64 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 436 



Breeding for High and Low Incidence of Internal Defects in Hen's Eggs. (F. 



P. Jeffrey.) In the first generation, 769 Rhode Island Red pullets were produced 

 from two separate lines of breeding. Breeders in line 1 were selected for freedom 

 from blood and meat spots, blemished yolk, and fishy odor in their eggs. Breed- 

 ers in line 2 were selected for a high incidence of these defects. Fertility and 

 hatchability were excellent in both lines. 



Breeding White Plymouth Rocks for Eggs and Meat. (F. P. Jeffrey.) Hatch- 

 ing eggs were secured from six prominent commercial breeders, and approximately 

 450 pullets will be housed this year. There was a wide variation among the 

 strains, as shown by the following figures: 



Hatchability of total eggs set 50 - 84 percent 



Incidence of fast feathering 2-34 percent 



Mortality to 8 weeks of age 2-16 percent 



Pure white down 45 - 82 percent 



Body weight at 8 weeks .■ 1.00 - 1.47 pounds 



(Average of both sexes) 



Poultry Housing Investigations. (W. C. Sanctuary and C. I. Gunness.) See 

 report of Department of Engineering. 



Methods of Feeding. (John H. Vondell.) This is the second year's study of 

 methods of feeding layers. Three pens of 60 and 80 birds were hopper fed (free 

 choice) laying mash, whole oats, and whole corn. Two pens were hopper fed 

 laying mash and hand fed scratch feed to equal the amount of mash consump- 

 tion. One pen was fed a complete all-mash. The test began September 28 and 

 ran for twelve lunar months, with the following results: 



Hopper-fed Hopper-fed All-Mash 

 and 

 Hand-fed 



Average egg production, percent „ 51.2 49.3 50.9 



Mortality, percent 25.6 12.4 7.5 



Feed consumption per bird, pounds.„ 93.5 109.9 108.3 



Feed cost per bird _.. _ $3.09 $3.68 $3.79 



Net return per bird over feed cost $3.39 $2.53 $2.62 



DEPARTMENT OF VETERINARY SCIENCE 

 J. B. Lentz in Charge 



Poultry Disease Control Service. (H. Van Roekel, K. L. Bullis, O. S. Flint 

 F. G. Sperling, M. K. Clarke, and O. M. Olesiuk.) 



1. Pullorum Disease Eradication.'^ During the 1945-46 season, 1,259,623 

 samples, representing 630 chicken and turkey flocks, were tested. Compared with 

 the previous season, 284,582 more samples and 101 more flocks were tested; but 

 the average percentage of reactors was the same, 0.12. Progress in eradication 

 of "the disease is definitely evidenced by the fact that 95.3 percent of all birds 

 tested are in 100 percent tested, non-reacting flocks. The average percentage of 

 reactors was lower in flocks tested annually than in flocks tested for the first time 

 or intermittently. 



A detailed report of the 1945-46 testing season has been published in Control Series Bulletin 128 . 



