PIGS FOR PROFIT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 69, 22 March 1928, Page 11

PIGS FOR PROFIT.

EXPERTS' ADVICE.

(By Telegraph.—Special to "Btu."l

WELLINGTON. March 20.

Kemarkabl* example* of inefficiency in pig-feeding have been brought to light by investigations of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. Figures of the cost of feeding in summer, collected from various groups of farms spread over a wide area, show the cost of feed per 1001b live weight to range from 31/6 to 43/(5. and of winter feed to run from 31/1 to 103/ per day. The feed necessary to produce 1001b live weight increase also ranged from 3241b of meatmeal, moose meal and potatoes to 10771b of meat meal, barley and artichokes.

i It is pointed out by the Department that in the dairying districts, unless pork is more than 6d per lb, barley at 5/ per bushel cannot be used. Barley cannot be produced economically for much under 5/ per bushel, and when it can be used at this price fanners can feed with their present supplies of milk more than four times as many pigs as they are feeding on milk alone, and can double their profits by so doing. The extra numbers should make offal of some value and thereby reduce the killing and marketing charges.

Advice of the Government Statistician shows that the ham and bacon industry has made remarkable strides since 1929, the number of pigs having just doubled in seven years. In 1920 there were 266.000 pigs in the Dominion, in 1927 there were 520,000. Seven years ago there were 30 pigs to every 100 cows in the country, to-day there are 40. In six years the number of. purebred Berkshire pigs in the Dominion has risen from 66,000 to 101,000. Pure Yorkshire have been stationary, but crossbreds show an increase of 120,000. Between 1923 and 1927 the pigs slaughtered increased from 280,000 to 444,000.