MORE BACONERS

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23080, 24 July 1940, Page 13

MORE BACONERS

No class of live stock can be brought into production as quickly as the pig. There should, therefore, be little delay in meeting the requirements of Great Britain for bacon to help to replace the failure of Continental supplies, which, previous to the war, were the main source of England’s bacon needs. The objective set out by the Government—the extra quantity promised Great Britain—is 10,000 tons. The demand is for bacon weights, not pork. In the year or two previous to the season just concluded there had been a sharp decline in pig production, but the recovery this year has been substantial. To meet the demand for heavier weights, baconers have increased from 188,143 carcases last season to 325,252 this year. All but a very small proportion of this increase was secured by the North Island. The increase, however, has been at the expense of the porker output. There was a decline of 250,733 in the number of porkers produced compared with the preceding season, the total having dropped to 102,668. Unless the porker figures are to decline to bedrock it is necessary that there should be a big move forward in the number of pigs raised. The total production of pork and bacon in the last two years averaged about 40,000 tons, so that the additional demand represents an increase of 25 per cent. Apart from increasing the individual weight by about 401b, and so convert an unwanted commodity into one very much wanted, more extended breeding will have to be undertaken. It has been stated that if there is no increase in weights of porker pigs beyond that of last year an additional 160,000 baconers of 1401b weight, or 220,000 average weight pigs, will be required. This means the progeny of 16,000 to 22,000 sows.

The province of Canterbury is in a more favourable position to grow fattening feed than any part of the North Island. Pollard, barley, and various classes of roots can be produced “on the premises” as part of our ordinary farm practice. The idea that milk is an essential to pig raising fattening is gone. Milk is a useful adjunct, but there are other advantages that more than offset the value of milk.

The impression gained that a good few more cattle are being carried on hill country than was the case a few years ago is confirmed by the statistical figures of cattle “other than dairying” now being carried in the province. In the six years between January 31, 1933, and 1939, the increase was • just on 7000 head. Cows in milk, on the other hand, showed a decline of 10,000 odd in the same period. Though the beef increase is not startling, it shows the trend, and there is little doubt that with the increase of last year the total of 106.000 odd in the province has been increased. The cows in milk as at January 31, 1939, were 69,832, and "dry” 4230.