Poultry Fattening. 



[may, 



are worked up to about J oz. per diem. The fat should be mehed 

 down and then mixed in with the meal. 



Latterly, a rough sort of Swiss milk, specially made for the 

 purpose, has been tried, and those who cannot get a supply of 

 skim milk might use it with advantage. But soured skim or. 

 whole milk should be used if procurable. If whole milk is used, 

 fat can be dispensed with. Australian tallow, which is mutton 

 fat, is also used largely in the Heathfield district. Where milk 

 is unobtainable, molasses have also been tried, and sugar has been 

 used by some. But it may be taken for granted that nothing is 

 equal to the ground oats, milk, and mutton fat. 



In place of ground oats the following mixtures are sometimes 

 used, however, and have their advocates : — 



I. Two parts of buckwheat meal, one part of maize meal, two 

 parts of ground oats, mixed with soured skim milk or butter- 

 milk. 2. A mixture of toppings, barley meal, and ground oats 

 in equal parts. 3. Buckwheat meal, middlings, and ground oats 

 in equal parts. 



Maize meal is very useful, but, unfortunately, it creates 

 a yellow greasy fat. Potatoes are useful for trough-feeding 

 also, but fat must be added, as they have absolutely none 

 in their composition, but contain 50 per cent, of water, the 

 rest being mostly starchy matter, with 6'5 per cent, of albume- 

 noids or flesh formers. They are very useful for turkeys and 

 geese. 



Suitable Breeds.— come now to the most suitable breeds 

 for fattening purposes. Of course all birds can be fattened, but 

 some breeds are far more likely to make plump table birds 

 than are others. The non- sitting breeds, in other words the 

 layers, generally make the poorest table birds. Their surplus 

 food and energy go in the direction of egg production, and they 

 do not put on much flesh. AH good layers are very active birds, 

 and this very activity keeps them lean. They are usually more 

 developed behind than in the breast parts, whereas the good 

 table bird is generally more ample in front. The ideal table 

 bird should be somewhat in the shape of a parallelogram with 

 rounded corners, or, in the case of Game birds, in the shape 

 of a fir cone, tapering gradually. It should have a long, deep, 

 broad, nicely-rounded breast, the bone of which is long and 



