FARM NOTES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 44, 2 August 1939, Page 6

FARM NOTES

CURD FOR PIGS WINTER FEEDING TRIALS AT RTJAKURA In the report presented at the last meeting of the Ruakura Farm Advisory Committee it was stated that proposals were being drawn up for the storage of curd during the summer to be used for pig feeding in the late avitumn and winter. Curd represents approximately half the feed value of separated milk, and it is considered that if a satisfactory means of saving and storing it could be devised the present difficulties associated with using the dairy byproduce, namely a surplus in the pro ducing months, and a shortage of pig feed in the winter would be overcome a,nd with it many of the winter losses that now take place. Further, it is thought that it would tend to smooth out the supply of pig meats for export and relieve the con_ gestion of storage space and the rush of Avork in killing plants. The storage of curd and skim milk is not a new idea as the practice of storing skim milk a,nd buttermilk in brick cisterns is mentioned by Arthur Young as common in dairying districts at the end of the 18th century. Method of Saving Curd has been successfully saved by some pig keepers and poultryfarmers. Poultry farmers have, packed the curd in barrels and, drawn, off the whey from the bottom. Their experi. ence generally, states the Ruakura report, has been that strong curd is not profitable. It is better for poultry keepers to use all the separated milk at the height of the. season and purchase meals for the off season rather than preserve curd as they are favoured by a high winter price for eggs. When the Ruakura pig feeding trials commenced, the question, of preserving curd was considered, but it was thought that other and more pressing problems should be dealt with first. the staff is now in a position to do this work, and it is proposed to save sufficient curd in October, November and December to finish off a group of ten pigs for pork or bacon in the autumn,. Possibly the saving of curd may hot be economic, and it may be better to grow a small. area of roots for winter feeding along with meat meal and thus have sufficient pigs to use the whole of the separated milk supply in the summer.