MANAGEMENT OF THE BREEDING STOCK 



toes or with the fish makes a good green feed. All 

 of these green materials for use in the ration, unless 

 they are already in short lengths, are cut up by 

 means of a power feed cutter before they are mixed 

 in the mash. When no other form of gi^een feed is 

 available ground alfalfa is used but only half as 

 much of this material is mixed with the ration as 

 is used of any of the other kinds of green feed. 

 Wherever possible the various duck yards should be 

 used to grow a crop of green stuff such as oats or 

 rye as this not only helps out on the supply of green 

 feed but also helps to sweeten the soil. The growing 

 of a crop on the heavier types of soil used for ducks 

 is especially important as such soils are more likely 

 to become contaminated from the droppings. 



The ration for the ducks is mixed up in a power 

 feed mixer which works much on the principle of a 

 power dough mixer. In fact, dough mixers are used 

 on some plants. In mixing the feed enough water 

 should be added to bring the material to a consist- 

 ency where it will hold together when squeezed in 

 the hand. In fact, the consistency should be be- 

 tween crumbly and sticky, but should never be 

 sloppy. The feed is dumped from the mixer into a 

 low horse drawn wagon and driven around to the 

 various yards where it is shoveled oflf on to the feed 

 troughs or trays. On some large duck plants a 

 track is provided which runs over the yards and 

 over this a car loaded with feed is pushed and the 

 feed shoveled into the feed trays. 



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