CALL FOR RESEARCH

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31047, 30 April 1966, Page 8

CALL FOR RESEARCH

Mr G. S. Meyer, who is finishing pigs off for bacon production in a finishing house on a grain-based diet, would like to see full-scale trials undertaken in New Zealand to determine the economics of meal feeding of pigs, conversion rates, and the most desirable composition of such feeds. With slaughterings of pigs down by 50,000 carcases last year and likely to be down another 35,000 carcases this year, and skim milk supplies for pig production dwindling with more and more milk be-

ing collected by tankers, Mr Meyer believes that there is a bright future for the expansion of production of pigs on a grain diet, but before too many are attracted into this field he feels that there is need for specific advice to be given to those interested. Six months ago, he said, he had offered the use of his facilities and a continuous supply of pigs to the New Zealand Pig Producers’ Council for this purpose, but had had no response from them. Because any major expansion in the pig industry in Canterbury would have no re-, mote connexion with the Dairy Production and Marketing Board, under whose wing the Pig Council came, Mr Meyer said he had a feeling that the

industry in Canterbury, at least, might be better served by association with the Meat Board.

As the most efficient converter of feed to meat and a very efficient grazing animal, Mr Meyer said it was a possibility that the pig could rival beef cattle for second place to sheep for meat production. At present, Mr Meyer said, he was not prepared to say much about the economics of meal feeding of pigs—there was a profit to be made out of economic feeding.