§ Mr. Yorkasked the Minister of Agriculture what is the average weight of feedingstuffs in pounds required to feed a laying hen, plus her replacement, for one year; and whether he will state the cost on this basis in 1938, 1943, 1948 and after 1st April, 1949.
Mr. T. WilliamsThe average weight of feedingstuffs, excluding green food and grit, required to feed a laying hen plus her replacement for one year is approximately one hundredweight. Costs of feedingstuffs vary considerably from farm to farm depending, amongst other things, on the proportion of home-grown and purchased feeds. For a comparative series, specimen costs during 1938, 1943, and 1948 may be taken as 9s. 2d., 17s. 6d. and 20s. per hundredweight. The corresponding cost in 1949 should be about 24s. if the average poultry ration remains of substantially the present composition.