Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-04-13
AGRICULTURAL MIl11EL
IS EDUCATION ;
-%-~o SUCCESSFUL tAR,nNe-
S. + ANDREW N. SOvLt
Good Rations for Egg Production

which have hitherto been sent outside
nf the south for protein foodstuffs.
An an evidence of the value of cotton
seed meal i'm egg production, and in order
to convince our readers that the adyoca-
cy of its use is based on substantial
foundation, l desire to quote from some
OF the results obtained in the use of
this foodstuff as a source of protein
for laying hens at the Mississippi eS-
pertinent station. In a test conducted
there a mash consisting of II parts of
cotton seed meal, so parts of corn meal,
- past, -. oats ana 10 parts OF wheat
bran was fed in opposition to one con-
sisting of % parts Of beef scraps, 80
parts of corn meal, % parts of oats and
10 parts of wheat BRAN The hens which
were FED these two mashcs We're sepa-
rated and were fed and treated in all
other particulars exactly alike. The
hens receiving the cotton seed meal
mash laid during the test period 249
eggs; those receiving the beef scrap
mash. ia eggs. 1t is clearly evident,
therefore, that those receiving the cotton
seed meal mash produced eggs at
much lower relative cost than those re-
ceiving the beef scrap mash
A second test was conducted in which
a larger proportion of cotton seed meal
and beef scrap was fed along with corn
meal and wheat bran. The dry mash
fed the first pen contained % parts of
cotton seed meal, IS parts of corn meal
and parts of wheat bran; that fed to
pen ,, IL parts of beef scrap, % parts
of corn meal and ) parts of wheat bran.
The hens I'm pen No. laid 500 eggs dur
ing the test period which extended from
October to March. The hens in pen No.
? laid 200 eggs. In this case not only
did the feed cost less per hen where
cotton seed meal was used, but the cost
of producing an egg was. much less
than with beef scrap. 1t will be OBJ
served that only half as many parts of
beef scrap were fed as cotton seed
meal. This was due to the fact that
beef scrap runs higher in protein, and
hence the dry mashes were so adjusted
that the same amount of this element
would be secured from each source,
further effort was made to deter
mine the influence which cotton seed
meal might be expected to exert on
broilers. The rations used in the first
test mentioned above were fed in this
instance. In other words, IL parts OF
cotton seed meal were fed I'm opposition
to 5.5 parts of beef scrap along with
90 parts of corn meal, 20 parts of oats
and 10 parts of wheat bran. The pen
receiving the cotton seed meal mash
made a pound of gain at a cost of 10.47
cents; those receiving the beef scrap, at
4 cost of 11.05 cents. In a second test
i'm which - parts of cotton seed meal
al IN opposition to IL parts of
beer scrap along with 80 parts of corn
meal and parts of wheat bran, the
cost per pound of gain with the cotton
seed meal mash was 7.G6 cents as
against 1857 cents with the beef scrap.
In both cases, therefore, it seemed de-
sirable and profitable to use a consider
able proportion of cotton seed meal in
a ration for fattening broilers, not only
as matter of economy, but by reason
of the increased gains obtained from the
use of cotton seed meal.
AS a general proposition, it would APP
pear from tests made in various parts
of the country that a dry mash for
poultry may contain with profit at least
twenty-five parts of cotton seed meal
Various other materials may be used
along with the cotton seed meal, but
probably thirty parts of corn, thirty
parts of wheat bran and fifteen parts of
| shorts will be found as good COM
bina tion as any. This mixture will not
cost any more than many others which
could be fed, and no doubt ii will be
cheaper than some of the standard
vocated. When preparing a dry mash
as Indicated. add. say as much one
pound to each one hundred pounds OF
! the mixture. The salt should be
/ thoroughly distributed through the
| mash which should be fed i'm clean, dry
! hoppers under sheds where it will be
/ protected from the weather. If it is
/ fed in a dry condition the hens will
not eat too much of it, but they should
/ have access to il at all times, as this
4 will tend to keep their appetites even
/ as il ~ere. and prevent them gorging
| Themselves at times by reason of undue
/ hunger.
These facts are worthy of considera-
/ tion by every poultryman living in the
| south 1t is certainly true that we
/ should be able to produce a much lar
ger proportion of chickens and eggs
| than we are now doing. We are not at
| all meeting the demands which our To-