Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-10-23
Growing Cheaper Poultry Feed.

The wartime principle upon which
cheaper feed for poultry 10 based, &C.
cording to Prot. William G. Monahan Of
Maine, IL the raising Of feeds which
have formerly been purchased. As
An alternative, Q substitute may be
raised for tho regular feeds, providing
| It can be done ct less cost. The sitaa'
tion 10 serious at present and despite
exceptionally high prices for poultry
| and eggs greater attention than ever be-
| fore must be paid to economical feeding
of the poultry flock. For some time
| New England farmers have been pur-
chasing their poultry feeds largely from
the west. They could not economically
raise them. The situation has now. be-
como quite different, for grains, such
as corn and oats, can be raised at less
than the cost of purchase. It thus
becomes Q matter Of economy to raise
them on the home farm, an entirely new
| feature In commercial poultry produc-
ton In New England.
OF course oil of the feeds cannot be
raised at saving, and In such cases
there 10 logical substitution with some
other economically produced feed.
Wheat cannot be grown on all soils, yet
| barley can be made profitable crop In
Maine and 10 product we'll worth while.
Bran, by-product In the manufacture
| of -four, IL quite beyond the pocketbook
| of most poultry farmers, yet clover, an
excellent substitute In feeding value,
| can be raised on any farm where fore
sight aud ambition are used.
Looking into the future, Prof. Mon.
ahau suggests that extended range and
| forage crops should provide greater
proportion of summer feed for poultry
and that roots and homegrown crops be
preserved to form the bulk and palatabil.
| ity, with various supplements, In the
winter ration. With such Q plan the
| flrst criticism coming to mind 10 that
egg production might fall of. Yet, on
the other hand, II food 10 economically
produced and the poultryman's profit
maintained, 1t 10 not 80 seriOusa matter
| il egg production per unit 10 less.
This idea does not conflict In any way
with the carefully laid plans and breed
| ING policies followed intensively for
wears to build up high. producing strains
of important egg-layiDg fowls. Such
= policy would make the farm more
nearly self.sustaining. In many ways
the same situation prevails In the dairy
industry. Even before the excessive
altitude Of feed prices, knowing heads
were doing their best to encourage pro-
lduction Of homegrown feeds or reason
able substitutes.
IMMEDIATE CONSERVATION PLANS.
As IN carly step toward cheaper
feed this year poultrypen are encourag
ed to conserve crops which can be
economically used as poultry feed. Fol
Example, clover as cured hay, ground
or finely cut, and - silage made BY
tishtly bsrreling when green, serves ~ .
source Of the food products found II
bran. Pea vines may be cured like hay
Csbbsges carefully stored for winter
nee. root mapgels, small unmarketablt
potatoes, etc., may be used.
Looking forward to next spring ant
summer, poultrymen have planted
winter rye In bare henyards or on ground
where chickens are to be reared mex
season. Rye was sown at the rate o.
one bushel 70 the acre for this purpose
Also looking toward early spring plant
ing, the ground for oats, corn, etc
should have proper fall attention
Mako ready to SOW . pure stand o.
Glover % soon - the frost breaks th'
Iground.