PIG CLUB DEVELOPMENT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19555, 10 February 1938, Page 10

PIG CLUB DEVELOPMENT

GISBORNE'S PROGRESS

SUPERINTENDENT'S PRAISE

LEAD TO OTHER AREAS

Praise for the manner in whicft the pig club movement had progressed in the Gisborne enct of the Bay oi Plenty-Poverty Bay Pig Council's district was given by Mr. M. J. Scott, superintendent of the industry in the Dominion, in an interview to-day. Although the Gisborne district produced only about one-thirtieth of the exportable pigs of the Dominion, it had one-eighth ol the number ot clubs.

In all, there were about 30 clubs in the Gisborne district, the Dominion total being between 240 and 250. The Gisborne district produced about 20.000' exportable pigs, the Dominion total' being about 000,000 annually.

Mr. Scott is on a tour of the district, and arrived yesterday from \Vairoa, addressing a meeting in Gisborne last night. This morning, he left on a visit to the Coast, going as far as Tokomaru Bay, mainly for the purpose of making contact with pig clubs and visiting the Tokomaru Bay freezing works. To-morrow morning he will leave for the Bay of Plenty, travelling as far as Whakatane tomorrow. He is being accompanied on his tour of the Gisborne and Bay of Plenty districts by Mr. D. G. Beattie, supervisor for the Pig Council's district

Last Night's Meeting

Last night's meeting was held in the A. and P. Association's office, Mr. H. R. Chrisp, chairman of the Gisborne sub-council, being in the chair. Mr. Scott urged upon farmers to take a pride in thejr pigs, to provide them with suitable housing and care in order to reduce the loss of 15 to 20 per cent of pigs condemned at the works.

The breeding of good weaners was important, he said. Ten years ago when New Zealand advocated raising weaner weights from 2Glb to 401 b a portion of the world had listened and the rest had laughed, but following on New Zealand's success more attention as being paid to this section of the industry. There were sound economic reasons for giving pigs good attention when young, and by treating die pig well up to 14 weeks the sickly pig would be practically eliminated, as well as giving it a better start for later development. Mr. Scott continued by referring to the necessity for good foundation stock. New Zealand pigs had been criticised as being too short, and up to a point that was true, but the production of pork and bacon from one class of pig was important and peculiar to New Zealand. When food couid be stored conveniently, the keeping of separateclasses of pigs was all right, but in New Zealand where skim milk formed the greater part of the ration, only one class of pig could be kept conveniently. Advance Registry Certificates

The Department of Agriculture was about to establish an advance registry for pedigree pigs. Thrifty pigs that would make No. 1 quality bacon should be selected, and points would be allotted for weaner weights, weight of growth during bacon stage and for carcase quality as baconers. Advance registry certificates would Be awarded those pigs coming up to the desired standard at each stage, and B certificates would be available for those reaching the standard in tWo of the three stages. A small fee would be charged for the service. Mr. Scot, referred to the great advance the industry had made, and paid- a tribute to the help the press had been in bringing the industry from its former cloud of obscurity.

Replying to Mr. N. Sadler, Mr. Scott said he saw no reason why clubs should not test and record the sows of their own members. On the motion of Mr. W. A. McCliskie, it was decided to recommend the department to fix a fee of Is for advance registry certificates to cover each litter. It was decided, on the motion of Mr. T. W. Sewell, to recommend to the Meat Board that all pigs be beheaded, split and exported as sides. Insurance Scheme A pig insurance scheme with a tee of 5s per annum established by the Bay of Plenty-Poverty Bay Pig Council was mentioned by Mr. Chrisp, the purpose being to insure sows up to the age of three years. With 55 pigs, the annual revenue was about £l3.

Mr. Beattie said that the fund so created was for the purpose of lightening the responsibility of the custodians. The action of the council in instituting an insurance scheme was, endorsed by the meeting, on the motion of Mr. S. Smithers.

In reply to a question, Mr. F. R. Bould, inspector of stock, said that the health of the pigs was largely dependent on the health of the dairy herd. On one farm, seven pigs out of 10 had been condemned for tuberculosis, while some months later 11 out of 11 were also condemned. A tuberculin test on the dairy herd revealed that the bull and several cows were affected with tuberculosis, and after they had been deleted from the herd the trouble disappeared from the pigs.

PORKERS OR BACONERS?

EXPANSION IN DOMINION

A recent statement by Dr. John Hammond, an English expert on stock breeding and diseases, concerning New Zealand's future in the porker and baconer trade was referred to by Mr, M. J. Scott, superintendent of the Dominion's pig industry, during question time at a meeting in Gisborne last night.

Mr. Scott said that the New Zealand Government had definite instructions from the British Government that the porker market was overloaded. For that reason. Dominion farmers were advised to" concentrate on baconers. The indication given was very definite. The statement attributed to Dr. Hammond that porkers were attractively priced was true, but the British Government had asked that any increase in pig meat shipments should be in the nature of baconers, and until Britain could give New Zealand a free market for porkers, we would have to concentrate on baconers.