Pigs Downgraded For Skin Patches

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29916, 1 September 1962, Page 6

Pigs Downgraded For Skin Patches

EJLACK pigs are being heavily discounted under the grading system for porkers which has been in operation for about a month in Christchurch. Some of these pigs are being downgraded to blue stripe because of “five o'clock shadow"— mottled dark patches in the skin which are caused by black hairs beneath the surface which cannot be removed by scalding and shaving

The difference in price between red stripe and blue stripe at present locally is 4d per lb. but it is possible that in the flush of the season when an increase in the number of downgraded pigs would occur this differential could increase to as much as 6d per lb The percentage of porkers downgraded at the peak of the season could be up to 10 per cent, according to one estimate.

Black pigs are mainly in. voiced, but piebald and even

Tamworth cross are also liable to show the marking on the carcase after slaughter. This has resulted in black pigs being bought for pork in Addington fetching lower money and meeting a much smaller demand.

Although the porker carcase has been downgraded for this “shadow" marking the meat can be of the highest quality and only a relatively small area of the skin surface can be involved. According to several butchers, the amount of crackling eaten with roast pork is not great.

Blue stripe pork is normally regarded as of lower quality—'he carcase may be too fat or too thin—and there is also a' lower grade with two brown stripes. This is usually because of extensive skin blemishes and the carcase is skinned before the stripes are applied and the meat can then only be used

for manufacturing The downgrading for the hair showing below the surface of the skin, however, bears no relation to the quality of the meat.

If this downgrading continues. butchers, farmers, buyers and stockmen spoken to this week consider it will lead to a marked reduction i the breeding of black and coloured pigs. A leading buyer of pigs for the local market said this week that the amount of under-surface hair was related to the feeding of the pig. The hair was harder to remove from a well-grown hard-fed pig. which could show more of the marking than a soft, swill-fed pig.

“This could mean the end of the black pig." he said. For country butchers not killing through abattoirs or freezing works the problem does not arise and they ean buy on the hoof without fear

of losing money through downgrading because of skin colour and the farmer is able to receive payment in accordance with the quality of the PigA comparison of porker carcases in the city abattoirs this week showed that the downgrading of the pigs was not a blanket coverage of all carcases showing hair “shadow.” but seemed to be a matter of degree. Some carcases with a red stripe did have a slight amount of "shadow.”

One butcher has quoted a case of an 801 b porker which he said was of excellent quality in all respects except for a patch on one leg about the size of a bread and butter plate. This was downgraded to blue stripe. The pig was bought on the hoof and the loss has been borne by the butcher. “If they're going to do this fairly, they could have downgraded the quarter only," he said.