The Pig Industry

Manawatu Times, Volume LVI, Issue 7065, 26 January 1933, Page 8

The Pig Industry

(Published for tho Manawatu-Oroua Pig Recording and Development Club.) Tho Manawatu-Oroua Pig Recording and Development Club has been formed to stimulate profitable pig production in this district. This circular letter to dairy farmers has been compiled in tho hopo that renewed interest will bo taken in this branch of the dairy industry. Pig raising has been comparatively neglected during tho past when rovenuo from other dairy farm products was more easily obtained than at present; but under tho stress of economic conditions now prevailing —and with no immediate prospect of any substantial improvement, every avenue must be explored that will assist in augmenting the returns from the land. In this respect, the pig has a definite place in successful farm management. This is being consistently proven by the return's of men who have systciniscd tho pig department of the±r business.

Tho club is aiming at so stimulating interest that all dairy farmers will incorporate rational pig production as a regular part of their farm management systems, leading directly to a lessening of tho cost of buttcr-fat production and increased revenue from the development of a profitable export trade. Financial assistance lias been made available by the Meat Board, which is actively interested in increasing our export of pig products, for it is well known that local demand is already satisfied, yet ample opportunities exist overseas.

This circular is thus advanced for the careful consideration of every farmer. Production Cost Must be Overhauled If the New Zealand dairy farmer and New Zealand as a dairying country is to maintain the prosperity enjoyed in the past, a drastic overhaul of production costs is essential. Butter-fat prices are low to-day; they are likely to be low, perhaps even lower in the future. It is vitally necessary for revenue to be maintained. This can only be accomplished by increasing production and decreasing costs. Only by reducing the cost of butter-fat production to the lowest possible point can tho constantly increasing supplies be profitably disposed of, especially if still lower prices than those ruling are experienced. Our prosperity as a dairying country is intimately bound up with competitive conditions of international trade. We sell our produce on a world market; occasionally a market protected by tariffs .and one where competition ever becomes keener. The country which will win out under such conditions is tho one which can produce at a lower price than her competitors. The adoption of methods which will reduce the cost of buttcr-fat production is, therefore, of national importance.

Pigs Can Play a Part The full and efficient utilisation of skim-milk as an important factor in reducing the cost of buttcr-fat production is not realised. The value of whey is overlooked. These by-products of our dairy industry aro still being wasted in enormous quantities. Their only value lies in what they will return from the sale of pigs and ealve's. The outlet for calves is limited the outlet for pigs unlimited. Every penny returned from skim-milk and whey represents a definite contribution toward a reduction in the cost of buttcr-fat production. Skim-millc is worth at least Id per lb of fat, with pork at 4d per lb —many farmers obtain more. Therefore with butter-fat at 9d per lb, Id from skim-milk will increase the return by 10 per cent. Is this Teturn worth having? That milk.and whey supplies are being thrown away, yielding no return whatever, is clearly indicated by the report of tho Pig Industry Advisoiy Council, which shows the position as it is and as it should be. As it is.—l sow to 25 cows; 301 b. of pork per cow; 101 b. of pork per acre. As it should be. —1 sow to 8 cows; 1201 b. pork per cow; 401 b. pork per acre.

How Waste is Occurring Apart from the many cases where farmers arc not utilising by-products, skim-milk and whey are wasted in many ways: (a) Excessive use; (b) badly-balanced number of pigs to milk supply; (c) loss through purchase of pigs in lieu of home breeding; (d) bad type of pigs; (c) bad management. * To the discerning farmer these need little amplification. Most of us must plead guilty to misuse of skim-milk and whey on one or more of these counts. What w t c do not realise is the reflection of such misuse in our farm bal-ance-sheet. When pigs have access to all thej can consume excessivo quantities arctaken. For example, a sow and litter under test, fed on whey exclusively under ordinary farm conditions where she was given all she could consume, developed the enormous capacity of 58 gallons per day; a ration wasteful of the product, certainly injurious to the health of the" pig, and 'sufficient for six sows. . In far too many cases insufficient, pigs are kept and supplies cannot be consumed during the high . production period. Purchase of pigs in lieu of home breeding almost invariably results in profit for the breeder alone, reducing the value of the by-produce far below that possible when the farmer breeds his own. By keeping more sows, breeding more pigs and carefully controlling fat rowing dates, this waste could be cn tirely eliminated. Slow maturing, unthrifty, and sec-ond-grade pigs also arc responsible for considerable loss, while poor management methods in feeding and housing and general care bring the same tcsult. What Recording in the Waikato Has Shown Four years of recording in the Waikato' ha's proved of outstanding value in developing a “pig-minded” sense among farmers of that district. Gieat improvement has boen effected in feeding and management methods. Farmers who have come under the influence of tho Waikato Club have not been slow to realise the vital part which pig production can play in successful dairying, and "the position as it should be’’ is already a regular performance of many. The work of this club lias

benefits of the 401 b. wcaner; (b) the benefits of good use-of clean short pasture; (e) the benefits of careful management; (d) benefits of good strains of pigs. Heavy weaners arc the keynote to economic pork production. Experiments have shown that the heavier the wcaner tho more profitable it is, requiring le'ss food and fattening more quickly than the light weaner. A 201 b. pig is 501 b. at 1(5 weeks, while a 401 b weanc'r under similar treatment is 1201 b. In other words, a pig weighing from 20 to 301 b. at eight weeks will require three to six weeks longer to make porker weight than the 401 b. weaner. Moreover, the work has clearly demonstrated the 401 b. weaner to be easily within tho reach of every dairy farmer. Good management of the sow before and after farrowing, the efficient use of clean pastures, both for sow and litter, the use of the creep system of feeding young pigs, and the limited use of concentrates, as meat and pollard, have proved their worth. Strain has been shown to be more important than breed —prolific strains have been isolated which arc almost invariably capable of quick maturity and economic gains, 'while others have proved worthless in those respects. By making it possible for farmers to acquire breeding stock on a basis of actual performance records instead of mere eye and pedigree judgment, pig recording is providing a much needed and valuable service. Wide Use of Meals Not Required Many farmers are afraid of pigs on the score that, purcha'so of large quantities of meals is necessary. Increased returns from the pig department of the farm do not mean tho wide use of expensive concentrate foods. Excellent returns have been secured from the use of skim-milk alone, while even on wliev farms, meal cost's arc kept within the limits of 5s per pig, with excellent results. £Tq bft continue dy