PIG FARMING

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 April 1943, Page 2

PIG FARMING

PROGRESS ON WEST COAST.

Satisfaction with the development of the pig industry on the West Coast was expressed in an interview with a “Star” representative by Mr. H. W. Mclntosh, Supervisor for the Canterbury District Pig Council, who has just concluded an extensive tour of South Westland. The quality of the animals produced on some of the farms of Westland had put the industry on the map so far as the Coast .was concerned, he said. As evidence, one could find Large Whites from Barrytown in Dunedin, Waimate, Methven,, and -North Canterbury; Rotomanu Berkshires from Kaikoura to Waimate and from Nelson to the centre of the North Island; and Tarnworths from Waitaha went to Canterbury. “When I first visited Westland about six years ago to commence instruction as Supervisor for the new-ly-formed Canterbury District Pig Council I found Westland as backward as any of the four provinces in our territory,” said Mr. Mclntosh, “ft was felt that the first work to undertake was to establish in each dairying district a pig-breeding station oi’ Pig Club, enabling farmers to purchase cheaply young breeding stock of proven strain in any breed. As the result of the first series of meetings nine clubs were started. Later good pedigree sows and boars were brought from outside districts and in due time their young progeny was distributed amongst the farmers. Considerable difficulty was experienced in some districts owing to the pigs not being acclimatised, but today that has been overcome through culling and selecting and breeding only from the best. “The improvement in the type of baconers going to the saleyards and freezing works to-day has exceeded my expectations, although there are still many farmers who have some bad strains of pigs. Recently at a North Canterbury freezing works I saw a truck of 63 baconers . from South Westland which was definitely the best line I have ever seen in New Zealand, and many other interested men'said the same. They were not from one farm, but from 12 farms, and every pig was either from a club sow by a club boar or by a club boar. These farmers are to be complimented upon the job they are doing. On this trip I was pleased to find many farmers talking about their pigs record of production similar to the herd-testing records. This is the essence of progress. The pig to these farmers is not a sump for sour milk, but a factory to convert 95 per cent of a cows’ produce into meat.”

EXCELLENT STOCK Elaborating on the progress achieved, Mr. Mclntosh stated that at Earrytown there was a Large White boar from Australia, whose mother won the Sydney Royal Show Championship. Hari Hari and Koiterangi bad Tamworths from stock recently imported from England and Australia. Rotomanu and Hari Hari Berkshires were from stock recently imported from Canada, Australia, and Tasmania. An outstanding type of Berkshire boar at Waimate, purchased from Mr. P. J. McLean’s farm at Hari Hari, had performed the unprecedented record of producing 1742 splendidtype pigs in 21 years. In every instance the stock sent from the Coast had given outstanding satisfaction. Successful pig production required housing, feeding, and breeding. “Unfortunately there is not one suitable house for fattening pigs that I have seen on the Coast, but many of the right type are being built this Winter in South Westland. These farmers will find they will not only produce more pigs on the usual amount of food, but will have fewer losses from deaths at farrowing time, and fatten the pigs more quickly. There are many plans in a bulletin issued by the Department of Agriculture, but unfortunately, none is ideally suited for _ the Coast. The best plan can be obtained from the Inspector of Stock, Greymouth.” ■ Asked if the farmers on the Coast could gain anything by sending to Christchurch or the North Island for better pig breeding stock, Mr. Mclntosh said: “Definitely not. Here on the Coast you have all the best strains that have ever come into New Zealand, and they had to prove their reproducing qualities before I sent them over here. Some imported strains have done more harm than good, consequently they have been culled before' their stock got over here, so farmers on the Coast could go further and fair worse. What is more, the pigs born here are acclimatised and that is very important for the farmers to know.” Asked what means a farmer has in Westland to locate these good sows and boars, Mr. Mclntosh stated that any farmer had only to drop a note to Mr. J. Fleming, Inspector of Stock, Greymouth, or to himself, at Box 639 Christchurch, and they would be happy to give all the information required. No charge was made.