BIG PRIZE WON

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 53, Issue 3840, 30 November 1936, Page 4

BIG PRIZE WON

NEW ZEALAND DAIRY COMPANY ENTRY. BEATS BIG “ FIELD ” AT STRATFORD SHOW. The first big prize offered in New Zealand for bacon pigs suitable for export was a canteen of cutlery of the value of fifty guineas, and competed for at the Stratford A. and P. Show last week. The prize attracted record entries, totalling about forty, and included three from the Te Awamutu pig farm, of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, Ltd., two from Frankton Junction and one from Morrinsville. All the rest were Taranaki breeders’ entries. The Te Awamutu pigs travelled down under rather adverse conditions and only arrived at Stratford the night before the show. The conditions were: Baconers suitable for export for the British market; any breed or cross breed; weight of each pig to be from 170 to 200 lbs live weight. The animals were to be judged on the hoof at the show, and again on the hooks next day. It was pointed out that a feature of requirements foi' the British trade, and on which chief points in judging the long sides, as exported from New Zealand tire awarded, is a smooth finish, absence of shoulder development, back fat for thickness, and general measurements to be in line with United Kingdom requirements. The judging on the hooks resulted: N.Z. Dairy Co (Te Awamutu) 1, Mrs A. W. Jardine (Stratford) 2, J. Meads (Denbigh Road, Hawera) 3, W. H. Sunning (Stratford) and E. R. Vernal (Frankton), equal, 4. The points allotted were winners 851 points, second 85 points, third 831 points, and fourth 831- points. The carcases are to be frozen and sent to England by Messrs T. H. Walker and Sons, and will be cured on arrival. Commenting on the class the judge (Mr C. Hausman, of Feilding) said the fact that many of the pigs ran to over-fat was brought out prominently to farmers after the animals were killed. Sixty per cent of the pigs lost points on this fact alone, while others lost, points because of lack of finish. The final placings, however, were equal to anything, and showed correctly the standards being aimed at. They were long in the back, and the general conformation was good, with well finished hams, light shoulders, and lengthy ir. the middle. Mr H. J. Webber, manager of the N.Z. Dairy Co.’s pig farm at Te Awamutu, was naturally very elated at the success, for the pig farm has only been established a few months, and he lias bred the pigs himself, along the lines that he had previously proved successful.