Notes for the Poultry Farmer

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 59, Issue 6, 15 December 1939, Page 531

Notes for the Poultry Farmer

Contributed by Officers I of the | s Livestock Division I s

Priming of Table Poultry

r T"’HERE is always a keen demand in the main centres keen demand in the main centres for well-primed table poultry, but unfortunately a large number of birds reaching our local markets are of a rather inferior quality, especially as regards age and condition.

The successful farmer realises the advantage of priming his cattle, sheep, and pigs before offering them to the butcher, but it would appear that a number of poultry-keepers do not fully appreciate the importance of priming their poultry before offering them for sale. The result is that the price realised is often unsatisfactory, and the birds are equally unsatisfactory to the consumer. Tests Conducted In, order to bring this matter under the notice of poultry-keepers, the Department of Agriculture conducted two priming tests in Canterbury some years ago, and full particulars were published in the “Journal of Agriculture.” In the first test 31 cockerels were purchased under competition at one of the weekly poultry sales at Christchurch. The birds were then taken to the Department’s reserve at Quail Island, and were fed an ordinary wellbalanced fattening diet. After 24 to 31 days’ treatment the birds were again offered for sale at the same auction mart, and returned, after deducting cost of feeding, a profit of 92 per cent.

Second Test In the second test, 61 cockerels were purchased under competition at a weekly auction, and after 26 days’ treatment they were again sold at the same auction mart. In this case the birds ranged from four-and-a-half to five-and-a-half months old, and, generally speaking, were of superior quality to those purchased for the previous test.

—No reduction was made for food eaten by two birds destroyed and the three not sold. Average weight of birds when bought, 3.7 lb Average weight when sold, 5.5 lb. Average gain per bird, 1.8 lb. . The second test indicates that even some of the better class birds seen in the market are often not as good as they might be. The test was not carried out to encourage the buying of store birds at auction sales for priming, but to demonstrate in a practical way the advantage of placing birds on the market in the best of condition. It may be mentioned that during the second week of the second test two birds developed chicken-pox and three contracted colds. The two former were destroyed, and the latter were isolated and took no part in the test. It will be seen, therefore, that buying mixed birds at auction is a risky business. The tests indicated that much money was then being lost to the industry by

marketing poultry intended for table purposes which were not in the best of condition, and even today a visit to poultry auction marts will reveal that many birds are still being offered for sale which are not in the most profitable condition. Age to Market The keenest demand is usually for well-primed cockerels of the heavy breeds from four to five-and-a-half months old. Early well-done White Leghorn cockerels from 31b weight sell fairly well, but late Leghorn cockerels are not, as a rule, profitable to rear for table purposes. Heavy-breed cockerels should be at least 3|lb weight before being offered for sale. Generally speaking, it is a mistake to sell cockerels for table purposes under these weights. Some cockerels are kept too long before being marketed, and for this reason a prime four to five-and-a-half months old bird is much superior for table purposes to one twice that age. The former will command a much higher price and therefore give a better return over cost of production. Some birds are ready for market earlier than others, but “well-done” cockerels should give the most profitable return if sold at from four to five-and-a-half months old. Separate Sexes On most commercial poultry plants the sexing of day-old chicks is practised, but on the general farm where chickens are hatched in the natural way, with hens, sexing is not usual. As it is really useless to try to fatten cockerels while running with pullets, it is advisable to separate the sexes before the cockerels begin to crow.

Curtail Exercise When the fattening process starts it is well to curtail exercise, for if this is done the muscles are likely to be softened and the flesh very much improved. The birds should do well if placed in a shed with a small run attached, allowing about seven or eight square feet space per bird. If a shed is not available a good-sized packing case should provide shelter. If the floor of the shed or shelter is covered with straw there will be no need to provide perches, as the birds will sleep on the floor. Care should be taken, however, to ensure that the shed and yard are kept clean and that the birds get plenty of fresh air at night. The less the birds are disturbed or frightened during the fattening period the better. Preliminary Treatment Before attempting to prime birds it is advisable to make sure that they are free of insects. They should be dusted with insect powder or fine dust. A suitable mixture for dusting may be made up of equal parts of road dust, sulphur and lime, or a little nicotine sulphate may be painted along the perches about half an hour before roosting time. It is also advisable to clean out the intestines. This may be done by dissolving Epsom salts, about one packet to each twelve birds, in the water with which the mash is to be mixed. The same amount of sulphur may also be added to the mash before being moistened. This medicated mash need be given only once. Feeding There are many feeding mixtures which give good results. The following are details of the feeding of one pen of cockerels, in the first test mentioned previously. The mash was made up of 501 b ground hulled oats, 501 b ground wheat (both these were ground very finely), 61b meat-meal, and lib salt. For the first week the mash, was mixed (to a crumbly mass) with boiled potatoes and skim milk, as near as possible two parts of potatoes to one of the meals. From the beginning of the second week until the end of the test, the mash was made up of equal parts of boiled potatoes and the ground grains. „ . During the last week whole wheat and some of the ground hulled oats

and ground wheat were left before the birds in separate receptacles. The birds were fed twice daily, and were given as much as they could clean up without waste. All birds were given skim milk to drink as well as water in separate receptacles, while

grit and charcoal were always before them. Succulent green food was given each day. The tests indicated that about three weeks’ priming is sufficient for wellgrown birds, as after that period they do not seem to make the same gain. It is usually estimated that on an average one-third of the weight of a well-primed fowl is lost in the dressing, and if the bird is not in good condition the loss is greater. Thus, the true value of a carcass is determined not so much by the total weight of the bird, but by the percentage of edible meat on the carcass. Before Killing A fowl should not be chased or overheated before killing, as this is likely to toughen the flesh. They should be left undisturbed and given no feed but plenty of clean water to drink for 24 hours before killing. Save the Best for Future Breeders Usually the strongest and most vigorous cockerels are among the early birds

that develop well and mature fairly early, and it is from such birds that future breeders should be selected. It is therefore advisable to retain some of the best and most promising cockerels, and not to depend upon latehatched cockerels to head next season’s breeding pen.

Eggs from Victoria TOURING August the Department of Agriculture imported from the State Research Farm, Werribee, two settings of 16 eggs each of the White Leghorn and Black Orpington breeds. From the White Leghorn eggs 12 chickens were hatched, and nine chickens were hatched from the Black Orpington eggs. The best of these birds will be mated with the present Wallaceville stock, and fresh blood will be available ,to those requiring a change next season.

Poultry-Keeping As A Sideline THERE is no doubt that in certain localities, where land is available and a suitable person has the time and a liking for such work, side-line poultry-keeping can be made a very profitable activity. The primary essentials to the success of such a venture are suitable housing and the right class of stock. Housing need not be elaborate, but it must provide ample room, dryness, fresh-air, and sunlight. As egg-production is the most profitable branch of the business, a good method of trying out such a venture is to purchase a certain number of perching pullets. The cost of good eight to 10 weeks’ old pullets would be from 5s to 6s each. Good Augusthatched birds of the heavy breeds and September-hatched birds of the light breeds should give the best results. Anyone desiring to try such a venture is advised to start in a small way and gradually build up as their experience warrants, for if 50 such pullets cannot be made to . show a profit it is not likely that success will be achieved with a larger number.

Obituary

Mr. C. J. C. Cussen The death occurred in Blenheim on November 23, of Carrol John Charles Cussen, Chief Poultry Instructor of the Department of Agriculture. Mr. Cussen, who was 58 years of age, joined the Department in 1899 as officer in charge of the Burnham Poultry Station. Four years later he was appointed manager of the Ruakura Poultry Station, and remained there for 13 years. In 1915 he was promoted to the position of Poultry Instructor, and was stationed at Christchurch. His activities took him to various parts of the South Island, where he earned the highest respect as a qualified and conscientious officer. On the retirement of Mr. F. C. Brown in 1935, Mr. Cussen was appointed Chief Poultry Instructor, and was stationed at Wellington. Mr. Cussen, who was due to retire on superannuation this month, was not married.

Number of birds bought 31 Average weight when bought . . . 3.08 lb. Average weight when sold . . . . . 5.11 lb. Aggregate • purchase price ...... ... £2 7 4 Aggregate selling price ... £5 12 7 Gain in value ... £3 5 3 Cost of feed . •. . . . . : £1 1 8 Profit . . . . . . £2 3 7

The summarised results of the first test were as follows:

Cost of 60 cockerels £7 13 11 50 cockerels £7 13 11 Food cost of priming £3 8 10 10 Total . £11 2 9 Less three birds unsold £0 Cost of food consumed, and purchased cost of 57 birds, includ11 2 ing 2 destroyed £10 11 7 Proceeds destroyed £10 from sale of birds .... £12 11 12 7 10 Profit (equalling 19 per cent.) £2 1 3

The summarised results were as follows:-