Finding a Place for Pigs

Northland Age, Volume 6, Issue 29, 9 April 1937, Page 2

Finding a Place for Pigs

Department of Agriculture Notes by M. J. Scott, 8.A., B.Sc. No. 11 The improvement in the gross farm income suggested in last week’s article is so large that everyone interested will already have both asked and answered the question, “why are there not more of us farming pigs on these lines?” There are many obvious answers all more or less correct. Before accepting these explanations as the only ones it might be useful to explore a few of the less obvious reasons why pigs have not been developed in the way that is suggested. In the past it was necessary to make special effort in dairying, and the conversion of wild country into dairy farms was a full-time occupation that left little room in time or thought for the intrusion of other projects. This specialisation was probably the mainspring of success in dairying, but it kept a strangle hold on pigs. This was not to the advantage of the farm as a whole, and the time has now come when more thought should be de. oted to pigs. A farmer is seldom anxious that any particular paddock or animal should produce exceptionally well, and would not punish other paddocks or animals in order to get maximum returns from his favourite. By analogy no one can be seriously concerned whether his cows or his sheep are especially profitable, if the making of profits with them entails the losing of opportunity in other directions. It is the farm as a unit that is the chief concern, and if a

combination of cows, cropping, pigs, sheep, etc., were more profitable than cows only, that combination would be quickly exploited. In the past pigs have been so neglected that few know just what their capabilities are. There should not be any element of antagonism between developing the pig industry or the dairy industry, but efforts should be made to enhance the nett returns on farms by the ideal combination between two closely allied industries, pigs and cows. This can be achieved by growing more pig feed and having less cows. Use Pigs While Improving Pastures From a variety of causes there are still many farms in New Zealand that although now producing three, four and even five times what they were doing twenty years ago, are doing so not because of the excellence of their pasture covering, but solely because of the use that has been made of topdressing. If the better strains of grass were used in every place that suits them, a doubling of present production could be expected. Good pasture strains have not been exploited to the full, probably for the reason that roots —an excellent intermediate crop in the establishment of grass—had comparatively little place in grass-farming for cows alone, and for this reason the sowing of better strains of grass was deferred. If a ten-year policy of grass renewal were put into operation and the roots, grown as cleaning crops in preparing for grass, were used to feed pigs, the establishment of these better strains of grass would be almost costless

through revenue from pigs, while the possibilities of these could be thoroughly explored. Pigs Now Definitely More Popular During the last few years pigs have come into public favour in an almost accidental way. The industry has received stimuli from many directions, but the help that it got was usually what someone was prepared to give it, not what it most urgently needed. When the assistance offered was appropriate good results have accrued. Thus the organised marketing, fostered by both New Zealand and English interests, the measurement of carcase quality at Smithfield, the reduction on freight charges, the introduction of pig-recording and the use of meat-meal, have all helped the industi’y. On the other hand, the attempts to import grain, based on the fallacy that it would be cheap grain, has been of little value because even though the necessity of cheap grain was recognised there could be no assurance that it would always be cheap. If these coordinated efforts have been helpful, to the extent of making pigs a source of profit on many farms, how much more helpful should be a concerted effort, directed at the weakest part of pig pi’oduction. A better organised and cheaper feed supply, combined with better housing conditions, that keeps pigs always thriving, and thus eliminates most of our present losses, opens up possibilities of pig production that are not evident under present average circumstances.