320 Egg Laying Competitions in Australia, [july, 



In dealing with the poultry industry, reference is made to 

 the well-known laying competitions which have been carried 

 on for a number of years under Government supervision in 

 each of the six States. The competitions date from 1901, and 

 usually extend over twelve months. Apart from their value 

 as a means of building up an egg-producing strain of fowls, 

 which is the object their promoters have in view, they afford 

 evidence of the average yield of well-bred birds, and indirectly 

 of the "profit " or surplus receipts from the sale of eggs over 

 the cost of food. As an example of this, the following table 

 may be given, showing the results of some of the twelve- 

 months' competitions in different States: — 







No. of 



Average 



Cost 







No. of 



eggs 



No. of eggs 



of food 



Net profit 





birds. 



laid. 



per hen. 



per hen. 



st d. 



per hen. 

 s. d. 



New South Wales ... 



... 360 



63,318 



173 



7 0 



IO 2 



Queensland 



... 168 



3°>543 



l8l 



4 H 



10 £§ 



South Australia 



... 450 



80,959 



179 



5 4 



6 4" 





... 678 



126,133 



186 



5 6 



8 4 



Tasmania 



... 168 



27,106 



l6l 



6 9 



9 2| 



Western Australia ... 



... 288 



50,788 



176 



6 8 



13 3 



The average production over all these competitions was 

 about 175 eggs annually, which, considering the number of 

 birds entered, is a very high figure. The winning pens, 

 comprising 6 birds each, accounted for very much larger 

 numbers, the figures in four competitions being 232, 222, 255, 

 and 254 per hen. In fact, it is stated that for breeding pur- 

 poses, very little value is attached to a bird whose score falls 

 under the 200 standard. From 220 to 240 the birds are con- 

 sidered useful, while when yielding above this number they 

 become valuable. Individual scores of 270 and 280 are not 

 unknown. It is from the best performers in this severe 

 test that the stock birds for the ensuing season are chosen. 

 The same care is taken in selecting the male bird. 



These egg competitions are a distinctive feature of 

 Australian poultry-keeping, and they have exercised a great 

 influence on its development, particularly by fostering the 

 commercial or utility aspect of the industry in preference to 

 the production of exhibition stock. Utility strains, while 

 maintaining the type and general characteristics of the breeds, 

 are most carefully bred with a view to the progressive improve- 

 ment of egg production, and there appears to be evidence that 



