THE PIG FARMER A BEGINNER

Otago Witness, Issue 3808, 8 March 1927, Page 12

THE PIG FARMER A BEGINNER

Judging from correspondence received during the past month it appears that more interest is being taken in the versatile pig. The beginner may well ponder awhile before seriously taking ap pig breeding with its ups and downs, and yet we are told there is money in the It must, however, be approached from the right angle, and in the first place the idea' that the pig /is; a dirty animal must be banished, a proper chance, it will be found tSat the pig is as clean as any other farm stock. Far too many men on the land treat their pigs altogether wrongly. They do not provide them with suitable accommodation, and neither do they feed them properly. The policy they follow, in a measure, is to let the animals look after, themselves to a large extent, instead of housing them and feeding all they want during their brief lives. Pig breeding is a useful side line on the dairy or mixed farm through a period of years, and will be more profitable when an overseas trade is firmly established. As with fat lambs, so it is with pigs. It is essential, in. order to get the maximum amount of profit out of a pig to treat the animal properly from the time it is born until it is ready for the market. A bacon pig, for instance, when ready for the market '(say' around 1301 b dressed weight) should finalised by the time - it is. six months old. It is essential in the , first place that the breeding stock should be kept in good health. According to Mr E. W. Pearson (South Australia), the breeding sows should have plenty of exercise. They should be allowed the run of a small paddock, where, if not overstocked,, they would get exercise and be able to maintain themselves if fed at times a little grain, oats being preferable for brood sows. They should always be ■kept' in good condition, but never should be allowed to become fat. When nearing' farrowing time .the sow should be placed in a good, comfortable sty and fed on slop food. After the young pigs arrived food should be supplied sparingly for a day or two. A .-little scalded bran with skim milk added was most suitable at this stage, and should be fed three times a day. Later the 'quantity of feed should be increased, and a little pollard and crushed oats could be given with advantage in place of the bran, and any green feed available would also be helpful. The young pigs should be - encouraged to feed from the trough, and, if vigorous and healthy, they would begin to help themselves at from -five to six weeks old. At about this, stage the young boars should be castrated, but the litter could remain with the sow for about a fortnight longer, when they should be ready to wean. Every care must be taken to see that the young pigs when separated from the mother do not receive a check. It is best perhaps to remove the sow, and let the young pigs remain in the sty in which they have been reared. They-should be fed at least four times a day for a few days until they go£ used to the changed conditions, but should not be given more feed than they are able to clean up. If any feed remains in the trough at next feeding time, it should be removed before another lot is given. After two or three weeks of good treatment in the sty, the young pigs should be ‘ turned out in , a small grass enclosure, ■ where warm sleeping quarters are provided. This treatment will ensure vigorous health. At three

months old the pigs may be fed all they will eat until ready for the market, the provision of ample clean water not being overlooked. The most suitable grain for fattening purposes, says our inform-, ant, was English barley and peas. Pigs, like all other animals, welcome a change of food occasionally, and are omnivorous. Crushed barley is preferable to whole • barley as a feed for pigs, and can be used either dry or soaked. Then pollard, of course, is an excellent foodstuff fed in conjunction with grain for fattening pigs, although bacon-curers preferred the grain-fed pig. Quality is the main factor which counts, and breeders will be wise to see that the pigs are of the desired type and in prime condition before placing them on the market.

SHELTER TREES ON THE FARM. Some thought should now be given to tree-planting. The area to be planted may be selected and prepared, due regard being given to the most economic method of securing shelter for stock from the prevailing winds. In a recent issue of the New Zealand Journal of Agriculture Mr W. C. Hyde deals interestingly with hedges and shelter trees for homestead and farm. He stresses the importance of shelter plantations, and urges the careful study of the local conditions before L any particular species of tree is decided upon. The climate, altitude, and latitude, and also the soil must be carefully considered ere planting commences. .He points out that present-day planters have a valuable heritage in the experience of early settlers, who have done important experimental work and demonstrated many successes and failures. An excellent summary of this work may be obtained free on application to the State Forest Service, together with methods of planting. It remains but to properly proportion the shelter plantations to the areas to be dealt with; while about the homestead some effect and economy may be considered by giving a little more variety to the planting and harmonising it with the usual orchard of fruit trees and nuts. Where a shade tree or group of trees are planted in a paddock, it is as well to consider the advisability of planting chestnuts, stone-pines, or walnuts, which, besides affording the necessary shade, also give a useful return in nuts. The two former do well on hilly country, and the latter on alluvial ground. Whatever plantations are made it is essential that they should be permanently fenced off from stock, which, if admitted, will very soon destroy the, bottom ’ growth and render the plantation worse than useless for shelter purposes. ■■

In regard to transverse shelter hedges, we may infer that this is a matter which possibly does not receive at present due, consideration, although the value of such shelter in certain districts is obvious, and it need not be of an ■. elaborate nature. Mr Hyde mentions a ■ number of-- shelter . trees and sligubs. which experience warrants praise or ’condemnation, as the case may be. 7

Lawson’s cypress (Cupressus lawsoniana) has grown into -high favour as a permanent evergreen shelter hedge -on medium to good land with a fait rainfall. Planted about 3ft apart, it matures into a dense shelter about 10ft tp 12ft high, naturally thickly clothed at the base, and'-tapering to the top in. a way that demands no attention in the way of trimming after it is once established. It is sometimes seen with a ditch on the one side and a wire fence on the other in excellent condition and entirely satisfactory. Its immunity from troublesome diseases is a feature. Lombardy poplar (Populus fastigata) deserves its popularity on flat country inclined, to be wet. Planted rather close it makes a narrow, effective breakwind with a minimum of , attention. Aa

occasional shortening of the tops ia about all that is necessary. Jts deciduous character is in some instances an advantage. The' value of this! shelter

tree is generally improved if it is intex> planted with a suitable evergreen shrub to ensure a close bottom growth. Osage orange (Madura aurantiaca), the bow-wood of America, where it is the popular- hedge plant in the middle States, is a small tree of something i the same habit as hawthorn. It is easily raised from seed and planted close (about 6in apart), makes a dense stock-proof fence not unlike hawthorn. It is free from serious pests, and has proved its worth in places in this country. The maerocarpa (Cupressus macro--carpa), of course, cannot be ignored. On good alluvial land where maerocarpa is' sometimes planted it develops into a very large rough shelter, <_.vering a great deal of land, but bare about the base, where shelter is most needed. Under such conditions it is generally unsuitable. On soils of fair quality Cupressus torulosa is a better tree for the purpose; it is of more moderate height, and the side branches are shorter and more compact. Without any trimming it makes an excellent shelter hedge. On lighter land the maerocarpa cypress often does well, and planted in an untrimmed row about 3ft apart along a fence line it is often found satisfactory. But with all of these cypresses that form such excellent shelter under right conditions it is necessary that they be fenced off from the traffic of stock, which otherwise very soon destroy the lower branches.

For hedge plants about the homestead Mr Hyde commends our own native evergreen shrubs, and mentions, among others, taupata (Coprosma baueri) as u.eful in withstanding the strongest sea winds; while silver akeake (Olearia traversii), of the Chatham Islands, is suitable for a hedge in exposed situations, and also tarata (Pittosporum eugenioides). Many other hedge plants are mentioned, but under certain conditions appear more or less subject to insect attack ox - disease than those mentioned. 1 inally, stress is laid on the necessity of preparing the land thoroughly and keeping it clean of weeds and all twitchy grasses for some time, and pari ticularly the need of protecting the young plants from all classes of stock.

NAPIER WOOL SALE. ADVANCE IN PRICES MAINTAINED. NAPIER, February 28. The fourth Napier wool sale, which opened to-night, was quite the best .held here this season. Competition was very keen, with a. big demand from the Continent, particularly France and Germany, for whom the bulk of the wools on the catalogue were suitable. These wools showed an advance of from Id to 2d on the last Napier sale, •while well-grown and sound wools advanced jd Pieces, too were eagerly sought after at an improvement of Id to 2d, but onlv good lambs’ xvool showed an advance, there being no change in the prices for medium and inferwr lam os wool. Crutchinsrs remained unaltered. . r , <• x- - March 1. Ihe fourth Napier wool sale was concluded to-day, Competition was again kesn and prices showed advances equal to those reported last night. The following is the range of prices:— Corriedale.—Average, up to Ugd. Southdown.—Super, 17Jd to 19id; average, 16d to 17id; inferior 15d to 152 d. Medium halfbred. —Super, 17d to 18Jd • average, 14.1 to ; inferior. 122 d to Coarse halfbred.—Super 16’d to 18Xd ; average, 14d to 15id ; inferior. to 122 d. ; Fine crossbred.—Super, 15d to 16.1 d ; average, 13id to 14Jd; inferior, HJd* to d. Medium crossbred. —Super, 14d to 15d; average, Hid to 13jd; inferior. 10d to lid. Coarse crossbred.—Average. 12d to 13Ad ; inferior, 10id to lid. Low crossbred.—Average, to 12d; inferior, 9jd to 10id. Hoggets.—4B to 50, 15d to 17id; 45 to 48, 13id to 15jd; 44 to 46, 12Ad to I4£d; 40 to 44, 10jd to 12id. Lambs.—Fine, 15d to 19^x1; medium, 14d to 17Ad; coarse, lOld to 132 d; seedy and -inferior, 5d to 12id. Pieces and necks.— 13d tp 16d. Crossbred.—Good to super, 12d to 14d; low to medium, Bid to Hid; seedy and inferior, 6d to Bd. Bellies, crossbred. —Good to super, 10d to Hid; low to medium, 7d to Hid. Crutch ings.—Medium to good, to 10id; inferior and seedy. 5d to 7d; locks, 5d to 6jd.