FEED COST OF EGG PRODUCTION". 41 



Eggs were produced at an average cost for feed only of 10 cents a 

 dozen during the pullet year, of 14 cents in the second year, and 19 

 cents in the third year. 



Prices of individual grains in 1917 are from 20 to 100 per cent 

 higher than the prices used in this bulletin, which should be care- 

 fully considered in estimating the present cost of egg production. 



The average value of eggs over feed cost the first laying year was 

 $2.56 per hen, falling to $1.41 the second year, and to $0.79 the third 

 year. The highest average value in any pen was $3.41 (Pen 8). 



The general-purpose fowls consumed annually 72 pounds of feed 

 which cost $1.13, while the Leghorns ate 55 pounds, which cost 87 

 cents. 



Good results were obtained with rations both with and without 

 oats. The use of this grain added variety to the ration without 

 increasing the cost. 



Fowls not fed any beef scrap or other animal protein laid only 

 90 eggs during their pullet year compared with 137 eggs from the 

 beef-scrap pens, and 84 compared with 83 in their second year. The 

 eggs of the no beef scrap pens cost about 2.2 cents per dozen more to 

 produce the first laying year, but these costs were about equal during 

 the second year. The fowls not fed beef scrap laid very poorly in 

 winter, thus materially reducing the value of their eggs. 



Cottonseed meal used in place of beef scrap as a high-protein feed 

 in the ration produced brown or greenish spots on the yolks of the 

 eggs, especially in warm weather, making a considerable proportion 

 of them unfit for market. Eggs were produced more cheaply and 

 at a considerably greater profit on the beef -scrap ration. 



Fish meal at $7 a ton less than beef scrap proved to be a good high- 

 protein feed, which can be used to advantage to replace beef scrap. 

 The fish meal did not in any way affect the flavor or quality of the 

 eggs. 



General-purpose fowls allowed to select their own mash con- 

 stituents ate a dry mash containing about 63 per cent corn meal, 

 19 per cent beef scrap, 9 per cent bran, and 9 per cent middlings. 

 Leghorns ate a mash of about 66 per cent corn meal, 26 per cent beef 

 scrap, and 4 per cent each of bran and middlings. No better results 

 were obtained by this method of feeding than where the ground 

 grains were mixed together in a mash. 



Good mashes, as indicated by these experiments, may be made of 

 66 per cent corn meal, 26 per cent beef scrap, and 4 per cent each of 

 bran and middlings, or 2 pounds of corn meal and 1 pound each of 

 bran, middlings, and beef scrap, with a scratch feed in each ration 

 of equal parts by weight of cracked corn, wheat, and oats, which is 

 fed so that the hens receive about equal parts of scratch feed and of 

 mash. 



