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

The appearance of chicken pox in the contest flock at the California Farm Bureau Egg Laying Contest at Santa Cruz, being conducted under the auspices of the Poultry Division of the College of Agriculture, University of California, the second week after the start of the contest on November 1, 1921, furnished a certain amount of interesting data on this disease which should be of extreme interest to poultry raisers. The first two cases appeared in one particular entry the second week of the contest but in a day or two it appeared in another pen. As both of these pens came from the same shipping point, the disease undoubtedly came from that territory and may have been contracted en route by contact with diseased stock.

Since this disease develops slowly it was the eighteenth of November before there was enough evidence of pox to make it advisable to vaccinate the . . .

Our knowledge of the reproductive organs of the bird is wholly inadequate for people who are supposed to be experts, capable of recommending proper procedure to the practical poultryman. Sometimes we are somewhat more experienced operators than the everyday chicken man, but when it comes to real expert knowledge such as a technical man uses in the manufacture of machinery, the chicken industry has to shift as best it can. To remedy this condition, we are studying the reproductive organs, both from a histological as well as physiological standpoint. We want to know all that it is possible to find out about these organs and when we have this knowledge we will be in a position to use such parts of it as are needed in practical poultry keeping. Some of us, at least, need this knowledge just as the automotive engineer needs to know a lot of things that . . .

The Philippines, lying about 600 miles off the east coast of China, comprise an area of over 119,000 square miles in over 3,000 islands scattered over a water surface of about 700,000 square miles. There are about 10,500,000 inhabitants, over 98 per cent of whom are Christians. The climate is what we may call a “perpetual spring”, the average temperature and rainfall in the city of Manila, the capital, for the last 50 years being 80°F. and 76.5 inches respectively. The soil is of a clay loam type, and is loose and well aeriated. Transportation is either by motor cars, railroads or steamers, and, in the more isolated sections of the country, horses are used to a great extent.

STOCK—The Philippine Chickens are only a few steps removed from the wild variety—Gallus bankiva. They are small and nervous, and are poor layers There is no distinctive body type, . . .

At our last Annual Meeting, the American Record of Performance Council was fully organized and given very definite responsibilities to fulfill. The following instructions were given to the Council:

“That this association create a council consisting of one representative from each state, provincial, or federal official performance project conducted under consistent supervision, same to be known as the American Official Record Council.

“That the Journal of the Association be the medium for the publication of all official records sanctioned by said council.

“That this council be instructed to prove its organization immediately and to proceed to work at once.

“That the council be authorized to publish all records of two hundred eggs, or better, for the first testing year and one hundred and eighty eggs, or better, for the second and subsequent testing years.”

An organization meeting of the Council was held during the annual meeting. Prof. W. F. Kirkpatrick, . . .

In connection with much experimental work with poultry the body weight of the individuals in use is often wanted. In some experiments body weight may be used as a measure of the results obtained by a particular treatment. The question naturally arises as to how accurately they should be weighed, i. e., how great precision is necessary or worth while?

On July 12, 1920 forty-nine S. C. White Leghorn pullets, all in laying condition, were weighed at intervals of one hour from 8:00 a. m. to 6:00 p. m. Eastern Summer Time (one hour faster than Eastern Standard Time). Weights were recorded to the nearest ten grams. The pullets were being trap-nested and on this day the traps were visited at each weighing time. Twenty-seven of the birds laid. One or more eggs were secured at each weighing except 5:00 and 6:00 in the afternoon.

The eggs were weighed to . . .

The relationship between the various pathological conditions of the head of domesticated fowls has been the subject of much controversy. These conditions are variously designated as chicken pox, contagious epithelioma, avian diphtheria, canker, colds, contagious catarrh, swelled-head, roup, etc. Ward and Gallagherl in their recently published work, “Diseases of Domesticated Birds,” express the opinion that all of these conditions are due to the same etiological factor, namely, “the filterable virus of chicken-pox or contagious epithelioma.” The results of extensive study of these diseases at the California Agricultural Experiment Station, however, have led us to the conclusion that, as they occur in California, there is a distinct difference between some of them.

Classification of Diseases Involving the Skin or Mucous Membrane of the Head:—In order that there may be no misunderstanding of the nomenclature of lesions or diseases used in this discussion, I will give briefly our conception of them. . . .

Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen:

The discussion by me of the valuable paper by Doctor Beach is undertaken with satisfaction for I have an intense personal interest in the subject. I feel also that his opportunities and experience in the study of this perplexing group of exudative diseases of the fowl’s head, together with his scientific attitude entitle him to high rank as an authority on the subject.

I am further glad to discuss the subject in order to correct a misapprehension on the part of Doctor Beach regarding views expressed by Doctor Gallagher and myself in our book on Diseases of Domesticated Birds. However, I assume whole responsibility for statements in the chapter on avian diphtheria and bird pox. The paper just read contains a reference to our views as follows:

“These conditions are variously designated as chicken-pox, contagious epithelioma, avian diphtheria, canker, colds, contagious catarrh, swelled head, roup, etc. . . .

The poultry department has been giving great thought and much study to the questions of rations both at New Brunswick and at Vineland, with the result that simple, yet efficient mixtures have been worked out which are meeting with great success wherever they are used. With them a world’s record for White Leghorn egg production was made last year at Vineland when the White Leghorns, numbering 540, succeeded in laying an average of 192 eggs per bird. Simple mixtures are desirable. They are easier to mix. Only the whole grains, wheat, corn and oats and their by-products have been used. The laying mash recommended is made up of:

Laying Mash

100 pounds wheat bran

100 pounds wheat middlings

100 pounds ground oats

100 pounds corn meal

100 pounds high-grade meat scrap

This mash contains plenty of variety, the ingredients are readily obtained anywhere in New Jersey, and being balanced in . . .

These days call for efficiency, and there is no exception to be found in the poultry production business, rather is it necessary for the poultry raisers to be ever on the lookout for better methods and devices in order to make their efforts count toward real profits. There is one point that is worthy of serious consideration throughout the whole year it one’s birds are to be kept up to an economical, producing standard and that is HEALTH and the group of factors that together help to develop and maintain the health of the flocks. It is as important during the summer on the ranges among the growing birds as it is in the adult flocks of layers and breeders. The success with which a poultryman can maintain a high percentage of health in his flocks measures quite truly his efficiency. Toward that end every poultry raiser wishes to strive. . . .

During the past year work has been continued along the lines of artificial incubation in the Department of Poultry Husbandry at the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. The special purpose of the work done was a further endeavor to determine, at least some of the causes of embryo mortality. It is undoubtedly a conceded point that one of the weakest links in the chain of successful poultry production is to be found in the hatching of eggs. Every spring reveals the fact that man, with his artificial incubator has apparently not yet solved all the problems with which the mother hen is familiar. Too many germs develop even to the 21st day and then die. Many eggs pip and the chicks are unable to get out of the shell. Very probably a part of this loss may be traceable to the poor quality of the egg itself or to the . . .