HOPE IN THE PIG INDUSTRY

Taranaki Daily News, 19 July 1933, Page 4

HOPE IN THE PIG INDUSTRY

METHODS OF PRODUCTION. OPINION OF MR. C. M. HUME. Cared for properly, pigs would give returns of 2d a lb of the. butter-fat produced on the ‘farm, said Mr. C.. M. Hume, secretary-organiser of the Dominion Group Herd-Testing Federation during an address at Toko last night. He referred to the pig as the rising star for the dairy farmers .of the Dominion and said there was an unsatisfied mar>ket for porkers in Britain. In his opinion there was hope for the, farmer in the expansion of the industry. Mr. Hume outlined/ the open-air or grass-Jand system of handling pigs as followed in Waikato. He showed a plan of a model lay-out, modem methods of weighing, loading and drafting, and the construction of a “creep” pen for the young pigs. Grass, Mr. Hume said, was of greater feed value than the best con- ■ centrates. Hence it was obvious that the pigs kept in small pens or runs without grass were severely handicapped. Rotational grazing was essential to-day in successful pig management. Under the old system of rearing pigs it used to take from seven to 10 months to grow a pig to 1201 b live weight, whereas to- . day it was taking only 16j weeks. Discussing the feeding of concentrates, Mr. Hume said the sow for one month before farrowing should have Jib to 21b of meat meal per day, plus grass; for 24 hours before farrowing she should have water only; for four days after farrowing bran instead of meat meal, and for the next 17 days approximately Hb. of meat meal per day. Referring to the feeding of the litter, Mr. Hume said that when the basic food was skim milk the youngsters should be fed as follows under the creep system to porker weights: At three weeks, 2oz. of meat meal and one pint of skim milk; five weeks, 4oz. of meat meal, half gallon of skim milk; seven weeks, 6oz. of meat meal, 1| gallons of skim milk; eight weeks, Boz. of meat meal, 2oz. grain meal and two gallons of skim milk; 10 weeks, Boz. meat meal, 4oz. grain meal, and 2£ gallons skim milk; 12 weeks, Boz. meat meal, 6oz. grain meal, three gallons of skim milk; 14 weeks, Boz. meat meal, Boz. grain meal, and three gallons skim milk; 16 weeks, Boz. meat meal, Boz. grain meal and three g<-xlons skim milk. The grain meal should be increased by 11b for every gallon of skim milk shortage.

Mr. Hume emphasised the value of a proven boar, the boar that would throw pigs fine in the shoulder and with a long side and compact ham. That was the class of porker that was desired in Britain, and there was an unlimited market there for it. The fact that the Danes were not allowed to export porkers owing to the risk of foot and mouth disease was all to the advantage of New Zealand, and he urged farmers to pay more attention to the pig business and breed and rear their porkers under modern conditions.

Mr. Hume explained that the best mineral mixture for pigs was as follows: steamed bone flour, one part fine salt, Two parts slacked lime, two parts 2oz. potassium iodide in each 1001 b. The doses were as follows: Weaners under 401 b, /oz. each per day; pigs, 40 to 1501 b, loz. per day; pigs, over 1501 b, 2oz. per day.