And rations from the same book...
Notice, the layer rations require oyster shell and pasture (or alfalfa) every day.
The advantage it might have, is having wider margins of error than the more precisely dialed in current commercial feeds. They may not have known all the nutrients then, but they could see the results of not having enough of something or having too much of something.
The main disadvantage is that it was intended for chickens expected to lay about 150 eggs per year. Well, that and some of the ingredients may be difficult or expensive for people with backyard flocks to get.
Among other things, it says the difference in production between their better rations and less good rations is "about a dozen more eggs per bird on a year." They did trials of rations with milk instead of meat and with neither milk or meat - the milk and the meat versions both averaged 135 eggs per year. The version with neither milk nor meat averaged 33 eggs per year. Today's commercial feeds often don't have meat or milk. They meet the needs by adding certain amino acids and vitamins directly.
I realize many people with backyard flocks do not care whether their hens lay a few more eggs or not. I don't care either. It is a way to tell if the hens are getting good nutrition, though. If the limiting factor in the number of eggs they lay is genetics and not nutrition then they are getting enough nutrition for all of their other needs too.
Edit to add: about expecting 150 eggs per year. The book has a chart with the total number of eggs produced divided by the total number of layers (both from USDA records, so these are only farms with enough layers for the USDA to track; not all the family-sized flocks. The average in the US in 1948 was 162 - the six regions varied from 133 to 183. Up pretty consistently each year from 1925-1928 when it was 117 with regions varying from 109 to 131.
Notice, the layer rations require oyster shell and pasture (or alfalfa) every day.
The advantage it might have, is having wider margins of error than the more precisely dialed in current commercial feeds. They may not have known all the nutrients then, but they could see the results of not having enough of something or having too much of something.
The main disadvantage is that it was intended for chickens expected to lay about 150 eggs per year. Well, that and some of the ingredients may be difficult or expensive for people with backyard flocks to get.
Among other things, it says the difference in production between their better rations and less good rations is "about a dozen more eggs per bird on a year." They did trials of rations with milk instead of meat and with neither milk or meat - the milk and the meat versions both averaged 135 eggs per year. The version with neither milk nor meat averaged 33 eggs per year. Today's commercial feeds often don't have meat or milk. They meet the needs by adding certain amino acids and vitamins directly.
I realize many people with backyard flocks do not care whether their hens lay a few more eggs or not. I don't care either. It is a way to tell if the hens are getting good nutrition, though. If the limiting factor in the number of eggs they lay is genetics and not nutrition then they are getting enough nutrition for all of their other needs too.
Edit to add: about expecting 150 eggs per year. The book has a chart with the total number of eggs produced divided by the total number of layers (both from USDA records, so these are only farms with enough layers for the USDA to track; not all the family-sized flocks. The average in the US in 1948 was 162 - the six regions varied from 133 to 183. Up pretty consistently each year from 1925-1928 when it was 117 with regions varying from 109 to 131.
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