PIGS AND POULTRY.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19332, 9 June 1928, Page 9

PIGS AND POULTRY.

PROFITABLE LINES FOR FARMERS. "For the smaller farmers," said Mr J. D. Hall, president, at the Farmers' Union conference, "the result of the pig-breeding and fattening experiments at Lincoln College are full of interest, and though cue year s work can hardly be said to prove anything, it certainly looks as if two or three breeding sows would be a \ery useful thing on any farm. Unless last year was quite exceptional, m some wav it certainly seems quite possible to breed and fatten grazing pigs without any large amount of skim nnik; whether selling young pigs as weaners, stores, or porkers in the more prontablo wav of disposing of them depends on the supply and demand in each case and also whether feed, such as barley or peas, is grown on the farm. ™ ire ? sows will breed and rear at least 3U young pigs per year, and if six of these young sows are kept for breeding, the number of young pigs bred the following year will be nearly 100, which is a more economical way of stocking up the farm than borrowing money to buy store ewes.' "We have a lot to learn about pigs yet, but in the meanwhile getting two or three sows on any land of fair quality, where there is shade, water, and grass to spare is the best way of finding, out what returns pigs will give. If you are going to give grazing pigs a trial, get good sows and take care of them during the winter. "What you can .do with pigs is nothing compared with what you can do with poultry: pullets of a good laying strain bought from a reliable breeder, as day-old chicks in September and reared in brooders, will start laying in April and give a net return of 10s to 12s each for the season, allowing wheat at 6s per bushel on the farm. These birds will do quite well if kept in the hen-house, except for an occasional run'; they must be fed .regularly on grain, wheatmcal mash, and meat-meal!"