THE PIG INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 57, 30 November 1907, Page 3

THE PIG INDUSTRY.

. ! SIGNS OF A BEVIVAL. For some time "past a feeling has been' prevalent that the bacon .factories of. New Zealand have not beon conspicuously flourishing. It is encouraging to hear from Mr. Morton, manager ot' the bacon factory at Inglcwood, that at the present time at all, events there is prosperity. This factory, which does for North Taranaki what the Elthanr factory does for South' Taranaki, finds its output increasing very rapidly. Two ypars ago they- passed through the factory 3000 pigs, last year 4400 (a 50-per-cent. increase), and this ,year 6000 (a further 40-per-cent. increase)'. The ruling minimum price paid .to farmers is 4d. per pound on dead weight basis, but some factories pay for some lines as. much as 4j|d. These aro prices that satisfy the pig-raiser, and-Tara-naki farms aro beginning to become well stocked.'- It is generally: agreed that a farmer can get better value for' his skim milk' and whey if fed to pigd than if fed to calves, but we have not yet met a New Zealand farmer who had kept an accurate account. Tho coit of raising meat "varies with the mode, of farming adopted.' A dairy-farmer Vho grows his own barley." can raise pigs more cjieaply than one who buys. The practice of' depending on the sale-yards for their supplies of young pigs makes a further drain on the proceeds.- The industry is yet. young, and tho faults will no doubt in time be remedied. Mr. .Morton?" from a factory' point of view, .likes best a Tamworth-Berk-shire.'or Tamworth-Yorkshire. The Taroworth eloment', though, not a favourite with the fanners, is liked at the factory on. account of its length, lightness of shoulder, and fulness of ham. and flank. The farmers, however, consider, it a delicate breed. It is, on tho wholo, satisfactory to find that, at a time when tllo revival of cheese-Wiring is increasing the supplies of whey, the,outlook for pigs to consume that whey is improving also.