Poultry or Avian Science Commons^™

Avian Leucosis And Fowl Paralysis, M R. Gardiner

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

I N all poultry raising areas throughout the world leucosis accounts for a greater loss of birds than any other disease.

Fifth Western Australian Random Sample Egg Laying Test : Final Report, P Smetana, F. A. E. Hunt

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

npHE Fifth Random Sample Egg Laying Test differs from the four previous ones in that the names of entrants are published with the results.

This procedure was adopted after a meeting of the Joint Poultry Industry Improvement Committee in April, 1961.

The Committee is a body made up of representatives from all organised sections of the poultry industry and one of its functions is to advise on policy in the random sample test.

Sixth Random Sample Laying Test : 1962-63, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

SIXTH RANDOM SAMPLE LAYING TEST, 1962-63

POULTRY RESEARCH STATION, WEMBLEY

PROGRESSIVE REPORT TO 3rd MARCH. 1963,

FOR 10 WEEK LAYING PERIOD FROM 21 WEEKS AND 3 DAYS

Broiler Research. 1. Meat Strains For Broiler Production, P Smetana

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

A broiler trial to compare the performances of three special meat strains and a group of first cross cockerels was conducted at the Poultry Research Station, Wembley, in 1962.

Although there was little difference in profit there are several factors in favour of the special meat strain birds for broiler production.

Sixth Random Sample Laying Test : 1962-63, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

SIXTH RANDOM SAMPLE LAYING TEST, 1962-63

POULTRY RESEARCH STATION, WEMBLEY

FIFTH PROGRESSIVE REPORT TO 1st SEPTEMBER, 1963

Pullorum Tested Poultry Flocks : 1963, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

PULLORUM disease has been virtually eliminated from breeding and hatchery poultry flocks in Western Australia by the annual blood-testing of all birds and the destruction of reactors.

Only 222 reactors were found in a total of 170,474 birds tested this season—an incidence of infection of only 0.13 per cent.

Sixth Random Sample Laying Test : 1962-63 : Poultry Research Station, Wembley, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

SIXTH RANDOM SAMPLE LAYING TEST, 1962-63

POULTRY RESEARCH STATION, WEMBLEY

SIXTH PROGRESSIVE REPORT TO 3rd NOVEMBER, 1963

Average age of birds 464 days or 66 weeks and 2 days.

Day-Old Fowl Pox Vaccination, P Smetana

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

FOR many years the standard procedure for fowl pox prevention on West Australian poultry farms has been to vaccinate young stock at 12 weeks of age. Although most farmers have used this system successfully it has a number of weaknesses which can be overcome by day-old vaccination.

A new day-old fowl pox vaccine now on the market has many advantages over the normal vaccine, which is used at about 12 weeks old.

In tests at the Poultry Research Station it gave satisfactory results.

Hints On Chicken Rearing, P Smetana

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

For the next few months poultry farmers will once again be concerned with rearing chickens.

A good brooder, ample space, good sanitation, plenty of water and a balanced feed are still the essentials of successful chicken raising, says P. Smetana, B.Sc. (Agric), Acting Officer-in-Charge of the Poultry Branch.

Fifth Random Sample Laying Test : 1961-62 : Progressive Report To 2nd Sept., 1962 (36 Weeks), Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

FIFTH RANDOM SAMPLE LAYING TEST, 1961-62

Progressive Report to 2nd September, 1962 (36 weeks)

Fourth West Australian Random Sample Egg Laying Test : 1960-1961, P Smetana, F. A. E. Hunt

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

TO help improve the quality of laying stock for poultry farmers in Western Australia the Poultry Branch of the Department of Agriculture conducts annual random sample egg laying tests.

The tests reveal good and bad points in the laying strains available, and their results are a valuable guide to breeders.

Most of the chickens sold in Western Australia are now bred by hatcherymen who participate in the Random Sample Tests.

Chronic Respiratory Disease Of Poultry In Western Australia, M R. Gardiner, R. V. Vagg

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Widespread chronic respiratory disease was revealed in a survey of respiratory infections in Perth metropolitan area poultry flocks.

Most occur in early or midsummer and cause a serious fall in egg production. Return to full lay after the infection is usually slow.

While these infections can cause production losses in flocks which are under heavy stress, none of the more serious forms of chronic respiratory disease was found.

This gives encouragement for future control of the disease in Western Australia.

Chick Management, D F. Hessels

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

A UGUST is the month when most poultry farmers get their chickens. Special attention will be needed in the coming weeks, with nutrition and disease prevention the main considerations.

Fifth West Australian Random Sample Egg Laying Test : 1961-1962 : Progressive Laying Report To April 29, 1962, P Smetana, F. A. E. Hunt

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

FIFTH RANDOM SAMPLE LAYING TEST, 1961-62 Progressive Report to April 29th, 1962 (18 Weeks)

Pullorum Tested Poultry Flocks : 1962, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THIS year's pullorum tests of poultry flocks have revealed the lowest incidence of reactors since the tests began.

Results are recorded below.

An Unusual Tick Fever Outbreak, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

EARLY in the summer of 1961 there was a series of unusual tick fever outbreaks on several poultry farms in the metropolitan area.

These outbreaks were unusual because no apparent vector (disease carrier) could be found.

Fifth West Australian Random Sample Egg Laying Test : 1961-1962, P Smetana

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

A NUMBER of important changes have been incorporated in the fifth Random Sample Egg Laying Test, which is now in progress at the Department of Agriculture's Poultry Research Station.

REARING RESULTS AT HOUSING (21 WEEKS AND 3 DAYS)

FIFTH RANDOM SAMPLE LAYING TEST, 1961-1962 Progressive Report to March 4, 1962 (70 Days, 10 Weeks)

Field Day : Poultry Research : A Progress Report : Poultry Research Station, Wembley, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

AT the fourth field day held at the Department of Agriculture's Poultry Research Station at Wembley recently, about 150 visitors, most of them commercial poultry farmers, inspected the station and saw the progress of the comprehensive research programme being carried out by officers of the Department's Poultry Branch.

Fifth Random Sample Egg Laying Test : 1961-62, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE figures in the table below give the progressive laying report to May 27, 1962, after 22 weeks of production.

The entries are ranked in order of profit, but undue emphasis should not be placed on the results of this progress report, which refers only to one uncompleted test.

Management Of Laying Flock, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

EGG production usually declines in birds which have been under lights during autumn and winter. Egg prices are lower and flocks should therefore be culled more severely.

Getting Ready For Summer, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE spring period is one of completion and preparation for poultry farmers.

Worms In Poultry, H D. Seddon

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

WORMS occurring in poultry in Western Australia include both round worms and tapeworms.

However, the intestinal round worm (Ascaridia galli) which is found in the small intestine and duodenum is by far the most important and its effects the most serious.

Pullorum Tested Poultry Flocks : 1961, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THIS year's pullorum tests of poultry flocks have revealed the lowest incidence of reactors since the tests began. Results are recorded below.

Third West Australian Random Sample Egg Laying Test : 1959-1960, R H. Morris

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

AS part of the poultry improvement plan for Western Australia, the Department of Agriculture inaugurated a random sample laying test for commercial grade chickens at the Poultry Research Station, Herdsman Lake, in 1957.

The results of the first test appeared in the May-June, 1959 issue of the Journal of Agriculture and those of the second test in the June, 1960 issue.

Feeding For Egg Yolk Colour, P Smetana

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

ON July 3, 1961, the Western Australian Egg Marketing Board commenced paying a bonus to producers for yolk colour.

This is an extremely important step in the marketing of eggs and should have a widespread beneficial effect on the poultry industry of this State.

Automatic Waterers For Day Old Chickens, P Smetana, W. Ward

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

ONE of the most tedious and time consuming tasks on a poultry farm is the provision of water to chicks from day old up to the age of three or four weeks.

Most poultry farmers use half-gallon glass fonts with metal bases for the first few weeks, until the chicks are old enough to use the automatic watering system usually situated along one wall of the brooder house.

This cumbersome glass font system can be replaced by the cheap and easily installed automatic watering system described below. This system has already been adopted by several local poultry farmers.

Incubation, R V. Vagg

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

TH E artificial incubation of eggs is not a recent innovation. For many centuries, some species of birds—our mallee-hen being a typical example—have hatched out their eggs by the heat generated in mounds of decaying vegetation.Furthermore, they have shown considerable skill in maintaining the mounds at uniform temperatures throughout the hatching period.

A number of reptiles employ similar methods to hatch their eggs, although in these instances there does not seem to be the same need for carefully-controlled temperatures

Poultry Diseases In Western Australia, I. J. Miller, P Smetana

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

POULTRY diseases constitute a major factor in losses sustained by the industry.

It is the aim of this article to provide a ready source of information to assist the poultry farmer in understanding the common disease conditions that he is likely to encounter and to suggest possible means of control and treatment.

Second West Australian Random Sample Egg Laying Tests : 1958-59, R H. Morris

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

4S part of the poultry improvement plan for Western Australia, the Department of Agriculture inaugurated a random sample laying test for commercial grade chickens at the Poultry Research Station, Herdsman Lake, in 1957.

Better Rations For Broiler Production, P Smetana

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

DURING 1959, trials were conducted at the Poultry Research Station, Herdsman Lake, with the object of developing a broiler-feeding ration that was better than the one at present recommended by the Department of Agriculture and commonly used by local broiler producers.