PIG FARMING.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 615, 18 September 1909, Page 8

PIG FARMING.

' A REVIVAL COMING. Ths swift advance of dairying and tho recent ;pasteurising must "surely'causo a revival 'inTpig Already, (even vritli tie ■ frequent condemnations' for .tuberculosis),' pig i ''p ra ? s ' n (> is admitted , to bo tho rent-paying , 'branch' of. tlairy lnirraing.; .When .pasteurising, which has/already, been decidcd on .for skimmed nnlk and :whey by a number ofreputable fae:tones! rhas ..become' general, it' will.; (as present results ;^T«':^6Ted)/°iUm€^.%iHpe : 'dnt' tubcroulpsis .'among..-those I ;pigs to 'which these,dairy ■: • '■'wastes'', are -fed. At. present - tho public of , - .New Zealand regard pork :and bacon with suspicion, .and -some /published • smteme'nts.Yas Ito ' x;, i ,extensiTe\coridemnitiohs.for tuberculosis'at cerj tain bacon' factories - .'that are under, voluntary ■ . inspection ..have tended • to - increase tho niisgivihgs with which , pig : meat is; regarded. The public confidence, however, can probably be restored by : tho wide' adoption of pasteurisation of.itheJ.ioods 'which . they consume, for" tho : public has a rather, strong,' though perhaps . vague, -confidence; in l.tho! .virtues' of tjie' : teuriser.. And pasteurising has, befn. shpwn by .. . tho experiments <of: the ))airy. Commissioner's "i~'% 'Staff'to ;b'e inexpensive. ,The pig has'coHie to v ,', be.-jbptter yby.'our; farmers.. When Vj it; reaches its deserts it must., certainly rank ."' "higher than' either 'sheep or cow; 'for it pays "IV"better.' Itsnatural-increase- is- nearly'-.twenty-fold.lthat 6f,:the'shebp or -the-cow;. it can be, converted into . money, after/ but a few months' / feeding/'aiid at :a ' pric'o' per/pound-which ;,-will ; . bear -comparison -with . tho price of 'any other : meat.p b'pp:-- :; P' y ;; ■: ; ;,;:It ig -doubtful -if .''pig-keeping^-has progressed ;■ V';-as;;,fMt:;asiaairy-fdrmiiig: ;; The;;farmer'who;.is v . junabloj to,.increase-; the size; of'-his, _ dairy herd .on^accqunt-of'-tliei^scarcity.'of'.goo'di'dairySstock , \ :,.oii^the^.lharkot', : is,'iortunatelyv not;hihdered: by p; a Similar V cause from bringing his herd of swirio up tohis'f nil; capacity to maintain'thom. In, these l days, of, yield-testing; :it is well ..to sit i. i.vdown.and-reiosnibor, that-the profitable use!of •;i,.'- Bkinimed ;nijlk''and': whey.',in,-' : pig'-feeding' may" '■ i.have as great an-"'effect upoii' the bank.balanco , as the ..elimination 1 of .the "robbor"; cows that V ;.'Mr. Cuddie's-men'would brand ; for rejection.-.. ' . Just as ,in tho; meat; freezing ;industry, it is :';sometimes 'said,;that 'all the : profit is made, out f -'i. of'the im(inures and-other, by-products, so may . the -.useful- but. despised 'pig ; turn ;the-j dairy. y .i'Aim's', loss into"'a' credit;'' Perhaps! it $j not- ne- •'; cessa^ ; ' for-'.the. -. Government to 'appoint' a; V. specialist the'j.countfy and:"tafk' : pig,". f.vf. as'.vras: formerly > suggested; but it -is: certainly / /important : just now—and always—far. each ;1' , dairy-farmer-to look around/nnd see 'that he ■is turning-!all !his; resources .into .profit. .These. ■'.. days; of • keon' competition 'leave no; roomfor, . waste. Authorities differ as to :thfe' type-*of pig best ) suited to the:", present v , New.' Zealand demand. . Tho ; Berkshire is 'niuch liked- for tho pork trade, afid a'cross of Berkshire boar with-white "Yorkshiroor, Tain worth b'ow isaccpptabla at ' ; the ■ bacon factories. ; The."Largeßlack baar .or ;'Berkshireisow also,.'produces,good ; growers,that .. are soon fit for .the. trade. .It. is said '.by autho- : -. 7 rities .ori / obtained. ; from largo;,litters -yield in !their .turn progeny that fattens more quickly;.and' more', economi-' I \/V;:caUy ( .than"the,-progeny;.pf.vsows'hdrh -in small ?.or/uji^.^ -: 'which may ; fdllowed ; ■'.up -in the endeavour to. im- /; .-;'.prpye; : the; ; prdfit-earniilg powers^of 'the 'breeds ing- sows. • : '* '■ il*; / .ViY -