Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-10-30
IPOOlTRyyneWS
FEEDING OF MASH
SAVES LABOR FOR
THE POULTRYMAN
BY DR.. Thomas j. Clemens
Practical Poultryman. Judge and
Lecturer.
COPYRIGHT, 1915.

Increasing egg production in winter,
when prices are high, is ono of the
biggest problems with which the anna
tcur poultryman has to contend. In
this article DIR. Clemens gives some
valuable pointers for overcoming this
difficulty by mash feedin". and tells
why the dry mash is better than the
wet.
VXTHEN poultrymen introduced
Wv mash feeding as a regular ra-
w ton, il not only relieved them
of a great deal of the labor of feed
ing. but it also enabled them to con-
siderably increase their output OF
eggs. In fact, mash feeding pracu-
cally revolutionized the poultry indus
try. Winter egg production has al
ways been and is to-day the stumbling
block of many amateurs. Thousands
of birds have been idle during the
months when eggs were bringing the
highest prices, Notwithstanding the
fact that they were quartered in COM
Portable and sanitary houses. The
mash feeding method has simplihed
this problem, and to-day anyone may
get good results by employing this
method and using common sense.
The proper feeding of fowls is
matter that requires good judgment.
The most careful balancing of rations
is of little avail. unless good Judgment
is used in administering them. 1t is
possible to lay down some rules and
60, H. ;re
the feeding itself is not, and never
can be, a mechanical matter. Ihe
feeder who keeps in touch with his
fowls, watching their feeding, study
ing their needs and their behavior, OBJ
serving carefully the manner in Whlch
they respond to their treatment, can
get results that are obtainable in no
other way. Individual consumption
varies from meal to meal, and from
day to day. and is noted only by the
close observer
Mash feeding not only effects a
great saving in labor-in downright
hard workout it gives excellent re
suits in the health of the flock, and
in the yield of eggs. 1t relieves the
poultryman of considerable anxiety as
90 whether the fowls are being fed ac-
Cording to their likes or dislikes. Some
poulrymen offer the objection that
this method of feeding is likely to
cause the fowls to overeat, get lazy
and take too little exercise to keep in
a healthy condition. This objection
brings up a discussion of the subject
of Dry Mash VS.. Wet Mash feeding.
Wet Mash Feeding
Wet mash or cooked mash consists
OF preparing a mash or dough of
mixed meals: in summer cold water
and in winter hot water is used in pre-
pairing the mash. The ingredients are
mixed thoroughly. until the mass Is
crumbly and not wet or moist
dough- Frequently cooked Vege-
tables are boiled until soft and then
mashed: the liquid is drawn off these
boiled vegetables and used instead of
plain water with the ground meals.
often cut or ground alfalfa which has
been steeeped In boiling water is used
as the basis for this mash.
This wet or cooked mash is fed to
the fowls the first thing in the morn
ing. In warm weather. when there is
no danger of the temperature drop
ping below freezing during the night,
this mash may be put in the feeding
troueA after dark. Then it is ready
for the birds as soon as they come off
the roosts in the morning. 1t is nee
essary to feed wet mash in troughs
and these feeding troughs must be
kept scrupulously clean. They should
be cleaned and hung up in the sun
to dry after the fowls have finished
feeding.
All this means hard work and it
has to be done every day-seven days
week and fifty-two weeks every
year. Cooking and mixing the mash.
feeding il in troughs, cleaning and
drying the troughs involve hard work
that must be done thoroughly in order
to get the best results. Mash must
be fed within a reasonably short time
after it is prepared. Otherwise there
is danger OF fermentation, which is
likely to cause trouble.