Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-02-02

| prepared by the United States Depart
| ment Of Agriculture.)
| Pullets produced eggs at cheaper
rate per dozen than older hens, in 6
three-year feeding test recently re
ported by poultrymen Of the depart
ment Of agriculture. Ten cents was
the average cost for pullet pens, IL
cents for two-year-old hens and 1e
cents for three-year-olds. These were
the cost figures Of feed at the end Of
the experiment, which began In 1912,
and they should be corrected to pres
ent prices. Tables of rations and costs
presented in the report enable poul-
trymen to make these corrections
when compared to 1917 prices.
In bulletin 561 Of the department Of
agriculture, "Feed Cost Of Egg Pro-
duction," the specialists describe in
detail this test, which was undertaken
to compare the costs Of various rations
fed under general farm conditions.
Much information relating to feeding
under the various conditions also was
learned in the experiment.
Test Enlarged.
: Starting with six pens Of 80 pulletS
each. the test was enlarged to include
16 pens containing 368 fowls. Most Of
the pens were made up Of 80 standard
bred pullets, bred and reared under
the same conditions and selected for
vigor, standard shape, and color. Some
flocks consisted Of fowls Of one breed
while others contained more than one
kind Of purebred fowls of the general
purpose type. Pens Of crossbred pull
lets also were used.
Fowls Allowed Free Range.
With the exception Of three flocks
which were confined to good-sized
yards, all the fowls were allowed free
range over several acres Of rough
land. Detailed records were kept Of
the feed used, the weight Of the eggs,
and careful observations were made Of
the conditions which affect egg pro-
ductiOn, such as melting and brOOdi-
ness. The test was conducted on the
experiment farm Of the bureau of ami
NAL industry, at Beltsville, Maryland.
Summarizing the results of the tests,
the specialists draw these conclusions:
The average egg yield for the first
laying year in all pens was 131 eggs,
and the highest pen average yield was
1895 eggs. In the second year the
average egg yield Of all pens was 92.7
eggs, which decreased to 1872 eggs in
the third laying year.
The average value of eggs over feed
cost the first laying year was $2.56 per
hen, falling to $1.41 the second year,
and to $0.79 the third year. The high
est average value in any pen was
$3.41.
The general-purpose fowls consumed |
Y pounds of feed which cost |
s1.13 while the Leghorns ate IS
pounds, which cost 81 cents.
Good results were obtained with "a
lions both with and without oats. The |
use Of this grain added variety to the
ration without increasing the cost.
Beef Scrap Pens Best.
Fowls not fed any beef scrap or 9TH
er animal protein laid only 80 eggs
Turing their pullet year compared with
l37 eggs from the beef-scrap pens, and
a compared with SO in their second
7ear. The eggs Of the no-beef-scrap
pens cost about % cents per dozen
more to produce the first laying year,
tut these costs were about equal dur
ng the second year. The fowls not
ed beef scrap laid very poorly in win
er, thus materially reducing the value
# their eggs.
Cottonseed meal used in place Of
'eef scrap as high protein feed in
he ration produced brown or greenish
pots on the yolks Of the eggs, espe-
tally In warm weather, making a con- +
proportion Of them unfit Tor
market. Eggs were produced more
heaply and at a considerably greater /
rofit on the beef-scrap ration.
High Protein Feed.
Fish meal at 81 a ton less than beef
crap proved to be good high protein 4
eed, which can be used to advantage /
D replace beef scrap. The fish meal s
i'd not in any way affect the flavor or 4
uality Of the eggs. +