THE PEDIGREE PIG

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21698, 13 January 1934, Page 18

THE PEDIGREE PIG

BEST COMMERCIAL' TYPE IMPORTANCE OF STRAIN " For any purpose, whether it be for breeding, or fattening, the properly-fed, good pedigree pig is a far better financial proposition than the average crossbred animal of indifferent breeding," said Mr. H. M. Peirson, recording officer for the Waikato Pig-Recording Club, in a recent lecture, writes the Waikato correspondent of the Weekly News. Mr. Peirson urged farmers and others to breed only from good pedigree stock, and to fatten only good pedigree pigs., or the progeny of pedigree pigs of two different breeds.

It was amazing how widespread was the belief that pedigree breeding was only a fad, and that the points striven after by supporters of different breeds were only of importance for show purposes, Mr. Peirson said. There was a great deal in ancestry, especially if pigs of absolute uniformity were desired, apart altogether from quality. Nothing was known of the ancestry of the majority of' the pigs in New Zealand. Information required of the utility value of the animals and only recording would do this. It had been ascertained from the records ot the Waikato Pig-Recording Club that strain played a far greater part than breed in. the economio production of pig meat. Pig-recording could be of tremendous value to the pig industry in assisting breeders to discover the economic and early-maturing strains. Many breeders made exaggerated claims for their particular breeds, but unless they had the right strain, they could not hope to breed satisfactory porkers and baconers. Production of Meat Mr. Peirson said a good pedigree pig was the offspring of a boar and a sow which were suitably mated, and which were selected because they possessed the desired characteristics in a marked degree. Among these characteristics, was the capacity to convert a given quantity of food into the maximum quantity of meat. When pigs were bred that were better than their progenitors,, the breeder would be developing animals along the right lines. In this way_ it was °possible to produce pigs which would not only grow at a great rate, but which would maintain their condition with a small amount of food. Animals of sound constitution, with fine shoulders, the greatest depth, and the best hams, were wanted and were being produced by the best breeders. Mr. Peirson said that if the pig industry of New Zealand was to be built up on sound economical lines, and return the farmer the maximum results of his efforts, it was imperative to incorporate the pedigree pig as one of its foundations. The keystones of the industry should be quality, uniformity, i and economy. This could be achieved by using good pedigree pigs with a record of production, which could only be obtained by a uniform method of recording pedigree pigs. The extraordinary place Denmark, had achieved in the production of bacon for export had been brought about by the adoption of a national system of recording pigs. Question oi Price

An important factor in marketing good pedigree pigs was that they should be offered at a price which, while giving the breeder a fair profit, should also assure to the buyer the opportunity of making a fair return when using the purchase for ordinary commercial purposes. The speaker said there was a good deal of prejudice against pedigree pigs owing to the prevalence of the idea that they had to be specially fed, housed, and managed. This was fallacious. The best breeders reared and fed their pigs in the same way that every farmer should rear and feed his pigs. The over-fed, and pampered pig paid nobody. Points of real cash value in the right kind of pig were: Head of medium length; wide between the ears; chest wide and deep; quarters long, wide, and not drooping; hams well filled to hocks; and tail set high. These points -were of the utmost importance to the commercial pig-keeper. Where pigs were bred to stand all weathers, and were kept in the open with plenty of fresh and exercise, they became healthy and hardy in themselves and were highly resistant to disease. The farmer gained, too, in prolificacy and milk yield, for in hi 3 own interest the farmer should keep only hi 3 most prolific sows and those that were the best mothers. Mutual Benefit

Pigs of the right type had been proved to be capable of digesting a larger proportion of any given food than animals of indifferent breeding. It was of the utmost importance that breeders of good pigs should make them available to purchasers at reasonable prices. If this were done, the breeder, the purchaser, and the industry as a whole would benefit. More pork could be sold if better pork were available. Farmers frequently complained of the low prices that often ruled in the saleyard, but when the risk of the purchaser was taken into consideration, the fact that prices were sometimes on the low side was not surprising. Pigs, when killed, often disclosed tainted an.d discoloured carcases, and this knowledge depreciated the price level all round. In the special porker class provided at the Waikato Agricultural and Pastoral Association's last summer show, 30 pigs of different breeds were entered. The pigs were weighed on arrival at the show, and also at the Horotiu Freezing Works immediately prior to slaughter next day. The loss between live and dead-weight varied from 25 per cent to 40 per cent. This would serve to show that the saleyard buyer had to allow for a wide margin when estimating the weight and quality of the piga offering. Mr. Peirson advised pig breeders to dispose of any misshapen, heavy-feeding and slow-growing pigs, and replace them with good pedigree pigs conforming to the ideal shape, with fine jowl and shoulder, long, level back, welldeveloped belly, strong loin and quarters, good hams and fine bone. By following this advice, the industry would be developed on sound, economic lines.