PIG BREEDING

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 46, 18 November 1929, Page 15

PIG BREEDING

TALbITED PORK TESTS "The complaints that have been recently expressed regarding the occurrence of undesirable taints in New Zealand potk aijd bacon shipped to overseas markets are now being investigated in‘a number of feeding trials in the Waikato district, and at\Lincoln and Massey Agricultural Colleges,” says Sir. G. SJjirteliffe, chairman of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, in his report to the Minister .(Hon. IT. Atmore). “Separate lines of comparable pigs are being fed on milk diets in which meat, fish, and grain meals, whale oil and fish oil. arc included. It is proposed to slaughter the xi’ial animals (in all. some 260 are on trial) and cure and store portions of the carcasses, and at every stage to watch all the developments for taint and other defects. Chemical and other tests will be made of the fat and lean, so as to fully ascertain the nature of any defects that may appear. Other tests are under way regarding the, reaction of pork and bacon to temperature Actuations in storage and to the possibilities of export of bacon frozen to much lower temperature than is used for other meat produets. “The finnl report of the pig-reeording investigations made during last season, he states, Inis now been compiled and considered by the special coihmittee set up to deal with this matter. This report clearly brings out the great possibility of imnrovements in this industry, and indicates that, provided better systems of management, feeding, and breeding are adopted, the pig can be utilised to considerably increase the returns accruing to dairy farmers. As was the case with herd-testing of dairy cows, pig-recording has revealed rainarkable losses through unsatisfactorj’ management of pigs. The remarkably large percentage of litters aggregating less than 3001 b. at eight weeks of age gives some indication of the extent of this loss to the industry as a whole.'