Journal of the American Association of Instructors and Investigators of Poultry Husbandry最新文献

The Department of Agriculture has been conducting feeding experiments with laying hens for a continuous period of eight years and has now over 1,000 hens in tests of this kind. Fair sized pens averaging from 30 to 50 hens in each pen are used in all of these tests and all of the fowls are now being trapnested.

The mash which has given us the best production uniformly during the last three years is made of 4% bran, 4% middlings, 26% meat scrap and 66% corn meal. This mash was the result of experiments where the hens were allowed to select their own mash ingredients. This is the proportion of these different feeds which they ate during one year. Several pens, both of Leghorns and of Rhode Island Reds, of 30 hens each have averaged from 140 to 155 eggs apiece where this mash was fed. While this mash seems . . .

Your secretary’s invitation to attend this meeting and make a few remarks regarding poultry diseases, was gladly accepted. My association, for several years with the Pennsylvania Bureau of Animal Industry, the duties of which are to prevent, suppress, control and eradicate the communicable diseases of animals and poultry, has fully demonstrated the importance of the subject.

It is stated by some authors that whereas proper husbandry is of the first importance in the prevention of the non-infectious diseases, it is not of as much value against the infectious diseases. I am not quite ready to subscribe to this view. It is true that an animal or bird cannot acquire an infectious disease unless it first be inoculated with the germ, and it is also true that no matter how great care be taken this accident may occur. But I hold it to be true that a properly cared for flock . . .

Experiments in feeding poultry were inaugurated at Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station in 1910 and the work with Leghorns for the years 1910–1914 was published in Bulletin No. 182, and for the years 1915–1918 in Bulletin No. 227. The work with White Plymouth Rocks for the years 1915–1917 was published in Bulletin No. 218.

All of this work has been with different sources of animal protein to find their feeding values. During the past two or three years two experiments have been carried on, one with Leghorns and one with Plymouth Rocks from which the following data are the results.

Feeding Values of Buttermilk and Dried Buttermilk for Leghorns

The object of the experiment was to determine the feeding value of commercial dried buttermilk as compared with liquid buttermilk. It was run in duplicate during the years 1918–1919 and 1919–1920. The stock consisted of Single . . .

Early maturity has been a cardinal point of selection since the time of Robert Bakewell, with whom systematic breeding of meat producing animals began. That, on a given ration, the quickest gains are the cheapest gains, is axiomatic among livestock breeders generally. That it holds for growth gains in chickens as for the larger farm animals there is little reason to doubt though a cursory search of the literature has failed to show exact and satisfactory data bearing on this point.

Rice (1915) has shown that there is an important relationship existing between earliness of maturity in White Leghorn pullets as indicated by their age at the laying of their first egg, and the rate and persistence of egg production. This relationship is of such a nature as to indicate that the earlier the age at which a Leghorn pullet begins to lay, the greater is the number of eggs . . .

(Continued from April issue.)

To summarize the above results there are eight instances where the cerebellum was severely cut with no effect upon the feathers and only two instances where injury to the cerebellum loosened the feathers. On the other hand, there are seven instances where injury to the medulla alone loosened the feathers and no instance through the entire course of the experiments where even the slightest injury to the medulla failed to loosen the feathers. Thus it is practically certain that there is a brain center controlling the feather muscles and that this center is in the medulla.

This fact was further corroborated by means of electric stimuli on five pigeons. The cerebellum and medulla of No. 10 were exposed and the cerebellum electrically stimulated with no effect upon the feathers; the medulla was then stimulated, causing a marked loosening of the feathers lasting some time after the . . .

After fifteen years’ experience with correspondence teaching, I am convinced that its value as an educational factor is second only to direct contact teaching. I am also of the opinion that dull or backward students under the guidance of a good instructor will prosper as well as or even better than will the same students in attendance at a College where for sufficient reasons they cannot have the help of a tutor. Good first-class instructors become teacher, tutor, and special instructor to each student under their care. An instructor of poor quality is on a par with a teacher in the class room who is neither equal to the position nor efficient in the work. With this as with regular school work, much depends upon the influence the instructor can bring into the work.

To give full influence in this direction it might not be out of place to say . . .

In planning any scheme of instruction in educational institutions the thought that first arises must be; What is an Education? Many have been the definitions of this word but in the writer’s opinion, a development of the mind is the chief object of an education. If the student can be taught to think quickly, to see clearly, to see broadly, to see details, have a keen perception and judge wisely, he has a good education. Execution of the things the mind develops is of second importance but last of all comes the information given in educational Instruction. I consider it more important to develop the mind in every way and make this permanent rather than cram the student with information that may be out of date in a few years and which you know he will largely forget between his freshman and senior years. If the student is rightly taught . . .

A state-wide program for the standardization of one variety of poultry in each Kentucky county was outlined in 1916. This plan was based on the theory that community breeding associations mean greater profit to the members. If any group of farmers produce a standard product of quality in large quantities their product will receive a premium above the general market.

The members of the County Associations, farmers adopting the county variety and breeders of the State have greatly increased their sales of hatching eggs and breeding stock as a result of the campaign. The increased number of standard bred birds on our Kentucky farms has added weight to the average market fowl and brought Kentucky market eggs to a higher grade. Local banks and business firms have assisted by financing the sale of hatching eggs and baby chicks. These are either sold for cash at cost or put out to . . .

Since the spring of 1915 demonstration farm poultry flocks have been cooperating with the Poultry Division of the Purdue Agricultural Extension Department. The purpose of this work was to demonstrate poultry management as well as secure data on these flocks.

The original idea was to cooperate with any general farmer who would keep a detailed record and improve his poultry methods. The kind or quality of stock or equipment made no difference. At present, however, farms are selected where there is already good stock and equipment or a willingness to provide such immediately. Commercial or specialized poultry farms are not included since 90% of the poultry products of Indiana comes from general farm flocks and these need improved methods most.

The County Agricultural Agent selects a farm having suitable qualifications but it must be approved by a Purdue representative. A definite contract is signed in duplicate in which the farmer . . .

The Annual Convention of the American Association of Instructors and Investigators in Poultry Husbandry will be held at the New Jersey State University, Rutgers College, at New Brunswick, N. J., on August 15th to 18th inclusive.

The University have extended the fullest welcome and everything will be done to insure the finest time to every visiting poultryman.

HOW TO REACH NEW BRUNSWICK

New Brunswick is on the main line of the Pennsylvania Railroad, thirty miles from New York and sixty miles from Philadelphia. Frequent train service is available in either direction.

To those coming by auto it may be interesting to know that New Brunswick is on the Lincoln, Highway between New York and Philadelphia, a fine, wide, concrete road extending across the state.

A representative of the Poultry Department will be at the Railroad Station at New Brunswick to meet all arriving trains Sunday afternoon and Monday morning. You . . .