PIG RECORDING CLUB.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20600, 26 June 1930, Page 18

PIG RECORDING CLUB.

WORK IN WAIKATO.

REVIEW OF OPERATIONS. A roviow of tho operations of the Waikato Pig-Recording Club, was given at tho first annual meeting lield last week, in Hamilton, by tho president, Mr. E. E. Halo. Mr. Halo said that the Government granted a subsidy of id per pound on all pigs exported in the 1927-20 season with the idea of assisting the pig industry, but unfortunately this subsidy reached a minority of farmers owing to the fact that tho majority o£ the pigs were sold through the yards or on tho farm to proprietary exporters, who thus gained advantage of tho subsidy. Tho speaker pointed out that during tho 1928-29 season the new Government camo into power and withdrew the subsidy, and then mado a grant of £I2OO, at tho instigation of tho Scientific and Industrial Research Department, for pig investigation work in Canterbury, Manawatai, and the Waikato. This work was started in the 1928-29 season, and Mr. Hale said he believed that no district secured better icsults from this important work than did the Waikato. After one season's work the grant was again reduced and producers were fortunate enough to bo tho beneficiaries. Most of those who were recording during the past two seasons were beginning to realise the tremendous possibilities in the pig. It was a happy day when .the sudsidy was withdrawn and the small grant for recording work instituted in its place. Experimental work in the past had been too of con lost by being issued in bulletins which farmers seldom had the chance of reading, whereas under pig-recording work, especially where it was carried out in co-operation with a club, tho information was brought directly homo to tho farmer and could bo immediately applied. Tho objects of tho Pig-Recording Club, continued Mr. Hale, wero to foster and improve the production of fat pigs in New Zealand by co-operation in tho important work of tho Researcli Department, by field days, and by educative meetings. Addrossing tlio meeting, Mr. H. M. Pierson, recording officer of the Research Department, said that last year the club had only three litters of over 401b. at eicht wenks. This year they had 46 litters. The average per litter last year was seven whereas this year the number had been raised to eight, with an increase of 51b. per pig. There wero 19 litters of five, the average litter weight being 1871b. The average weight per pig was 37.41b. and seven or these litters were over 401b. weaners. Mr. Pierson strongly advocated the feeding of a little meal from tho time tho pig commenced to drink. This was the only way to produce quality The records were not sufficiently complete to enable him give the rektiVe values of tho different meals, but the value of tho feeding was undoubted. Experiments and research had proved that whatever the weight of tho weaner at eight weeks it would bo two and a-half times as great at sixteen weeks. Thus, if a weaner was 201b. at eight weeks, it was 501b. at sixteen weeks. Where tho weaner was 401b. at eight weeks it was from 901b. to 1001b. at sixteen weeks. It would thus pay breeders to get the weanor to the highest weight possible at tho eight weeks' stage. By adopting meal feeding from tho time tho piglet could drink, they could get their pigs to killing point easily in six months. This could be done by using what was known as tho " creep" method—by feeding tho litter a separate ration from the sow from tho timo it commenced to drink, say, at three weeks. By so doing the piglets did not feel the weaning and received no setback, as thev wore used to tho feed they were to receive after weaning. A motion was carried urging the Government <o remove all tho tariff on imported grain and other imported stock foods, to enable the farmers to produce high f quality pig products on a competitive basis with other countries. A further resloution was carried placing on record the appreciation of the aid given tho pig industry by tho Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and urging a continuation of tiio grant for further research work. The following ronimittce was elected:— Messrs. E. E. Hale, H. O. Wallace, A. Maise.y, W. Roach and J. L. Hodgson.