MODERN PIG-KEEPING

Northern Advocate, 8 January 1938, Page 11

MODERN PIG-KEEPING

(By C. E. CUMING).

Australian Improvements, Two important resolutions have recently been adopted by the Australian Meat Board, which deal with matters affecting the export trades With the object of promoting uniformity of type for baconer and porker pigs, the board has accepted the weights and relative conditions and measurements as adopted by Messrs Davidson, Hammond, Swain and Wright, cf Great Britain, as a standard of excellence for baconer and porker carcases for export to the United Kingdom. The work of the investigators mentioned is now considered as most authoritative. The Australian board has also recommended that the best form of export of pig meats from Australia to Britain was in the form of frozen baconer carcases, and pieces suitable for manufacture into bacon and hams. The chairman of the Australian Pig Council has reported that there were great possibilities in exporting Australian baconer carcases of the right type to the limit of the Commonwealth’s proauction without interfering with the British scheme for the development of its own primary production. He expressed the view that by sending baconer carcases and pieces, Australia would interfere less with the British farmer than by sending pork. In this way they would be allowing the British farmer unrestricted possibilities of advancement of his output, and assisting the secondary side of the industry to reduce costs.

Pig- Parasites

Of the internal parasites of pigs, the round worm and the kidney worm arc found the most troublesome in Australia, and it is likely that they are no minor cause of trouble in this Dominion. The economic loss caused by these parasites in the Commonwealth, both in the growth of pigs being retarded and in rejection and condemnation of pig meat after slaughter, is reported to be very heavy. Worm infestation is the predisposing cause of many troubles in young pigs. Prevention of infestation is by far the best means of controlling these two parasites, and as it is known that one part of the parasite life cycle is spent on the ground of pig pens, the pig producer must seize the opportunity and destroy as many of the parasites as possible whilst they are on the ground. Fortunately, the most practical methods of controlling these parasites fit in well with what is recognised as good pig husbandry, so while provision is being made for their control, other aspects of pig raising, such as economic handling and feeding and general health insurance, are provided simultaneously. The objective, of course, should bo to keep pigs under the cleanest possible conditions and this necessarily means the grazing

system of pig keeping. When Hie small paddocks are either rested or cultivated in rotation the risk of infection is very slight. Old runs become “pig sick" and should be ploughed up.

British Pig Prospects

The prospects for pigs in England are interpreted with a degree of doubt by some British authorities. The inability of curers and producers to reach agreement regarding the organisation of production and processing, and the rise in the price of foodstuffs, have made a difference in more directions than, one. Fewer pigs are being kept for breeding purposes, although

this is hardly a serious matter for a class of stock that multiplies so rapidly and that is bred from so early. The real problem is whether pigs pay with prices of food and pigs at their pre- | sent level. There is. however, a timehonoured experience which indicates i

that the best policy to adopt witn pigs is to remain constant in so far as support of them is concerned. The man who gains most from pigs is the one j who keeps pigs in bad as well as in ; good times, for by so doing he helps j to maintain a stable level of prices

while 'the measure of specialisation that results from this policy is suflient to give an advantage which is denied to the one whose pig interests are more a matter of convenience to coincide with the market that appears to be profitable.