The Fallon standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1920-1958, 1924-12-03
By L. E. CLINE
Government Agriculturist

the marketing standpoint. The de
mand for well finished birds has
been strong ever since the market
opened a month ago. The supply of
well finished stock has been very
short in most of the California dis
tricts. Unfavorable feeding condi-
tons have made 1t very trying for
the turkey growers in the drought
stricken area These conditions have
made competition very easy for local
growers, and have resulted In the
Fallon turkey gaining very favor
able reputation this year for quality.
Recently on a yiist to San Fran
cisco, it was very gratifying to hear
the very favorable comments for the
Fallon turkeys that weree sent to the
San Francisco bay markets. This rep
utation should be maintained and
protected, for it can be made 10 mean
much for this district.
In a few instances, some Fallon
shipments were pointed out and OBJ
jected to because they were poorly
picked and packed and In some cases
they had been slaughtered with full
crops This latter condition is espe-
cially Objectionable when the birds
have to be held for few days in the
warm, moist climate of the bay dis
triet. The contents of the crops fer
ment and the gasses permeate the
entire carcass. When such birds are
purchased they are invariably sub
jeeted to a heavy dockage. 1t is too
much to expect the consumer to pay
40 cents or so cents per pound for
chicken feed, especially when its
presence in the crop of the dressed
turkey is so Objectionable.
A large amount of poorly finished
turkeys were on the market this
year. They had to be disposed of al
very low price in order to move
them at ell. Five and even ten cents
pound less than the price for prime
birds had TO be accepted in order 10
make sales. II il were possible for
each turkey grower TO follow his
shipments to market and observe
with what difficulty poor stock is
disposed of by the commission men
and at what sacrifice In price. he
would keep his stock at home untu
properly finished.
Turkey Growing Becoming Big !
Local Industry
The turkey market of the San
Francisco bay district is gradually
changing in way that is very ad
vantageous to local turkey growers
The poultry dealers on the coast
state that the consumption Of tur-I
keys is being spread over a longer
period each year. The consuming
public is demanding turkey as soon
as the crop is at all ready to be
placed on the market. This calls for
well finished early birds and it has
been the experience of local growers
the past two years that the early
November market offers some of the
best prices of the whole year. The
conditions under which Fallon tVT-
keys are grown enables the producer
to supply. this market and get good
Per cent of his crop off before thel
big rush and lower prices come.
this valley should amount to anproxi
mately $4,000 and for the major
ity of the growers this industry has
been only a side line. With little
more attention to details in Matching
and brooding, some investments In
equipment and stricter attention IN
combatting blackhead, the turkey in
dustry should easily be doubled next
year. In this connection greatec
emphasis should be placed on the
growing of feed on the ranches. for
feeding the turkey crop throughout
the season. Several acres devoted to
wheat and corn will solve some of
the problems of marketing alfalfa
hay and keep lot of money at home
that would otherwise be spent for
poultry feed.
Some Interesting Figures on
Fattening Costs
There is perhaps less general in
| formation on the cost of growing and
fattening turkeys than for any other
class of meat animals. In 1917 AN
extensive turkey growing experiment
/ was DeBun Dy lne WTlteTi at the gov
ernment experiment farm, for the
purpose of securing some figures on
the cost OF growing and fattening
turkeys, but 1t was during this year
that the blackhead disease almost.
wiped out the turkey industry of the
valley, and the experiment was so
linterfered with by the blackhead dis
ease that the results were of little
value. At thfs time there was little
| Information on the treatment of
biackhead. Considerable correspond
ence has also been carried on In the
hope of securing some information
along the lines of production costs,
but with no results. II the project
turkey growers are to develop an
extensive industry, there should be
some definite information on costs
of production.
Beginning with November 6 Co
operative feeding experiment has
been carried or with the flock of
turkeys belonging to Charles Grader
in the Harmon district, and some
very interesting figures are being
secured on the cost of fattening tur-