BREEDING SUCCESS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22100, 4 May 1935, Page 22

BREEDING SUCCESS

THE " PERSONAL TOUCH w IMPORTANCE IN MANAGEMENT [fbdm our own corbesfondent] LONDON, April 13 It wns interesting at the conference on the production of pigs for bacon, at Harpenden to have the testimony of a practical and successful pig-breeder who h.'ltd not gone too deeply into the theoretical side of the subject. Mr. A. E. Lair, of Newborough, Peterborough, is well known as a prizewinner at shows, and makes a financial success of his vrork.

He .attributed his success first to his market experience—his endeavours to purchaise pigs for bacon factories which would as nearly as possible satisfy the requirements of the curer and the retailer.

" Your pigs," he said, " must bo tired right. You cannot make a baconer however well you feed. Personally, I still favour the pure-bred, large white, long in the body, short on" the leg, wedge shaped—but the point at tho right end —straight top and right underline (the barrel-shaped kind is never a baconer), shoulders fine, but not excessively so, because it often means loss of constitution and light gammon as well. The gammon ■ should be full, especially just above the flank. If you get it there you can be sure that your pig is lean Masculine Character " It is not always the show-winning boar that gets the best commercial pigs. Be sure your boar has a masculine head. You do not often find a bad boar with ft good head. "My breeding sows run on a free range of 3G I acres, and are with the boar all the year round, day and night. Sows uome in about ten days before iarrowing, and get settled down and accustomed 'X) change of feeding.

" I prefer indoor treatment for the young pigs, except in the summer months. When weaned I like the young pigs indoors and not more than 15 or so to run together. The best results are wiith smaller units. I find it best to treat all pigs for worms at weaning time. Pigs are weaned at eight weeks, except in the winter months of November, Decemfcer and January. " Those who have only a standard meal ration will not always show a profit. Our standby is potatoes, which we use practically all the year round. Then we feed milk, either whole or whey from the cheese factories, and flesh, one of the finest things to produce heavy-weighing and lean pigs. These cheapen a ration, and are sure to !>how .ii. good return if carefully used in moderate quantities. Kule in Feeding

" The food for young pigs for the first three months of their lives should Ibe the best obtainable, and the amountshould be all they can clear up in the first ten minutes. After that age I do not advise forcing them. " Your man must be willing and take .a lively interest, or results will not be satisfactory. The large proportion of my success is undoubtedly due to my man, who rears and feeds my show pigs, and who, I honestly believe, could feed winners, whatever the ration."

The Karl of Radnor, a member of the Pigs Marketing Board, bore out Mr. Law's contention that the personal touch was most important. He said that if his pigs were not doing well he changed the ration. If they failed to improve he changed his pigman. After that they generally improved.