Fork and Bacon

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18255, 25 November 1933, Page 14

Fork and Bacon

INTEREST in the pig industry ia *■ the Gisborne district continues unabated, with market prospects still good.

The question arises ns to which, arc the best commercial breeds most suitaide for New Zealand condition:,, namely (1) to breed for porkers, (2; to breed for baconers. it has been found necessary to alter the typo of our porker so as to produce long, lean carcases with a considerable reduction in fat. With standard weights now set—namely, tiOlb to 1001 b l'or prime porkers —a good A grade carcase can be produced from the first cross Tam-worth-Berkshire, of Large White-Berk-shire, also Tannvorth-Middle White or Large White-Middle White. In ail eases the boar should be either Tamworth or Large White. Those crosses arc not only beneficial in producing good type porkers, but also in giving increased vigor and constitution. The crosses arc suitable butli for the local and export trades. In breeding for baconers, special attention should be given to the growing of pigs most suitable to the demands of the consumer and bncun(jurer. For a number of years past it has been noticed that the change in the consumers’ taste has been more marked than in that of porK. The majority of consumers to-day absolutely refuse to cat fat bacon, with the result that the bacon-curers have great difficulty in effecting sales. What aro the demands? In this country wo have a standard weight for bacon pigs ranging from 1.15 to 150 dead-weight with a maximum of 12 inches lut at shoulder and length of middle 58 ins. The curer tells us that the greatest demand is for carcases about 150 to 1401 b net, and therefore with this standard set it would not be wise for farmers to produce anything heavier. The same conditions apply equally to the export trade. The British curer is demanding a long, lean sido with a minimum of fat and with shoulders considerably reduced in size. He finds it very difficult to convert a short-sided over-fat pig into marketable bacon. To meet the position it is necessary that we should breed a pig to Satisfy all requirements. This is whore tho Tamworth, Largo White and Large Black breeds will play a prominent part in helping to produce good-type, lengthy baconers, both for the local and export trades.

. To-day there is no distinction in breeds for porkers and baconers, it is only a question of weights, and the same typo does for . both classes. Therefore,' those farmers who arc breeding' with Berkshire, Middle White, tamworth-Berkshire sows have only to decide.which boar they wish to use— either Tamworth, Large White, or Large Black.