A Farmer’s Notebook PRODUCTION OF PIG MEAT

Southland Times, Issue 23948, 14 October 1939, Page 14

A Farmer’s Notebook PRODUCTION OF PIG MEAT

Large Increase Is Required WAR DEMAND MUST BE SATISFIED SOUTHLAND FARMERS’ OPPORTUNITY The Hon. W. Lee Martin, Minister of Agriculture, has made an appeal for increased production of primary products. He has stated “Food is just as important as armaments in winning victory on the battlefield. Therefore, i the slogan of New Zealand farming must be—Production , and still more production.” There is an old saying that “An army marches on its stomach” and although this may not be literally correct all experienced soldiers know that fighting on an empty stomach is most dishearting. In the Great War the breaking of German morale and. xesistance was very largely brought about by a food shortage among civilians, and later in the armies.

There is little need to b.ntXiasize the importance of an ever-increasing supply of food for the Motherland. Farmers in Southland have already responded to the first call for a larger acreage of wheat. Increased production of lamb, mutton, beef and wool is a longer and more difficult matter. The production of greater quantities of butterfat can be more easily accomplished; a well thought out plan for supplies of green feed right throughout the milking season can do much to ensure the necessary increase. Farmers in this Dominion have received a stirring call for greater production and plans are being made to ensure maximum efficiency and collective effort. A National Council of Primary Production has> been formed and the first meeting was held recently in Wellington. Committees to deal with each branch of the industry have been set up, and more detailed information as to requirements from each branch can be expected in the near future. In Southland the biggest and most important branch of farming is meat production, and the job of live-stock farmers is to study ways and means of exploiting the resources of this province to its fullest capacity.

It is clearly the duty of farmers to put into operation both a long and a short-range plan for the production of meat, the long-range plan to cover cattle and sheep, and the short range plan to quickly augment the production of pig meat. Concentration on the exploitation of the pig. industry could achieve a phenomenal increase in a comparatively short space of time.

DANISH SUPPLIES TO GERMANY Southland farmers have in the past shown little interest in pig farming, and it is to be hoped that the spark of patriotism will prove a strong call to action. Pigs are exceptionally prolific, more so than any other farm animals, and “the gentleman who pays the rent” always returns good profits under careful management. Great Britain is calling for greater supplies of pork and bacon. Difficulties of obtaining supplies from Denmark have been prominently brought to notice this week. According to a recent report the whole of last week’s supplies of pork and bacon have been sent to Germany. New Zealand has a great opportunity of developing her pig industry during the course of the war and once firmly established there should be very good prospects of retaining a great deal of the trade aganist Danish competition after the conclusion of the war. STEADY PRICES ASSURED Before the development of the export market for frozen pork and bacon, the pig industry suffered severely from periodical rise and fall in prices. As soon as the supply overtook local consumption capacity pigs became almost worthless. Farmers then killed off many sows and shortage of pigs followed in due course accompanied by an increased price level: many farmers became disgusted with the frequent ups and downs of the pig market and went out of business. Fortunately, this greatest bugbear of pig farmers was almost entirely eliminated with the development of the export trade which enabled a . fairly steady price level to be maintained.

Pig farming either as a business or as a sideline has been a good payable proposition for some years; a steady price level is assured for the duration of the war and farmers can confidently develop the production of' pigs with profit to themselves; also, at the same time assist the Empire in maintaining adequate supplies of food.

ELECTRIC FENCES USEFUL Rapid development of pig production can be most readily accomplished by dairy farmers as skim milk and whey provide a cheap form of food upon which pigs thrive very well indeed, especially when allowed to graze on highly mineralized pastures. A liberal allowance of grass and clovers that have been grown on land well sweetened with lime and top-dressed with fertilizer provides highly nutritious food. In the past control of pigs under 1 grazing conditions was difficult and expensive because of the fencing problem. Today this problem does not present the same difficulty; with the advent of electric fences very little wire and few posts are required, and the control is excellent The invention now makes it practicable for growers of grain crops to handle a large number of pigs without much trouble. With the aid of a number of portable shelter houses on sledges the grain growers of Southland by utilizing electric fences—many of them have already these outfits on hand for sheep control —could do a great real to increase the production of pig meat. EXPERT INFORMATION Southland and Otago have a very low production of pigs, the lowest of any provinces in the Dominion The unsatisfactory position is indicated by

the returns of slaughtered pigs for May, June and July of 1939 as compiled by the Livestock Division. Meat export Slaughterhouses: — Auckland 37,249, Poverty Bay-Hawke’s Bay 5658, Taranaki-Manawatu 26,822, Wairarapa-Wellington 4625, a total of 74,354. A further number of 22,561 was killed at abattoirs making a grand total of 96,915 for the North Island. Meat export slaughterhouses killings in the South are:-Nelson-Mai Iborough 1681, Canterbury 7401, SouthlandOtago 1464, a total of 10,546. Abattoirs killings 8112, making a grand total for the South Island of only 18,658 pigs. There has been a falling off in pig production throughout the Dominion during the past two years and Southland has very definitely not been keeping her end up. Farmers are requested to rectify the position during the war period. Those who previously have not given attention to the technique of pig raising—there are many aspects of it —can secure all the most up-to-date information from- officers of the Livestock Division and the special committee which is under the able control of Mr M. J. Scott, supervisor of the pig industry. Experienced members of pig clubs which have been formed in some districts can also supply a great deal of practical information on methods of management, layouts, feeding and breeding. Southland has built up a wonderful reputation for fat lambs, and derives a very large annual income from them; the possibilities of developing the pork and bacon trade are good and it is now up to farmers to avail themselves of the opportunity. They should do their best to meet the requirements of the British and New Zealand Governments by productive maximum quantities of meat. This can be done very quickly by exploitation of the prolific pig family.