EXPORT PIGS

Southland Times, Issue 23026, 21 October 1936, Page 13

EXPORT PIGS

Feeding and Breeding for Britain ESSENTIAL DIFFERENCES IN MARKETS Printed matter concerning the feeding and breeding of pigs under New Zealand conditions is hardly to be found in Great Britain, where books and other publications naturally refer in most cases to the circumstances existing here. The best information will probably be obtainable from Professor Riddet, writes a Glasgow correspondent. Generally speaking, however, the main principles concerned are fairly straightforward. In the first place, there is an essential difference between the markets for bacon and for pork. For the latter a rather earlier maturing nig is required than for bacon. For this purpose, the Berkshire crossed with the Tamworth or the Large White is very suitable. By itself it is a breed which tends to be rathe? on the short side, and unless fed very carefully it may be too fat. For bacon, on the other hand, the Tamworth x Large White cross or the purebred Large White is the better type of pig on account of the much greater length and thinner back fat. The weight at which pigs should be killed is of considerable importance if market requirements are to be met. While there are several different weight categories for pork pigs in Great Britain, the class which New Zealand exporters should aim at is the smallest London (Smithfield) pork, which means a carcass of from 60 to 80 lb. This comes from a pig from 90 to

1201 b alive, which weights should be obtained at from 15 to 20 weeks of age. For bacon, on the other hand, the greatest demand is for a carcass which will provide a lean sizeable side of Wiltshire bacon. This is made from a carcass from 140 to 1701 b represented by 195 to 2201 b alive. On the other hand there is also a considerable trade in Great Britain for a heavier pig weighing about 220 to 2501 b alive. This is used to provide hams for the Yorkshire ham trade while the rest of the side is made into Midland cut bacon. Feeding Conditions.

Feeding conditions vary very considerably between this country arid New Zealand. In Great Britain the principal source of pig foods are the cereals, which supply the starchy constituent in a feed. Protein supplements such as fish meal, meat meal and milk are scarce and consequently expensive. In New Zealand, on the other hand, separated milk and meat meal are both abundant and cheap while barley and maize meal are not too easily obtainable. This means that under New Zealand conditions a much more pro-tein-rich ration is fed, and this is essentially a ration which suits younger animals, or older animals of a more early maturing type. Consequently, conditions in New Zealand are specially favourable to the production of pork. On the other hand the market for pork in Great Britain is one which is limited, whereas the outlet for bacon pigs is very, large in view of the decision of this country to place home and Dominion supplies before foreign supplies. While New Zealand conditions favour the production of pork, they are also such as to produce a high quality bacon carcass, and provided that more importance is placed on the Large White and its crosses for this purpose, the general type of feeding can remain very much the same.