Value of Pigs

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18587, 22 December 1934, Page 13

Value of Pigs

COME farmers in the past have looked askance at suggestions that pigs could be made to produce an addb tional 2d a lb. butterfat on the farm, but this contention is borne out by the Manawatu results, seven of the farms showing returns of from Hd to 2d. n lb. butterfat.

The average pay-out for butterfat for the KW2-33 soason is taken ns 10d, the extra 2d a lb. obtained from pigs represents no less than a 20 per cent, increase on butterfat - returned over the farm which makes no use of by-products for the rearing of pigs.

“Most will agree," states a commentary on this, “that the cost of butterfat (production is at least Bd. a lb. The greater part, of the returns from pig fattening on separated milk represents profit. 'Where the farmer is receiving, say, fld a lb. for his butterfat —a price probably greater than will be received during the present season—and is producing Jib of pig flesh a lb of buttorfat, he is making a greater nonreturn fr,om his separated milk than he is from his butterfat."

That statement crystallises tho whole situation with regard to pigs. Even with low prices for pigs, it is possible to increase the output because they utilise dairy by-products. In fact, they represent one of the very few possible ways in which farmers can offset the present, low prices for butterfat.