HAMPSHIRE COUNTY FARMERS' MONTHLY 



MILK FOR POULTRY 



Effective for Growth and Prevention of 

 Disease 



The value of milk during the first few- 

 weeks of a chick's life is not easily esti- 

 mated because its beneficial efl"ects are so 

 far reaching. It stimulates the many 

 forces required for normal growth, is a 

 valuable agent for the prevention of dis- 

 ease, and in some cases may serve as a 

 remedy, as in coccidiosis. As long as 

 chicks can be kept growing normally they 

 are less susceptible to diseases. This is 

 particularly true in connection with coc- 

 cidiosis and it is largely on account of its 

 aid in warding off this disease that many 

 poulti-y raisers have come to consider 

 milk as being so essential for chicks dur- 

 ing the first eight weeks. 



Coccidiosis 



Coccidiosis usually affects chicks when 

 four to eight weeks old and is undoubtedly 

 the most serious of theii- diseases. It is 

 highly infectious or contagious. The 

 birds become infected fiom contaminated 

 soil, whereupon the germs localize in the 

 lower part of the intestine and particu- 

 larly in the ceca or blind pouches of the 

 intestine. The walls of the intestine soon 

 become so affected that these organs can 

 no longei- function. The first evidence of 

 the disease likely to be noticed is a few 

 cases of bloody diarrhea, which may be 

 regarded as a sure sign of coccidiosis. 

 There is practically no other e.xternal 

 sympton and but few of the afflicted birds 

 may have bloody diarrhea. Further evi- 

 dence, however, is usually revealed by a 

 post mortem examination. In case of 

 coccidial infection the lower portions of 

 the intestine and especially the ceca, are 

 usually found congested or highly in- 

 flamed and often enlarged. The contents 

 of the ceca may be bloody or of a yellow- 

 ish to dark brown color and of a pasty 

 or chessy nature. Sometimes the con- 

 tents of the ceca are of a dark color and 

 hard, indicating recent hemmorrhage. 

 In other cases the contents may be in 

 such a state of putrefaction as to distend 

 the ceca with gas. 



Since coccidiosis is u.sually due to soil 

 contamination the most effective way to 

 avoid the disease is to grow the chicks 

 on fresh ground each year, or properly 

 care for the brooder yards. No method 

 of treatment will prove nearly so effec- 

 tive as prevention, the principal means 

 of which are: clean soil, milk for chicks 

 to drink during first eight weeks, and 

 proper feeding and brooding. 



Treatment 



In cn.s-c of an oufhrcak, the California 

 Experiment Station has found the follow- 

 ing procedure very effective: Grain fed 

 .sparingly night and morning; the mash 

 fed at noon but never left before the 

 chicks longer than two hours, and in case 



of a severe outbreak, omitted entirely; 

 greens fed as usual ; and, most important 

 of all, buttermilk or sour skimmilk kept 

 before the birds constantly. The re- 

 stricted grain ration keeps the birds 

 hungry so they will consume large quan- 

 tities of the sour milk. This method of 

 feeding is continued for one or two weeks, 

 or until the losses stop, when the mash 

 may again be fed sparingly and very 

 gradually increased. 



Sdnilation. — If only a few chicks are 

 affected, they should be killed and burned. 

 In ca.se a large number are affected only 



the worst cases are removed, and the 

 others are all put on new ground, or if 

 this is impracticable, the yards are 

 plowed or spaded. The house is thoroughly 

 cleaned and sprayed with a coal-tar dis- 

 infectant. The floor is covered with an 

 inch of litter, which is cleaned out daily, 

 burned, and leplaced with fresh material. 

 This practice is continued until all signs 

 and danger of the disease have disap- 

 peared. The drinking vessels should be 

 kept clean by wa.shing daily in boiling 

 water. 



Ohio Monthhi BnUi'thi. 



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Farmers 



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PORTLAND CEMENT ASSOCIATION 



10 High Street 



BOSTON, MASS. 



qA National Organization to Improve and 



Extend the Uses of Concrete 



Offices in 27 Other Cities 



