BACON PIGS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 112, 13 May 1940, Page 16

BACON PIGS

THE GRADING SYSTEM

The contention that the grading of baconers for export had been either completely abandoned or considerably relaxed was refuted today by the Superintendent of the Pig Industry, Mr. M. J. Scott, who stated that grading . was still being carried out "with just as much care as originally. There had been some modification but no relaxation. "Originally there were four weight classes of baconers with a 151b interval between each class covering the range of 121 to 1801b," said Mr. Scott. "The inclusion of 101 to 1201b pigs in the baconer class necessitated another weight class or a modification of exist- ' ing ones. For many reasons a modification was adopted, and four weight classes with a 201b interval between each was decided on. The standards of fat measurement were eased by one-eighth of an inch for most loin measurements, so as to conform to English requirements, and were made generous for the new weight class, 101-1201b, since excessive fat at this weight is not objectionable, whereas thin, light pigs are most undesirable. The pig previously classed as Prime 3 was classed as second quality.

"Grading percentages for all baconers and for different weight ranges are published each month in the 'Journal of Agriculture' There is a general improvement of about 2 per cent, in prime pigs whir*- could quite reasonably be attributed to an improvement in the quality of pigs marketed.

"Complaints an also made about the excessive numbei of chopper pigs and pigs of 161 to 1801b being sent forward. The numbers of these killed each month are also published in the 'Journal,' and the general increase in this class of pig over last year is again only sto 6 per cent. When consideration is given to the acute shortage of store pigs las. spring, it is rather remarkable that tlxe increase in choppers and heavyweight pigs is so small. Farmers had no option but to make pigs heavier,* and by doing so have converted an apparent reduction of 20 per cent, in numbers killed into an actual reduction of only 10 per cent, in weight of pigs killed.

"On the whole, producers are to be congratulated on the way in which they have adjusted production to new circumstances. They have made a real effort to do all that was asked of them at a time when a shortage of pigs made that difficult; they have increased the amount of bacon by at least 30 per cent, and the really heavy pigs by less than 6 per cent.

"Approximately a whole year elapses from the time sews are served till pigs are killed, so that a decline in killings in any month is the result of decisions made and action taken a year previously. Killings will probably continue to decline up till December of this year, but present indications are that an increase will occur after January, 1941."