BEST TYPE OF PIG.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 25 June 1927, Page 16

BEST TYPE OF PIG.

THE LARGE WHITE.

Recently the Meat Producers’ Boa I'd decided o'n the large white as being the best- to use for breeding with pigs already in the Dominion so as to get the ideal bacon pig. The London manager has written as 1 below to the board: “As no doubt there is still some discussion in New Zealand as: to the best type of pig for the. export pork business, I thought it might he of interest to you to advise that I had a long conversation with Major Orme, who is in charge of the pig section of the British Department of • Agriculture. The same discussion has been going on in England on this question, and the Department of Agriculture a few months ago sent- round a questionnaire to the National Federation of Meat Retailers as to the best type of porker pig for butchering, also to the bacon curefs in the Wiltshire side business and to the Midland bacon curers, who specialise in hams, etc. The answer to the Questionnaire was as follows: The National meat traders are in favour of the large white boar; and the middle white sow and the Berkshire sow in that preference. The Wiltshire bacon curers are in favour of the large white boar, the Berkshire sow. middle white sow, and the large black sow. The Midland bacon curei-s are in favour of the large white boar, middle white, and Welsh sow. The Welsh is an offshoot of the. large white breed. As you will notice from these results, the large white boar was unanimously chosen, without any preference for any other breed in the three cases, and the middle white sow seems to he the preference also practically in every instance.”

FAT CATTLE AT SYDNEY.

A letter has been received from Mr G. E. Moore, of Kai Iwi, Wanganui, New Zealand (says the “Australasian”), in which he expresses disagreement with the decision of the adjudicator in the champion fat ox award at the Sydney Royal Show. Mr Moore was the exhibitor of the Hereford bullock that took first prize in the class not exceeding live years of age, any breed other than Durham or any cross. The same beast also secured premier award in a special class for best fat bullocks or steer, classes 335 and 363 (baby beef) excepted. It is further pointed out that he was also adjudged ijy test over the weighbridge the heaviest bullock in the showground, scaling 2,4511 b live weight. In the younger classes at the Sydney Royal quality and maturity are encouraged in every way. “Surely,” says Mr Moore, “this should also apply to the older ones.” Mr Moore observes that there is a limit beyond which the natural partiality of a judge towards any particular breed should not he allowed to be carried, and invites the publicity of his letter. He says that the Hereford he exhibited was the best he lias ever bred or seen, and encloses some interesting details of his breeding and showyard record. The bullock was of unassailable breeding, and took three first prizes at leading New Zealand shows in 1923, three firsts and one special as a three-year-olcl in 1924, two firsts and one championship in 1925, two firsts and two championships last year, and two firsts and one championship this year. Interesting information is contained in the progress live weights of this bullock—in 1923, at Master ton, he (turned Jtbje scale at 12001 b; at the same show in 1924 he had built up to 17621 b; and at the Canterbury Show in November, 1925, be scaled 2,3481 b. He was sold at Svdnev, and bis dressed weight was 17401 b.