EXCELLENT DISPLAYS

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 79, Issue 7077, 6 July 1949, Page 7

EXCELLENT DISPLAYS

PORKER AND BACONER COMPETITION

SCENES AT WESTFIELD

While the pig industry is showing some decline, yet it still plays a most important part in the economy of Ne.w Zealand and no proprietary concern in the Dominion has done more to stimulate and encourage interest in the industry than has Messrs W. and R. Fletcher, whose annual Tomoana Porker and Baconer Competition is an outstanding event for pig producers and one that is looked forward to with keen interest and anticipation, and Monday’s event held at Westfield was no exception.

Despite unfavourable weather, the day being the only wet one experienced in eight years, there was a record attendance, of one thousand farmers, young and not so young, including a large representation of the fair sex, met at the Westfield Freezing Company’s works to view an excellent display of carcases and other interesting displays. Among those present wc.re boys from one of the Auckland Grammar schools and King’s College. Statement By Management

A statement issued by the- manage ment read as follows:

The competition for the North Island grand championship, 1949, has attracted ail all-time record number of entries. Altogether there are 4927 pigs—»2o4o porkers and 2887 baconers —valued at £23,967, representing a great effort by over 1000 individual producers. Out of the total prize money of over £lOOO a special section with prizes of over £l5O is reserved for members of Young Farmers’ Clubs who can also compete for the major prizes in the open classes. The Young Farmers have risen to the occasion and have put in entries totalling 612 pigs. The 2496 pigs comprising the entry at Westfield on Monday came from the four Northern District Pig Council areas, Northland, Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty, with the winning teams from Tairawhiti, Wellington and Taranaki.

The series of Tomoana competitions is a combined effort of the Department of Agriculture, the District Pig Councils, the National Pig Industry Council, the. Dominion Federation of Young Farmers Clubs and is sponsored by W. & R. Fletcher (N.Z.) Ltd. Details gathered for the purposes of the competition cover feeding of the individual entries as well as valuable information on strains within the breeds and enables the authorities to establish standards for carcase quality Two special exhibits of pig earcases attracted almost as much attention as the grand championship pigs. These are two lots each of 15 pigs, being the progeny of one litter from different Large White sows.

The now famous Beldene litter which produced over li tons of pigmeat was on display to demonstrate what can be produced from one sow in six months. In fact, the pigs put on so much weight in the time that they were overweight for baconers at the end of the six months.

The other litter of 15, the progeny of a Large White sow (Dudley White Lass) of Mr G. F. Robinson, of Waimana, weighed 23061 b liveweight at 5 months (151 days). These proved also an excellent line of pigs on the hooks, but the most interesting feature was that these pigs were subject of a special feed trial conducted by the supervisor of the Bay of Plenty District Pig Council, Mr F. Barwell. This feed trial showed the very good conversion rate of lib pig meat for every 4.72 units food consumed, including pig concentrate, boiled sugar beet, mangolds, kumi kumi and potatoes with skim milk.

The display of carcases was excellently arranged in districts, each being distinctly labelled so that competitors and others interested in a particular district could go at once thereto and see their entries.

Informative Display

A display of carcases that w'as not pleasant but highly informative to pig breeders, was that of carcases which showed very definite signs of disease and other blemishes that made, them unuseable. The carcases indicated a definite monetary loss to the pig industry. There were on view carcases affected by generalised tuberculosis, mainly caused by T.B. milk; fever, caused by the presence of bacterial poison; peptic pleurisy; necrotic ulcers, caused by bacteria entering through Wounds, which caused the death of surrounding tissues; arthritic deformity; abscesses; flushing, etc. The exhibits attracted considerable attention, and experts showed the visitors around and explained the diseases and their causes.

Attractive Exhibit

An attractive exhibit was the story of Three Little Pigs, which very effectively illustrated the way in which pigs should be housed. It showed a house of straw, a house of sticks and a house built on modern lines.

Outstanding Display

If the firm needed a motto, one could recommend to them the old saying “Waste Not, Want Not,” for the, exhibition of products made by Fletcher’s showed that nothing is wasted, and practically every part of the beasts killed at the works is utilised, and from it the by-products. Some very interesting and attractive articles are made in addition to canned food products. The display, always a feature of the day, was even more attractive than ever. In addition to a miniature butcher’s shop, one saw tinned meats, extracts, etc. Hides made into bowlers’ bags, music cases, leather jackets, and hand bags made for ladies, attracted attention, as did a wonderful display of highly polished ornaments made, from horns. Some of the ornaments, in representing birds, ■were outstandingly beautiful and novel-. Exhibits of articles made from hair and pig bristles were interesting, as was the display indicating the scientific control of the. firm’s products. Casks and canisters in various stages of manufacture and displays of hessian and stockingette liners for various products; attracted attention. Prominence was given a display of wasp nests, queen wasps, and it attracted interest. There, were numerous other disdisplays, including one of little chick-

ens, which made an appeal to everyone by their fluffy daintiness. Wool Display

Of interest to the ladies was a court showing an attractive line, dresses made from wool, one. that was particularly appealing being a creation called “waffle weave.”

Near the above display was a refreshment stall where appetising refreshments were served free of charge to all. A band of charming young ladies were kept busy engaged in serving their numerous patrons. The luncheon addresses are reported elsewhere.

A large staff spared no efforts to make for the enjoyment and comfort of those present. The large volume of traffic was handled courteously and efficiently by the men detailed to attend to the parking of the motor vehicles. Other officials were equally alert and on all sides Vhe visitors met with a helpful courtesy that succeeded in making the day one long to be remembered. The Courier representative has to thank Mr L. A. Arnold, Fletcher’s Te Awamutu representative for transport to and from Westfield, and for his helpful advice while there. In these days when courtesy and attention is becoming somewhat negligible, those attributes so freely extended to visitors to Monday’s demonstration is refreshing and is greatly appreciated.