i906.] 



Poultry Fattening. 



79 



the forefinger down the bird's throat. The bolus should be 

 about f in. thick, and about i in. long. The bird's neck is 

 then drawn well up, so as to make an easy passage for the 

 bolus, which is then pressed gently down into the crop by 

 the forefinger and thumb of the right hand. The full meal 

 usually consists of about twelve boluses, but judgment is 

 of course required here. The hand process is said to produce 

 absolutely the finest results, owing no doubt to the fact that a 

 more concentrated meal can be given than by the machine, 

 but although used on some farms, the process is too tedious to 

 recommend itself to the large majority of fatteners. 



Food to be Used, — -So much for the actual operations of 

 cramming ; now as to the constituents of the food used. It 

 consists, as already stated, of what is known as Sussex ground 

 oats, or ground oats pure, and milk, usually skimmed milk. 



Pure ground oats is one of the finest foods known, and 

 approaches very nearly to a perfect food. Its analysis is : — 

 Albumenoids 15 per cent., fats or oils 5*5 per cent., carbohydrates 

 48 per cent., and with the addition of mutton fat and milk it 

 makes a perfect fattening mixture. 



Sussex ground oats is not pure oatmeal, but has a certain 

 admixture of barley, which enables the grinding process to 

 be carried out more thoroughly owing to the dryness of the 

 barley. The Russian oat is usually used, as it contains less 

 moisture. It is the fineness of the meal that is supposed to 

 cause such splendid results, owing to the ease with which it can 

 be digested. 



The milk is usually allowed to go sour before being used, 

 and this, which would be fatal to young chickens, is believed by 

 its action on the internal organs to prevent sickness and take the 

 place of green food. 



The mutton fat used is clarified and then stored away in 

 barrels. If small quantities only are being dealt with, it can be 

 placed to cool in pails. What are known as mutton trimmings, 

 which can be obtained from butchers at about 2d. a pound, are 

 suitable for this purpose, but where large quantities are used they 

 ' can be bought from firms who ship the refuse of the American 

 canning yards. The birds are usually given the fat when the 

 actual cramming commences, and, beginning with a small amount, 



