56 POULTRY FOODS 



Fish. Fish that are handled for their oil are reduced 

 in presses until little of their flesh remains. The bone 

 and other residue are then ground into a meal. This 

 fish meal and dried fish are sometimes fed to poultry. 

 Fish products are liable to transmit a disagreeable 

 flavor to the eggs or meat, and for this reason are not 

 desirable. 



MILK 



Milk is a valuable poultry food, more valuable than 

 its commercial analysis indicates. Nothing excels 

 warm rnilk direct from the cow as the first ration for 

 chicks. The use of whole milk as a chicken feed, 

 however, will rarely prove profitable, for even when 

 carefully handled it is not worth more than 2c. per qt. 

 for thir. purpose. The most profitable method of feeding 

 milk to fowls is to use it in moistening mash feeds. 



Some persons prefer sweet milk for poultry, but 

 G. A. C. Wyllie, of the British Dairy Institute, Reading, 

 England, says that sour milk has been found to give 

 better results, as the acid produced by the bacteria 

 present causes more rapid action. He states: "Soured 

 milk also prevents scouring, and makes the food easier 

 digested. The acid formed from the milk sugar also 

 prevents sickness and stimulates the appetite. It keeps 

 the digestive organs in proper activity, which saves 

 feeding co much green food. When fed to all kinds 

 of poultry it produces a fine white flesh, due to the 

 amount of phosphates, with extra good flavor. It is with- 

 out doubt one of the best foods we have both for young 

 and old stock, and is becoming more popular every 

 day. I may say it also increases the egg supply and 

 hastens ihe molt." 



Skim- milk, sour milk, and buttermilk, may be im- 

 proved for feeding purposes by scalding; but care should 

 be taken not to boil, as boiling destroys the value 

 and palatability. The whey of milk is of no value 

 as a poultry feed. In the accompanying table is shown 

 the composition and nutritive ratio of whole milk and 

 of various milk products. 



