THE PROBLEMS IN MATING AND IN EGG PRODUCTION 101 



160 in America and 190 in Australia. The American record 

 corresponds closely to the average of the upper one-half of 

 the unselected flocks and indicates that the selection has 

 been able to eliminate the lower half. 



The first year production of a flock of White Leghorns is no 

 indication of their total production. If the first year is high 

 the second may be low, if the first is low the second may be 

 high; but the total production in three years will in all cases 

 be about the same. 



If the first year record of a flock is high, selection of the high 

 layers will materially improve the later production of the flock. 

 If the flrst record is low there will be little value in selection 

 as even the lowest producer will make a second year record 

 above the general average. The three-year average is in all 

 cases a much more reliable indication of productivity. 



The average life of a White Leghorn appears to be about six 

 years. The average production of the fourth year is equal to 

 the average production given for the United States. The 

 average total production is above 500 eggs and the maximum 

 possible production above 1000. 



The White Leghorn is the most important egg producing 

 breed at the present time, over one-half of all contest entries 

 being Leghorns. Their average production has been decidedly 

 above the average of the general purpose breeds. Three- 

 fourths of all contest entries have been white. 



In the pullet year, as a rule, the bird lays the bulk of the eggs 

 from November to February inclusive. A hen commences 

 to lay later in the second year but in the more favorable time 

 of the year, which is the latter part of February. From this 

 time on she may lay as many eggs in the favorable months as 

 in the first year. She will be slightly slower commencing to 

 lay in her third year but will produce approximately as many 

 eggs as in either of the other two years, possibly laying into 

 the late fall. 



Dryden has found that from different matings where the 

 son was bred to the mother, the pullet offspring showed a 

 lower average egg yield than others not inbred. There was 

 greater variabihty in production from the inbred pullets; 

 that is, there was a wider range between the highest and lowest 



