The Columbus journal., 1898-04-20

Bulletin No. 81 of the Utah Expert
ment station has been received. In 1t
are reported results Of poultry expert
ments conducted at the station during
the year ending November. 1897. A
number of experiments are reported.
and in some cases the results are very
positive. They included tests Of old
hens and pullets for egg production;
Of the value of exercise, of the value
Of crossing pure breeds. Of the relative
egg-laying qualities of Brown Leg
horns, Barred Plymouth Rocks. Light
Brahmas and q Brahma-Leghorn cross.
The annual food cost per fowl of the
different breeds and the yearly produc-
tion Of eggs per hen were important
features Of the experiments. The rela-
tive value Of old eggs and fresh eggs
for Matching was also tested. An in
cubator test was conducted. A num-
Der Of half-tone cuts are reproduced.
which include one of the poultry build
ings, several photographs Of fowls and
of two baskets of eggs. one very large
basket, representing the laying of the
pullets. the other . very small one.
representing the work of the old hens
The latter is a striking lesson Of the
value Of young blood"
The bulletin. a copy or which may
be obtained free on application to d.
rector Luther Foster, Experiment Sta
ton, Logan. Utah. is summarized as
follows:
1. There is little profit in keeping
hens three and four years old at the
market prices of food and eggs in Utah.
The profit in feeding young hens. or
pullets, was six times greater than in
feeding old hens three and four years
old. This conclusion does not apply
to two-year- hens and hens more
than four years old.
2. Leghorn pullets hatched in April
gave better results than those hatched
in late May. The profit was about one
and half times greater from the April
hatched than from the May hatched.
3. The exercised pens. 1. and 6,
produced twenty-six eggs per fowl
more than the pens without exercise
1, and 3.
4. The three exercised pens pro-
duced eggs at food cost Of 5.3 cents
per dozen; the pens without exercise
at a food cost of 6.5 cents per dozen.
S. The three exercised pens aver
aged a profit per fowl during the year
of 81 cents; the non-exercised pens S.
cents.
6. Pen 1, representing egg produc-
ton under the most unfavorable con-
ditions, except as to ration fed, cleared
~ cents per fowl during the year on
the cost of food. Pen 4. representing
egg production under the most favor
able conditions. cleared, during the
year. $1.26 per fowl: this would have
been increased considerably had the
eggs laid before the experiment began
been counted. In the one case there
was a profit on feed of S per cent; in
the other 203 per cent.
z. Exercise had NO apparent iniiu-
ence on the weight Of the fowl: the
lack of exercise did not add to the
weight of the fowl.
8. The non-exercised pens produced
eggs weighing about per cent more
than the exercised pens.
8. The eggs produced by the old
Leghorn hens weighed about 5h Der
cent more than those produced by the
Leghorn pullets.
10. The eggs produced by the light
Brahma pullets weighed 11h per cent
more than those produced by the Leg
horn pullets.
II. The Barred Plymouth Rock pull
let's eggs averaged about the same AZ
those of the Leghorn pullets.
L.. In two out Of three pens exercise
produced q larger consumption OF
food.
13. The exercised pens made a bet
ter use Of the food than those with
out exercise It required - per cent
less food to produce a dozen Of eggs
with exercise than without 1t. The re-
suits are strongly conclusive that exer-
else aids digestion and assimilation OF
food. The chief value of exercise.
therefore, seems to be In preventing
waste of food.
Il. Exercise apparently reduced tho
percentage Of fertility In the eggs.
Is. The percentage Of fertility was
highest with the early hatched pullets
and lowest with the old hens; though
the results are not conclusive.
Is. The fertility Of eggs averaging
ave days Old was 800 per cent higher
than Of eggs averaging twenty-five
days old.
II. The results noted above were So
cured from what was considered .
good ration fed alike to all pens. Prac-
tically the same ration was fed
throughout the year. The conclusions.
therefore. must not be accepted II
different ration 10 used.
N Tia reGplta aoQ0 to 1Ndl.