THE COMMERCIAL PIG

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21576, 22 August 1933, Page 14

THE COMMERCIAL PIG

RECORDINB CLUB'S WORK SECURING SUITABLE TYPES

BY OBSEttVICtt

When Mr. David Jones, chairman of tho Meat Board, visited the Waikato to investigate pig-recording work, which proceeds under tho grant from the Meat Board, ho made an excellent suggestion to tho executive of tho Recording Club whereby a rapid improvement could bo effected in the typo of porker being produced for export. Ho suggested that meat export firms select from the maiden sows sent in for slaughter tho most desirable commercial types, mate theso to approved types of boars and sell back to the farmer tho in-pig sows at a moderato price to cover tho actual cost of tho animal and of tho work involved. Mr. Jones had seen tho scheme in operation in America, where it was working admirably. Tho meat export companies liked tho idea and realised that it would bo an excellent means of bringing about an immediate improvement in the typo of export carcase, both of porkers and baconers. Tho companies could not adopt tho schemo because tho pigs sent in do not belong to them, being killed on account principally of tho PigMarketing Association. Even if this bo so it would bo thought that somo arrangement could bo niado with tho association whereby the estimated market value of tho sows could bo allowed for. However, failure to make any arrangement with the meat export companies led tho Recording Club to try out tho schemo on a small scale by way of an experiment. A member of tho club, Mr. Chilcott, of Frankton, buys in many hundreds of store pigs, in tho year, and as ho is a man who knows just what modern tasto demands, ho was asked to select maiden sows of tho desired typo and mate these to good pedigree boars. This was duly dono and over. 40 sows were sold to men who were in touch with the Recording Club, which was thus able to follow up the results. Thus far the experiment has been a great success. Before the sows were put to the boar a committo of the executive of tho club visited Mr. Chilcott's farm to inspect them. Tho committee was more than satisfied. The selected sows were of the desired conformation and were obviously vigorous types. They had tho length and fineness of shoulder in particular while they had the desirable depth of side, development of ham and quality of bone, indicating capacity under correct feeding to give the right proportion of meat to fat and ofial. About a dozen of the sows have already farrowed and have averaged to tho litter, while the little ones have been invariably healthy. Those the Pig Recording Officer has seen present all the indications of developing into the right type of porkers. A complete report on the experiment will be awaited with interest. No doubt an endeavour will bo made to secure a special dead carcase report on as many of the progeny as possible from an expert on export quality.