THE BACON INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 79, 28 December 1925, Page 4

THE BACON INDUSTRY

VALUE OF PROPER FEEDING

NEW BREED OF PIG IMPORTED

Amongst the farmers in the country surrounding Palmerston North the pigrearing industry plays it part, and the district is considered to be an exceptionally good one for this purpose bv those whose experience in the buying, killing, and- curing of pigs fits them to express an opinion. During the past few months the Christmas demand for hams resulted, in the farmers receiving unusually high prices for their swine, as much as Bd. per pound having been paid for some time prior to the middle of November.

“We received heavy orders for hams to be delivered in time for the festive season,” said the manager of one bacon company to a representative of The DOMINION last week. “And, having guaranteed to fulfil them, the goods pad to be obtained irrespective of price.” During the busy period this company alone put through as many as three thousand carcasses in one week, and just before Christmas the number killed and dressed in a week totalled 2700. From the time the pig is bought by a company, killed, dressed, cured, and ready for the market some weeks must necessarily elapse, and after the date mentioned any pigs bought could not be prepared in time for Christmas, and consequently the price naid to the farmer then fell to its present good figure of 6d. per pound. Notwithstanding rumours to the effect that this price would recede shortly to sd. or s|d. per pound, it was authoritatively stated that the price of 6d. would be maintained. Demand Exceeds Supply. Although the producer generally receives cash on the spot or shortly after purchase by a company, the supply available locally by no means meets the keen demand, and it is stated that those farmers who study breed and quality need have no fear of a glut in the market for tnanv a long day to come at all events. The number killed at the Kiwi Bacon Company’s works at oLngburn and at the Municipal Abattoirs at Awapuni annually would be in the vicinity of 60,000, and if a supply locally were plentiful enough and of the right quality it is hardly likely that companies would look further afield when selecting their bacoucrs. Breed and Weight. At the present time the Berkshire pig is undoubtedly in the majority and probably its popularity has come about through the absence of more suitable bacoucrs. Inthis connection farmers interested in the industry will have noticed an announcement in The Dominion of Wednesday last stating that two fine specimens of the Tamworth breed—a boar and a sow—had arrived from New South Wales, per order of the Kiwi Bacon Company. This company believes that the ideal baconer, which should be streaky, with not too much fat, is the Tamworth-Berkshire . pig, and it is with the object of assisting the farmer by getting him to rear the best breed, both from the point of view of the producer and the consumer, that these, prize pigs were imported. The company propose selling the progeny to farmers, and if sufficiently encouraged in the scheme, further Tamworth specimens will be imported, with a view to the production in large numbers of a more profitable type of animal. A purebred Berkshire is considered to contain too much fat and to be too large in the body, which is sufficiently long. On the other, hand, the Tamworth has a long body, and the crossbred should prove a most desirable baconcr. This requires to be long in body, with small head and shoulders, and rounded hams. As regards weight, the ideal bacon pig should be between 130 and 1401 b., whilst those over 120 and laOlbs. are generally good baconers. Good Feeding Essential.

If the best bacon is to be produced pigs nfced more than skim milk—more particularly in the case of milk sent to the cheese factory, where every bit of nutriment is taken from it—and many farmers do not seem to realise tliis fact. Mr.- F. R. B. Chin, manager of the Kiwi factory, in commenting upon this aspect, said that the farmer would be well advised if he would give his pigs some kind of meal in addition to milk. Although he considered pea meal the best food barley meal or meal of any kind would have most beneficial results. Maize or wheat, probably' out of the question here at the present time, would suffice were it plentiful enough. Bacon was, he said, as sensitive as butter, and the food made a great difference in the flavour of the product. Pork Instead of Bacon. Tn the case of pork, feeding was not quite so important as the flavour was not so vital a factor. A number of dairy farmers neglected to give sufficient attention to feeding, and as n consequence pigs intended for baconers’ did not come up to expectations within certain time limits, with the result that they were sold as porkers at a Id. or Jd. a pound less. This practice on the part of a number‘of breeders was to be deprecated—it was neither profitable to the producer nor acceptable to the consumer, and the difficulty could be easily overcome bv a little attention to proper foods. No human being would fatten on skim milk, so how could the pig be expected to do so?

THE MAILS 4 Mails close at Palmerston North as under Napier Line. —6 a.m., 11.30 a.m. (late fee 11.45 a.m.). Wellington Line and South.—B a.m. (late fee 8.15 a.m.), noon, 2.30 p.m. (late fee 2.45 p.m.), 7 p.m. Wanganui Line.—6 a.m., noon, 3 p.m. Auckland Line.—9.3o a.m., 4 p.m., 8 p.m. Wairarapa.—lo a.m., 4 p.m. Australian States and the East, per | Main Trunk, Wednesday, Decembe: 30, 4 p.m. (late letters 8 p.m.). Fiji, Tonga, Apia, Pago Pago, Saturday, January 2, 4 p.m. (late letters 8 p.m.). Great Pritain, Ireland, Continent of Europe, United States, via San Francisco, per Tahiti, Tuesday, January 5, 8 a.m. (late fee 8.15 a.m.) due Loudon, February 2. Great Britain, Ireland, Continent of Europe (specially addressed correspondence), also Ciistobel (Panama Canal), Central America, British, French and TJutcl. Guiana, Venezuela, etc., per Mahatia, Thursday, January 7, 8 .ajn.