STRATFORD FARMERS SCHOOL

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 22 May 1923, Page 3

STRATFORD FARMERS SCHOOL

4 LECTURE NO. VIII. PIG MANAGEMENT.

(By Mr. A. Gorringe.)

j In opening Mr- Gorringe said that j there was much room tor improvement in the methods of pig fanning, and un- ■ I til these improvements were eii'ected! that success which was due to a vain-1 able industry would not be secured. He' considered that too often fanners went' to the sale yards and picked up animals without knowing anything about their, pedigree. When they got their stock they did. not keep any records of cost cf production. The Americans, on the other hand, who were making a great success of the industry, made n special study of the business, and left nothing to chance. . They gave special attention to feeding, and found thai a breeding sow cost comparatively little to keep. He said also that farmers generally gave too much for their weavers, and in the end got for their output much less than the pigs cost to rear. The industry was one that dairy farmers could engage in with little extra cost, be ause they had so much of what was required on the farm. He advised them to go in for it thoroughjly and stick to it. and they were bound to do well. The sow well looked ! after had big litters, which should average up to twelve, and these if fed well "•o-ii.-i return larro profit.*, even nt a moderate figure. If well done a sow would return a great deal more than [ a dairy cow, for on an acre and a half j three brood sows with their progeny i could he kept and kept well. To demonstrate the best method. Mr. Gorringe snowed a plan illustrating how best to subdivide tins area—a strip one-third of the area of lucerne, three stys, and the other two-thirds out up, one into oats, rape, crimson clover, turnips, mangolds, grass, and the other into barley, peas, beans, maize, and artichokes. Mr. Gorringe said that pigs could be reared in the open all the year round in the North Island, and urged en dairy farmers to grow more pigs. Dealing with %he business, he said that most fanners had their site in the wrong place, and in consequence lost heaviiy. Often they put the sty on the side of a. Jiill, where they wctiid get natural drainage, but draughts, made it a death trap. Often it was put on cold, wet ground, and pigs were mainly uiiprote.ted, with the result that, as pigs would not stand neglect, results were not good. He added that no other domestic animal would go back on the farmer so nmch if negleted. or if looked after would progress and prosper so much. They must, be keut clean, I for parasites attacked pigs readily, and ; the dust being full of them they got i into the pigs through a cut, through the throat, and in a sore. Therefore the sanitation of the pigs must be very thorough and careful. Cleanliness was one of the secrets of success. There had been, he said, a large increase in pigs reared, and thk was due to improvements in sanitation. Any bad returns were due to the owner's bad

management. The sin was the finest germicide known, and k2O minutes' sun was worth more than a week's cleaning. Care should be taken that they get plenty of sun and that water be not aliowea to collect, for nothing was so detrimental. The pig required a constant supply of fresh, clean water, and plenty of it so as to keep him in health. The ground for the sty should be chosen high and dry In a position where the plough could be used and a crop be taken off the land. The feeding trough and water trough should be narrow and shallow, so that" it could not be fouled. The fencing should be' good and strong 6o as to prevent trespassing. It shoiild be close boarded or .have six pig barbed wires, one on the ground and the others a few inches apart. It should be fairly high for the Tamworth, which will readily jump a low fence. Forage crops should be used as a maintenance ration. Pigs will always be content cn.euch a run, and will get the protein required for nutriment. Skim milk will be a useful adjunct. Sows should be given a clean, portion of the sty on which to farrow, and, a separate place each. No animal liked shade" more than the pig, and therefore this should be arranged, and also good shelter. It was remarkable how the sow would move from under one treo to another to get shelter from the sun. In regard to buildings, Mr. Gorringe said that the time was coming when permanent buildings would be abolished and a movable sty he substituted. From this system much better results would be secured. The sty should be like the letter A, roof and sides in one and all open to the sun, hinged .so as to open in fine weather instead of leaving closed. Or a common type was the ordinary lean-to for one breeding sow, about sft by 7ft, but 6ft by Bft would be a better size. It should be ■ hinged from front and side?, so that it would open out every way, keeping sweet and clean and clear of dust. The sun helped every way. It was always better to build the right type,, and let nature do as much as she could to help to keep the animal healthy. Pigs should not be sent to market with green fodder inside them, because this gave a bluish tint to the flesh. It should be cleaned out. It would be better to put them on grass just before marketing. < Rape had a high feed value, and had the advantage of lasting, but it wanted to be renewed. Peas were a good fodder, and artichokes were going to prove a staple winter fodder. rJ hey should be sown down when ready, and the pigs allowed to come in and go out as they wished. The crop could afterwards be harrowed and would come iip again, for once put in they would always be kept. Unfortunately seed was difficult to procure, but this was being overcome. Artichokes had been used for pig feed at his suggestion two years ago. It was far better than turnips, which were cold and had little of what the pig required. Artichokes had the highest feed value of any root, and were as good as potatoes. Eaten raw, they wei1© much relished by pigs. They fattened well on this feed, and came in when milk was short. The pigs could be sent right to the butcher off artichokes. Brood sows must always be kept in good condition, especially when farrowing time was comma and also afterwards, for they needed the best and most sustaining food. He said that the pig industry was one that deserved the keenest support, for it was very profitable. In the States a large area of dairying country had gone into pig farming and was paying well, even though the farmer was getting only 2|d per lb for his produce. The export trade was growing in New Zealand. People had had to give up pork and bacon while it was so dear, Imt this was rapidly changing, and more would be used. The future was in the hands of the farmer, and it would be necessary that he see he did not use the wrong type and have his bacon finished well. Inspection was necessary to secure the best quality.

The animal of the future was a question that needed great care. There were twenty-seven breeds, 6ix pure and alt the rest manufactured. It was n«(.essary to grow the ngfct typo or go out ot business. A long streais of lean with ft minimum ot rut was required. . -it Home they wanted tne Bt-Mb animal, ! and it must be got, on the market v-h the least cost. i<or pork pigs it was necessary to use a pure animal to pro- ( duce the pork quality. Early maturity i was required. It was different lor a. ; bacon my;. t There was always a strong demana : far purebr-ed animals, and these would .always be proiitiible. For utility, | ever, experience nroveci that the Taini worth will cross" with the Berkshire ' well, and will i;ive a good useful am- ■ ' mal. He believed that the best utility; animal was got by crossing the Tarn- ; worth sow with the Berkshire boar, and then putting this cross with a Tamworth boar, xn the pig for market a. litle more than a quarter of the Tamworth was what was required. Tins pig would save six weeks in- feeding, because it fattened so well and quickly. : The short-sided pig is the bacon worKer's horror in JMigiand, and it was es- . sentiai that the breeder should cater [ lor the Old Country. For this reason ' it was certain that a grading system woiud come before long. The export trade would stabilise the BerkshireTamworth cross as the ideal pig. if tue type were right the grower would get a better price all the time. ; in reply to questions Mr Gorringe said at *7 months a "top" pig couid be got and that it paid to get the big framed animal. He did not believe in putting grain into the milk. He advocated skim milk, potatoes ar.d dry barley as the best mixture. Maize and beans should not be used freely. Barley "marbled the fat and left the lean soft and nice. From experiments, barley shone over every other feed 3 but peas were close behind. If water were given first the pig would masticate the barley. Perhaps a little meal might be mixed with the milk. It was important that the food should be cooked. lief erring to cannibalistic tendencies in a sow, he said that these arose (1) if the sow were iv a constipated condition ; (2) if the little pigs sucked with their sharp teeth; (3)" if the sow ate the after-birth. He advocated giving regular doses of salts or castor oil to the breeding saw, and linseed meal would help. He strongly advised breeders to be kind to and pet the brood sow, which got to know the voice, and never to forget when once heard. It was wise, and indeed necessary, to take out the two little teeth in the new-horn pigs so that they did not cut the sow's toats when sucking. Various precautions against cannibal tendencies were described as the result of the lecturer's experience. These, he said, he had found always effective. in conclusion, he urged all dairy farmers to keep -some pigs and give them all the attention possible. It would be found that this would pay handsomely.