Normal Procedure.

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 90, 20 November 1939, Page 5

Normal Procedure.

"Under the present arrangement all the pigs now on hand can be killed just as in a normal season. It will not be necessary to carry any extra pigs through the winter, nor can the present conditions be made a reasonable excuse lor reducing the number of pigs born during the com-

ing season

"Farmers who have acted promptly on the suggestion that extra crops should be grown have given good servicc to the industry. It is only

by growing extra crops for pigs that there is really any increase in production, which is increasingly limited by a shortage of feed in winter. The same absence of grown crops is at the bottom of the light or emaciated 401b porkers killed in May. For years past this class of animal has become an increasing source of loss to the industry. It cannot now be accepted for slaughter. Quite apart from emergency conditions, farmers would be doing themselves a good turn by making these pigs heavier. It is now imperative for them to do so, and the only way to do it is to grow more crops. 30/- Per Cow Per Annum. "Records just to hand for the year 1938-39 from 350 farms all over New Zealand show that farmers who grow no crops for pigs get a return of approximately 30s per cow, whereas those who grow roots, at the rate of one acre to every forty cows milked, get a return, after all feed costs are paid, of 40s per cow. Those who grow one acre of roots to every ten cows get a return of 50s per cow after pay ing all expenses. "The F. 0.8. price as announced by the Minister is the price that will be paid to the trade by the Marketing Department for pigs. Deduction will have to be made from this for collecting, killing, freezing and forwarding to F. 0.8, These amount to approximately 1 3-8 pcnce per pound so that the farmer is likely to receive a price approximating to 6 1-8 pence at works for first quality and 5% pence for second quality. Approximately 90 per cent of pig should be first quality except in the over 160 and under 1201b classes. Overfatness

in the one and under-linish in the other may result in more than 10 per cent of second grade pigs.