The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1927-10-28
Give Attention
to Poultry Ills
Big Mistake by Many Farm
ers to Let Their Chickens
Shift for Themselves.

prepared by the United States Department
OF Agriculture.)
Because the poultry industry repre-
sents an annual turnover of more than
a billion dollars, and because of re-
cent changes in the organization and
management of egg and poultry pro-
duction, DR.. ]. r. Mohler of the
United States Department of Agricul-
ture recommended to the members Of
the American Veterinary Medical as
ISOLATION, meeting at Philadelphia,
''what we as veterinarians must do to
keep our fiocks healthy in order that
meat and egg production shall not d.
minish. We are dealing with fowls
not only from pathological stand
point, but as commercial units on
which a great industry is based"
Doctor Mohler pointed out that the
United States is the most important
poultry-raising country in the world,
producing more than one-third of the
worlds supply, that breeders sold $780,
100000 baby chicks last year, that the
hens collectively lay eggs at the rate
of 760 second or 2,000,000,000 dozen
year, and that the annual value of
poultry products is now considerably
in excess of $1,000,OO0,O00 or 16
per cent of the total live stock pro-
duction of the country, and outranked
only by dairy products and the swine
industry.
Poultry Raising Incidental.
For years, Doctor Mohler comment
ed, poultry raising was an incidental
enterprise on the American farm.
Poultry diseases were regarded as of
little consequence, and chickens were
left to shift for themselves. "The
last decade, however," he said, "has
witnessed an amazing change in the
scope and methods of poultry and
egg production, as the industry has
rapidly forged to the front line of dig
nified commercial productive enter
prise. The humble hen is now recog-
nized as an asset, a chief source of
| income, and as such is favored with
the best of feed, shelter and atten-
| tion," and the increase in size and
profitableness of flocks makes it in
creasingly feasible for poultry raisers
| to employ veterinarians in case of
disease in their aocks.
Need More Investigations.
There is definite need, Doctor Mohl-
er believes, for wider and more funda-
mental investigations not only of
avian tuberculosis but of other in
fictitious and parasitic diseases. He
explained that it had been found true,
but was not generally known, that
turkeys harbored the little worms
which cause the disease of gapes in
chickens, although the turkey is not
usually affected. When turkeys and
young chicks are reared together it is
difficult to avoid losses of the young
chicks. Advance has been made in
the development of vaccines for sew
eral poultry diseases. Determination
Of when to use such remedies must
rest with the veterinarians. Other
fields for fundamental research in
poultry husbandry include feeding
mixtures and balance: rations for va
rious purposes. Some diseases, it has
been found, can be controlled by prop
er nutrition.
The most effective control of poul-
try diseases must come through poul-
try raisers themselves who will en-
ploy veterinarians skilled in poultry
diseases. Governmental and state &C.
tion in case of diseases of poultry
should aim at the protection of do
nestle fowls from foreign contagion,
to prevent the spread of poultry dis
eases from state to state, and to eradi-
cate communicable diseases within a
state when they appear.