PIGGERY MANAGEMENT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22960, 11 February 1938, Page 18

PIGGERY MANAGEMENT

NEXT SEASON'S LITTERS DIFFICULTY OF REGULATION FOOD SUPPLY PROBLEMS BY BREEDER One of the greatest problems confronting thte farmer each year is the regulating of the number of pigs on the farm to the quantity of skimmilk available. Frequently he finds that just when the supply of skini-milk is beginning to increase in the early spring lie has not sufficient pigs and has to buy some at very high prices; or that the pigs, in the flush of the season, are growing rapidly and are daily requiring more milk than is available. 1 Ho finds that some, at least, have to be sent away to the works considerably under weight; or that during the late summer and early autumn months the pigs are daily needing more milk and tho skim-milk is daily decreasing as the season draws to a close.

It is not an easy thing to regulate matters so that right through the season there is just the right number of pigs to cope with the milk without over-feeding, under-feeding or having either to buy more pigs or send some of tho pigs away as light-weights. This is one of the reasons why so many farmers make a practice of buying all their weaner pigs for fattening. But this is an uneconomic policy not only because under proper management one's weaners should cost practically nothing, but also because it can quito simply be arranged that always there is a constant supply of pigs when they are needed provided the start is made at the correct time. Once this is done things automatically keep to tho same time schedule year after year. Breeding Policy

As the-time is at hand when the sows should bo mated for next season's spring litters it is opportune to decide upon a breeding policy and start it off along the right lines. I give here a schedule for tho management of the pigs during each month of the year. March.—The sows should bo mated early this month to farrow early in July. After service the sows should bo turned out to grass and fern root or whatever feed upon which it is proposed to carry them through the winter. By now the milk supply is rapidly declining. The pigs farrowed last spring should all, or nearly gill, be away to tho works. This season's autumn litters should now be well weaned and the remainder of the skim-milk used to get these into as good condition as possible before the winter. April.—There is very little milk available this month, but the autumn litters should be well forward. They should be given what little milk there is and should be fed a few "roots" iu addition so that they become accustomed to the new diet gradually. May.—There is practically no milk available now, but the stores should be doing well on the loot crops—or whatever winter feed has been provided—especially if a little meat meal is fed out also.

June.—-This is the hardest month for the store pigs, but so long as they hold their condition they will be doing well. This and next month a ration of meal 'and a little codliver oil are splendid things and well worth the small outlay. The sows should be now close to farrowing and should be brought into their pens in reaiiiness for farrowing. July.—During this month the stores which are being wintered will still receive their usual diet. Early this month the sows will "come in" with their spring litters, and as this also marks the commencement of the milking season there is some, at least, skimmilk available for the sows. The young pigs will not commence drinking at the creeps until three weeks old—about the end of the month.

Rapid .'Fattening August.—The skim-milk supply is beginning to increase and a few of the store pigs should be put into the fattening pens. These pigs will fatten remarkably quickly. The young pigs still on the mother will now be drinking a little milk at the creeps, the amount increasing as time goes on. September.—Very early this month —eight weeks after farrowing—the sows should be weaned. About 5 to 10 days after weaning the sows will be in season again and should be mated. If mated at this period of breaming it is a very rare thing for a sow to require any further service. The sows will thus farrow their next litter early in the following January. By now the season is approaching its flush and all the winter stores should be in the fattening pens. These are the only pigs which will require skim-milk except the young weaners, which will not require a great deal. As the milk supply increases the stores and the weaners will be making rapid growth and will cope with the milk supply nicely. Ready for Works

October. —This month a few of, the "fats" will be ready for tho works and can bo sent away—incidentally to bring what is always tho highest price for fat pigs during the whole season, llie spring litters are now good forward slips and as they gradually require more milk, the supply of milk—now practically in the flush of the season — should be there for them.

November. —Prioes are usually still good for the fat pigs up to about the end of this month when they usually ease a little, but by then a good many of the wintered pigs should be away to the works. Those which remain, together with the spring litters (farrowed in July), some of which should by now also be in the fattening pens, will be just about the right number for the milk available.

December. —The supply of skini-milk should still be very good and the remainder of the wintered pigs will go away to tho works as baconera. As soon as they pass the 1201b. mark one can use one's own judgment as to when they should go away, as they will bring the full price per lb. up to 1601b. By .now the sows will bo close to farrowing and should Jjo brought into the runs in readiness.

Autumn Litters

January.—The sows will farrow the autumn litters early this month, but their litters will not require any skimmilk until the end of the month, and even then only a very little. All the previous spring litters should by now be approaching bacon weight (by the end of this month theso pigs will bo nearly seven months okl), and as the milk supply begins -to decline this month they should be sent away to the works a few at a time.

February.—The supply of skim-rfnilk is now steadily declining and the young litters are . drinking freely''at the creeps. As tho amojunt of milk available becomes •JessVthe remainder of the spring litters should be sent away, so that always there is enough milk for the young pigs. It is essential that they be in really good condition before the next winter. About the end of this month they should be weaned—eight weeks after farrowing—and. as before, from 5 to 10 days after weaning the 60w will be in season again. , / 7

I have naturally dealt very briefly with the activities in the piggery each month—the point being to emphasise the scheduled time for the pro-