in water, and do not fail to supply plenty of sharp grit. Duck-

lings should he fattened in much the same way as geese. Turkeys must have a dry, comfortable shed, and should bo fed three times a day for about three to four weeks. The morning meal should consist of ground outs or barley meal, and boiled potatoes, mixed with skim-milk, and give plenty of fat during the last fourteen days. Give in the evening, wheat, barley, oats, and maize, after being soaked in hot water. Supply the corn each day in the order mentioned. Fattening Fowls—Fast a few hours, and then feed three times a day on soft food, consisting of pollard mixed with milk, oatmeal, barley meal, or maize meal, .to which add some chopped fat. The fattening process will occupy from 10 to 20 days. Change their food when they seem to go oil it. Giro boiled grain, grit, and fresh water. When a large number of/jbirds are to be fattened for the market I would u-ootmuond that a lloarsou's force fecd.ng machine be procured. Dr King, at ScaclilT, bus used oneof these machines with most satisfactory results. If you want to get size in your young stock separate the sexes as early as you can determine one from the other, and a good plan is to put them out iu colonies of 25 each, iu movable houses, until they aie ready to bo brought iu ler the fattening purposes. Birds kept in confinement, and fed from a trough with fattening food, will increase from lloz to Isoz iu a fortnight; if crammed, they will put on sozto Goz mere weight.