THE POULTRY-RUN.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XII, Issue 5, 20 May 1916, Page 398

THE POULTRY-RUN.

F. C. BROWN,

Chief Poultry Instructor.

Although. June may be a comparatively slack month as regards the poultryman's work, this condition should not apply to the birds themselves. There should now be no culls in the yards. Every hen should either be laying or be due to lay within the next two months. The diet should therefore be liberal and of a forcing character. Everything, in fact, should be done to encourage eggproduction. All pullets should be laying by now, while the attention the second-season bird now receives will largely influence the time at which she will again come to profit. Especial care should be taken for the comfort of the stock at this period of artificially stimulated production, so that only a minimum amount of the food supplied will be required for the maintenance of the laying-bird’s condition. Every assistance should be given her in order that she may attain her maximum yield. An abundant supply of grit, a plentiful supply

of fresh water, a daily ration of green food, and good dust-baths are of great importance. ’ Also keep the nests clean, and periodically renew the nesting-material. Everything, in short, should be done to prevent any check to production. • THE CONFERENCE. The large number of delegates of the various co-operative bodies and individual members from all parts of the Dominion that attended the annual conference of the New Zealand " Poultry Association at Wellington during East time must have' been very gratifying to the promoters of the association, as well as to those members that have taken an interest in the latter since its inception some five years ago. The broadening of the constitution, so that for the small sum of 2s. 6d. any person interested in the poultry industry could become a member and a participant in the Conference without the right of voting, and the inclusion of active, members by a subscription of 10s. 6d., carrying with it voting-power, has proved a step in the right direction. The Conference was no doubt the best that has yet • been held. The businesslike manner in which the proceedings were conducted, and the good feeling that existed throughout, clearly indicate that the association is .on a sound foundation. Given the support it deserves, there is every encouragement that the association will be a strong factor in building up th ? industry. . ’ ' ■; A feature of the association is that it does not dictate to its affiliated bodies. The various remits, &c., which are brought forward are discussed at the Conference, and according to the results of the voting the question is approved or otherwise. It will therefore be seen that by joining the association no club need sink its individuality. As the object of the association is to encourage and promote . the interests of the poultry industry in all its . branches, it is somewhat surprising that more of the poultry clubs, as well as individual poultrymen throughout the Dominion, do not give the association their whole-hearted support. A good foundation is laid, but the objects aimed at can only be reached by the united efforts of all poultry-breeders both large and small. The great aim’ of The association at present is to improve the methods of marketing eggs. It is realized that the industry will never be placed on a sound footing without organization to control the . marketing, of the egg product, and that the formation of egg circles or similar concerns is the first stepping-stone in this direction; The members of the New Zealand Poultry Association are to be congratulated on the good work they have done, and are endeavouring to do, for the welfare of poultry-keepers generally, whose watchword should be "organization.”

THE EGG POSITION.

• Considering the excellent climate- for poultry-raising that this country enjoys, the increased knowledge now. available in regard to poultry-management, the vast improvement that has taken place in the laying type of certain breeds of poultry, and the consequent inducement to people to take up the industry, it is certainly a matter for surprise that New Zealand - does not produce sufficient eggs for its own requirements. The present retail price of fresh eggs (in the. vicinity of 3s. per dozen) and the fact that thousands of dozens of eggs have been imported into the Dominion in each of recent years clearly indicate that the demand exceeds the supply, and that more than one reform must be effected before the business is placed on a sound footing. As in the past the principal present-day weakness of the industry is lack of organization among the producers, especially in regard to marketing. Such organization is not necessarily with . the object of raising the price of eggs, but rather to bring about a more uniform, price throughout the year. The cost of foodstuffs certainly determines to a great extent the profits to be made from poultry-keeping, but, as is the case with all classes of farm-produce, a good system of marketing is an essential factor to success. . For eggs to be down to rod. and nd. a dozen in the spring and summer months and up three times this value in the winter is proof that reform in the matter of marketing is imperative. These prices also indicate that the demand for eggs over the supply lasts only a short period. The main thing to be desired is the maintenance of a reasonable, payable price throughout the year, even. in times of dear feed. This can only be achieved by co-operation, whereby the summer surplus may be preserved for winter, by the producers themselves. It is in the spring and summer, when eggs are most plentiful, that the producer should have a higher price than formerly for his eggs. When eggs are high in price it shows that comparatively few eggs are being produced, and therefore the great bulk of the fowls at the present time are being kept at a dead loss, being fed without giving any return. Many birds will have to be fed right' through next spring, and then, when they resume laying, their eggs will have to be marketed at a very low rate which will not allow for more than a small margin of profit. To produce the necessary additional number of eggs required by the Dominion the existing stock of poultry must be increased. A permanent increase, however, cannot be expected until a better system of marketing is brought into force. Until then history may repeat itselfnamely,

that when food is cheap the industry will expand, but any advance in food-values will result in a serious reduction -of stock. - . In the years 1907-8 poultry-keepers were confronted with a similar situation, though not quite so acute as that which they have had to face during the past eighteen months. At that time foodstuffs soared - to excessively high prices, with no commensurate advance in the price of eggs, with the result that large numbers of poultry-keepers were forced out of the business. For the two seasons following that crisis foodstuffs became cheaper in price, and eggs and poultry obtained good values. Only when poultrymen unite and are in a position to control and regulate supplies and prices throughout the year can these unstable and fluctuating conditions be altered and the industry make steady advancement, and become a sound business proposition. The first step to co-operation is the formation of egg circles, the next centralization, and then a scheme whereby reliable distributing agents may be appointed, who would not only be prepared to market the eggs, but also to store the summer surplus, and finance producers in order to enable them to cater to the consumer in an up-to-date manner.