POULTRY NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 210, 5 August 1937, Page 16

POULTRY NOTES

(By “Brooder.”; It was reported some time ago that experiments were being conducted at the Hawkesbury Agricultural College, New South AVales, concerning the use of soaked grain as fowl food. These havo now been concluded, and the results show that, whilst the yield may not be so high, the not returns are better where such a system is practised. Three groups of birds were used for the experiments—on ordinary college ration, on soaked wheat with 10 per cent, meatmeal (40 per cent, protein content), no salt, and on soaked wheat 6 2-3 per cent. (GO per cent, protein content) meatmeal, no salt. The fowls used were all White Leghorns, carefully selected for uniformity. The following is a published statement of the results of the tests: In group 2, eggs produced were valued at £ls 16s Id not and feed cost was £9 7s 7d, leaving a balance of £6 8s 6d. In group 3 the net value of the eggs was £2O 16s 41d and the feeding cost £lO 3s 91d, leaving a balance of £lO 12s 7d. No salt was used in either of the soaked wheat tests. Group 1 sltowed the highest production with 4528 eggs, group 3 laid 4447 eggs, and group 2, 3371 eggs. While the feeding costs in group 2 (40 per cent, protein) were the-fewest, group 3 with an additional expenditure of 16s 2(d for meatmeal of 60 per cent, protein value showed an increase of £4 4s Id in net results. Although the check pen (ordinary mash—group 1) produced 81 more eggs than group 3 the feeding cost was £2 5s 61d more.

It will be siiprising to many that in the case of soaked wheat feeding, though the yield may be less, the profit, because of the lower cost of food, is more. This is an illuminating point which will not bo lost sight of by many. It is proposed to give more of the findings in future notes. Meantime a study of the figures given will be interesting to many. One must never forget that the yield from the above birds was not entirely the result of feeding the rations mentioned. Each day, it is more than certain, these birds were fed a ration of rich luscious green feed, without which • success in poultrykeeping is impossible. There is no doubt that the difficulty many producers have in keeping up a good winter yield from the pullets is largely due to lack of a super-abundance of green feed. Especially is this food necessary where birds are kept under intensive conditions. For instance, a good crop of oats to be chaffed would be invaluable to any owner of a big batch of pullets. The best effects are obtainable when natural food is available. Even though the above tests have been carried to a certain conclusion, it is as yet much too early to he sure that soaked grain v feeding has not defects so far not seen. We must not jump to a full and complete conclusion.