REARING OF PIGS PROFITABLE VENTURE

Manawatu Times, Volume LII, Issue 3538, 21 February 1927, Page 7

REARING OF PIGS PROFITABLE VENTURE

Better Return Than From Milch Cows A “HOUSE WELL, GRAZE WELL, WATER WELL” [“Times” Special.] AUCKLAND, Last Night. ' “Acre for acre, land for land, labour for labour, pigs will pay you better than any other animal on your farm, and if you give your piga only half the attention you give your cows you will get astonishing resulta” So said Mr K. Gorrlnge. Instructor in swine husbandry, during tha course of his address at Morrlnsvillo last night. As an Instance of what profits could: bo made from . pigs, Mr Qorrlngo stated that a farmer at Rotorua had..';;; given up' dairying In favour of pig ; rearing, and his cheques were larger than they were with dairying -, despite the fact that not one-twon-tieth of the farm was occupied by > pigs. He did not‘want fanners to give up dairying. But by proper • management they could keep more:, PigS. Going Into detail, the speaker said that an acre and a half could gra*o : ; three sows and their Utters Of say- £ eight apiece. With two Utters P®*,;: - sow per year, and by selling them as weaners at £1 apiece (selling baconers would pay far better) proceeds would amount to : £4B, of which £24 would be profit. A cow required at least two acpres, and It was a good cow that would re- , turn an owner £2O in one season. cost of keeping a cow was estimated \i by one authority as £.13 a year. But he would allow £7 as this cost, leaving the farmer with a profit ££*• Pigs on an acre and a half would show a profit of £24, with prospects of much more. One of the problems was the tremendous mortality among pigs- in New Zealand.' InDenmart? there was a sow to every cow, and from eight to ten pigs per sow. The New Zealand farmer did hot ‘ breed pigs that were borne (average on ■ killing .figures being three pigs pet sow). By adopting careful measures and sanitary . arrangements, thgy, could easily ,double the number of :- pigs which they reared. The New Zealand dairyman help got into the habit of carrying dn father did. But he mnet realise that he had to adopt other methods. Hla< \ policy should be; House well, water. well, graze well ,and give the pig* : plenty of exercise. . v,- 'V&tiaj