Cal State Polytechnic College - El Rodeo Yearbook (San Luis Obispo, CA)

Page 31 text:

POULTRY DEPARTMENT This year, the poultry department got under way with a fine group of students and about 2000 fowls in the permanent egg-production and meat- breed flocks. The various poultry breeds represented were the Single-Comb White Leghorns, Barred and White Plymouth Rocks, Buff Orpingtons, Rhode Island Reds, Black Minorcas and Black Australorps, which fur- nished a large field of study and project operation for the students. From these birds, fine flock-mating breeding pens, two of which were trapnested, were made. Four pen mating breeding pens were also made. All the hatching eggs from the flock matings were easily sold to one of the nearby hatcheries, while the eggs from the pen matings furnished replace- ment stock for the school flocks. All the chicks hatched from the pen matings were wing-banded and pedigreed. There were about 1500 of these chicks which were divided into five projects. The students kept accurate records on each chick so that they could be used in determining the value of their parents as future breeders. One outstanding feature of this year’s poultry work was the absence of colds and other diseases. Through the interest in the flocks and their care by the students, hardly any diseases were encountered. All the birds were vaccinated against fowl pox and all the breeders were blood-tested for pullorum disease. The birds were treated from time to time for intes- tinal worms as well as external parasites such as lice and mites. The de- tailed and perpetual attention to sanitation was the most important item in the fight against disease. A battery house and two fattening batteries, two laying batteries and a battery brooder were installed by the students during the year. The poultry club was quite active this year in sponsoring several in- teresting field trips and played a leading part in the Poly Royal. An egg- laying contest was held in which the student project birds were placed in competition. Several of the poultry club members went out to Farm Bureau meet- ings where they gave entertainments and educational talks about poultry. The poultry department came to the front this year in the matter of giving prominence to its work throughout the state. As a result, many commercial hatchery men and representatives of equipment companies have visited the school plant, and advice has been greatly in demand throughout the state. As an example, the head of the poultry department, Richard I. Leach, conducts a monthly page in one of the leading poultry journals, and in- cludes in this page some of the activities of the Poly department,in addition to work being done by poultry project operators in vocational departments in many high schools throughout the state. During the year, three students left school to take up permanent work. Sol Montrose was employed as assistant in the large poultry enterprise at the Rosemary Farms at Santa Maria, where he is doing a fine job. Wil- liam Suttenfield and Leslie Vernon have gone into the poultry business for themselves.