EXPORT OF PORK.

Putaruru Press, Volume XI, Issue 252, 18 May 1933, Page 6

EXPORT OF PORK.

FROM NEW ZEALAND.

Market in Britain To-day,

In urging the immense possibilities of the export of frozen pork from New Zealand to Britain, Mr. Pierson, of the Waikato Pig-recording Club, made the following pointed remarks during his address to Morrinsville farmers:—

Making Use of By-product.— Eighty per cent, of the feed given to pigs is a by-product of dairying that is of no value for anything else. In fact it is a liability unless fed to pigs.

Only 22 Per Cent. Exported.—Only 22 per cent, of the pigs slaughtered j are exported, and 78 per cent, are I used for local consumption. * Largest Exporter of Pork.—New j Zealand is the largest exporter of ' pork in the world, notwithstanding 1 the fact that only 22 per cent, of the pigs produced are exported. Continent Debarred. Owing to foot and mouth disease the Continent has been debarred from exporting pork-to Britain. What the Market Wants.—lf New Zealand producers hoped to remain the biggest exporters of pork in the world and to fill the .breach left by the Continent they must supply the pig the English market wanted—light in the head, light in the shoulder, with a good side and small hams, and not more than 80 pounds in weight.

The 601 b to 801 b Porker.—The 601 b to 801 b pig was most in demand, and it returned a halfpenny per pound more than the 801 b to 1201 b. pig did. Uniform Type of Pig.—The market must be supplied with a uniform type of pig. One had only to go to the killing works to see the lack of uniformity. There were short pigs, long pigs, fat pigs and thin pigs—no uniformity. Cheap Production. New Zealand can produce pork cheaper than any other country in the world can. Eighty per cent, of the food given to pigs, is a by-product that cannot be used for anything else. When Whey is Expensive.—When whey is left to be disposed of at factories expensive drainage systems have to be put in to take it away, and there is always trouble on account of the pollution of streams. One cheese factory not far from Morrinsville has spent £3OO on a drainage system to deal with whey that farmers would not cart away, and that was unnecessary expense. Profit from Whey-fed Pigs.—Yet one supplier of a cheese factory took £75 profit from five sows fed on whey last year. Why could not all farmers take the same profit instead of leaving the whey for the factories to deal with?