358 POULTRY PRODUCTION 



ration with the animal })rotein supplied by skim milk ga\e 

 an average production of 140.2 eggs, while pullets fed the 

 same ration except that 5(1 pounds of milk was replaced by 

 3.5 ])oun(ls of meat scrap gave an a\-erage production of 



i:;5.i_) eggs 



Anderson' fouml that the addition of skim milk to a 

 ration iinTeased the consumption of other feed. Nixon- 

 found that during the first eight weeks Leghorn chicks 

 grew faster wlien sour skim milk was used for moistening 

 the mash than when the mash was fed without milk. Sour 

 skim milk was Found to have no liarinful effect on the chicks, 

 c\en when fed from the first meal. 



Milk may !)e fed either sweet or sour, but is to be preferred 

 sour. Shaw' reports that milk-sugar cannot be digested by 

 young chicks, but that when this sugar is converted into 

 lactic acid by the souring process it is digestible. "Our 

 expi'riiiients show that not only is lactose not digested (liy 

 the chick), Ijnt it acts as an irritant to the gastro intestinal 

 tract.' According to Ilettger, Kirkpatrick, and Jones,'' 

 "sour milk has a most favorable influence on growth and 

 vigor" and "is an im])ortant agent in the reduction of 

 mortality from all causes." 



Thompson* found tliat when two one-hundred bird lots of 

 February hatched \Vhite Leghorn pullets were both fed a 

 standard ration, jjut one ])en had access to st)ur skim milk 

 at all times, while the other did not, the sour milk lot laid 

 3(i('>l more eggs in a year than did the no milk lot. 



Xenipster'^ found tiiat lOU pounds of sour skim milk took 

 the place of 5.4 pounds oF meat scrap in the ration, though 

 unfortunately he does not mention the jter cent of protein 

 the lueat scrap contained. 



Milk may be used to moisten mashes, or gi\ en the fow Is to 

 drink. In the latter case jjarticular care must l)e taken of the 

 drinking vessels in warm weather. Ihiless the precaution of 



1 Indiana Bulletin No. 71. '^ Cornell Bullelin No. 327. 



^ American Journal of Physiology, vol. xxx, No. 7. 



'Slorrs Bulletin No. 77 



^ .lour. .\ni. Assn. \i\>A. nn<J In\rst. in Toul. I[usl> , v ol. lii, X(j 2. 



^ Mi.-i^ouri Bulletin, No. 1.3.5. 



