FARM NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2363, 8 June 1899, Page 7

FARM NOTES.

THE TAMWORTH PIG.^

So much has been heard of the Tamworth pig and its prospects a? a profitable breed for Australia that the following article from " Hoard's Dairyman " will doubtless find many appreciative readers* — The most profitable pig to breed this year and hereafter is without question the Tamworth. The Tamworth is the pig par excellence for the packer and feeder. Its length and depth of body are so pronounced that no breed of pig can approach it in these important respects. Its shoulder is light, but deep through the chest and wide between the forward legs, giving it the indispensable lightness of shoulder 'with large heart girth and great vitality. The Tamworth is wide behind, with strong back, and great depth through the flank and hams well let down ; and these are the points sought by the curer*

It is well to be cautious in trying new breeds of pigs, as well as anything else, and ' to " prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good rt ; but if this idea were carried to an extreme people would still be breeding the scrub. .More, the unexampled docility of the Tamworth can be approached by- no other breed. The T&mwbrth is more prepotent, has the functions of motherhood more pronounced, has greater precocity than- any breeds of pigs yet brought into publio favour.

The following is the standard of excellence for Tamworths adopted by the National Pigbreedoia' Association of Great Britain, and formulated with a view to the production of the highest quality of bacon. — Colour. — Golden red hair in a flesh-coloured ekin, free from black Head. — Fairly lone^ saout naodejcately lone

and quite straight, face slightly dished, wide between ears. '" -» Ears. — Rather large with fine fringe, carried rigid and inclined slightly forward. Neck. — Fairly long and muscular, especially in boar. Chest. — Wide and deep. Shoulders. — Fine, slanting and well set. Legs. — Strong and shapely with plenty of bone, and set well outside the body. Pasterns. — Strong and sloping. Feet. — Strong and fair size. Back. — Long and straight. Loin. — Strong and broad. Tail. — Set on high and well taeeelled. Sides. — Long and deep. Ribs. — Well sprung, and extending well up to flank. Belly. — Deep, with straight underline. Flank. — Full and well let down. Quarters. — Long, wide, and straight from hip to tail.

Hams. — Broad and full, well let down to hooks. Coat. — Abundant, long, straight, and fine.

Action. — Firm and free, sprited.

Objections. — Black hair, very light or ginger hair, ourly coat, coarse mane, black spots on skin, slouch or drooping ears, short or turned up snout, heavy shoulders, blocky build, small heart girth, elephantness, wrinkled skin, inbent knees, hollowness at back of shoulder. The Tamworth bred in conformity to the standard shows angularity of conformation rather than blockiness, and the fundamental characteristics of the Tamworth are in many ways similar to thos-a of the dairy cow. The law of milk-giving, red meat elaboration, and maternity is precisely the same in- the- bacon pig as in the bovine dairy mother. The Tamworth bacon pig shows a prominent backboneoand well developed vertebrae — the indication of large spinal marrow and- great nerve force. »

The Tamworth bred in the standard has a slightly prominent pelvio arch, showing her strong maternal power; and the milk-giving function is shown by her udder, of long abdominal attachment from front to rear, and well-balanced as to form, coupled with strong wedge-shaped digestive capacity, and her constitutional vigour is not only shown by her large heart girth, but by the strong navel development.

The well-bred Tamworth is a brainy animal/ This is shown by her long, lean, and smallish head and her bright, prominent, protruding < eyes. By reason of hei highly nervous organism she is as susceptible to kind or abusive treatment as is the gentle kittenish Jersey.

From the above it will be seen that the Tamworth is fundamentally a dairy breed of swine, and a> successful dairyman should, from his association with high-bred dairy cows, make a good breeder of Tamworths and a successful producer of fine bacon. The feeding of the young bacon pigs is essentially tho same as the feeding of dairy calves, and the bacon sow calls for essentially similar feeding to that of the dairy cow. The infusion of Tamworth blood into that of Berkshires would be a decided improvement.

RINGWORM IN CALVES.

Likt -mange (" A.GA' writes in Melbourne I leader), -ringworm seldom makes any serious progress among atiimalß which are well cared for. Diet cannot bo said &p be the essential cause of the disease ; but it is quite true that neglect of cleanliness places the 'animal under the most favourable conditions for the development of the disease. Ringworm is a parasitic affection ; at least, it is always found in association with a vegetable parasite, the Tricophyton. tonsuraivß, the spores and mycelium of which ate present in abundance in the crusts oi scabs, and also in the roots of tho hairs. But little difficulty exists in deciding as to the nature of the ( disease. Tho aspect of the scab is in most instances sufficiently plain to enable it to be readily' identified. In some cases the disease extends over the whole body, causing extensive loss of hair ; but, as a rule, if taken in time it can be. kept in check and eventually overcome. Treatment may be successfully applied to ringworm in the early stage, before tho fungus has attained such proportions as to make the attempts difficult to arrest its growth.' The first tiling necessary is to remove the dry scabs by means of soap and warm water. This having been done, 'the exposed surface should be touched with a camel hair pencil dipped in a solution of perchloride of iron. When the patches are very numerous tha <caustic solution of perchloride of iron cannot be safely employed, and the ointment of the red oxide of mercury is an effectual and safe remedy, which may be substituted for the caustic ointment ; the red iodide of mercury and coimnon mercurial ointment are also recommended. The object is to destroy the vegetable parasite, on the growth of which the disease depends, and this object is only difficult of attainment when the parasite lias multiplied so extensively that the powerful remedies which are necessary to destroy it cannot bo applied to the whole of the diseased parts at once without danger to the life of the affected animal. > *