The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1907-09-04
A Study of Egg Producing Feeds.


produce the greatest possible number Of
eggs, is question that is of vast i'm
portance to all poultry keepers. W.
have long article on the subject il
Poultry. 1t does not claim to settle
the matter, but it contains valuable
hints. The article is as follows:
After all these years of poultry breed
ing, during which breed after breed has
been improved or produced by crossing
there is no acknowledged authority t(
which we can go for definite instruction
concerning feeding, so as to best promote
the production of eggs.
In every other line of stock breeding
we have tables which are accepted as
authority in the matter of feeding fol
various purposes. We know how tC
feed horse so that it will best be able
to do it's work, how to feed cow fol
milk, growing calf or a bullock which
is being prepared for market. We know
exactly how to feed hogs to produce the
greatest number of pounds of pork at
the least cost per pound; but when it
comes to feeding poultry, those who
have experimental with the most care
either decline to give a feeding formula
or give one with the saving provision
that it has been found fairly satisfac-
tory.
To be sure some empirical ratiOns
have been given by those who assume
to have knowledge of the subject; but
when one asks Roberts, Rice, Atwood
and Dryden for unfailing formula fol
a ration to promote egg production each
of them declines to go farther than tc
say what he has used and how many
eggs his hens laid while being fed the
given ration.
There was a theory in the ancient
days, as poultry keeping goes, that il
required more feed for birds than fol
animals, because of the loss Of energy
in the process of grinding the feed il
the gizzard, but this was merely spec
ulation, as there is no reason to think
it requires more energy to grind feeo
in the gizzard than it does to masticate
it with the teeth.
The fact is there is no scientific data
on which to base formula which will
force egg production. With all Oul
knowledge on the subject the man who
declares that he is able to make com
bination of feeds which is better than
any other for this purpose brands him
self as charlatan or something very
nearly akin to this.
The experiment stations have beer
working along this line for several years
but no two of them agree, nor does any
one of them undertake to dispute with
the others on the subject. Gilbert feeds
one way, Gowell another, and Rice, Dry
den and Atwood each have methods Of
feeding which have been found quite
satisfactory in their work. All of these
are seeking the best formula for a ra
ton which one of them is ready to an
nounce as the long sought perfect ration
So far it has been assumed that 3
ration composed of the feed elements
in the same proportion as they are founC
in the best ration for a dairy cow would
be valuable for the production of eggs
1t has been argued that the butter fat
in milk, the caseine and the minera
salts are the same elements that are
found in the yolk and white of egg
This may be, and perhaps is true, but
no one can say so with authority.
Both common sense and actual ex
a cow with "a proper quantity of the
pertinent teach us that we must furnish
elements in milk in order to obtai1
milk from her. Reasoning by analogy
we must furnish hen with the elements
found in eggs in order to promote egg
production.
Assuming this to be true, and no one
will dispute the fact, we may receive
some LIGHT by examining the chemica