IMPORTANCE OF PIGS

Taranaki Daily News, 23 February 1935, Page 10

IMPORTANCE OF PIGS

RECORDING OFFICER’S ADDRESS. PRODUCTION INCREASE NEEDED. If the New Zealand dairy farmer and New Zealand as a dairying country were to maintain the prosperity enjoyed in the past, a drastic overhaul of production costs was essential, said Mr. W. J. Croucher, recording officer of the Manawatu-Oroua Pig Recording and Development Club, at a meeting at Normanby. The prices of butterfat were low and perhaps would be lower, and it was vitally necessary for revenue to be maintained. That could only be accomplished by increasing production and decreasing costs. Only by reducing the cost of butter-fat production to the lowest possible point could the constantly increasing supplies be profitably disposed of, especially if still lower prices were experienced. New Zealand’s prosperity as a dairying country was intimately bound up with competitive conditions of international trade, said Mr. Croucher. The produce was sold on a world market, occasionally a market protected by triffs and one where competition ever became keener. The country which would win under such conditions was that which could produce at a lower price than its competitors. The adoption of methods which would reduce the cost of butter-fat production was, therefore, of national importance. The full and efficient utilisation of skim-milk as an important factor in reducing the cost of butter-fat production was * not realised. The value of whey was overlooked. These by-pro-ducts of the dairy industry were still being wasted in enormous quantities. Their only value lay in what they would return from the sale of pigs and calves. The outlet for calves was limited and the outlet for pigs unlimited. Every penny returned from skim-milk and whey presented a definite contribution toward a reduction in the cost of butterfat production. Skim-milk was worth at least Id per lb of fat, with pork at 4d per lb—many farmers obtained more. Therefore with butter-fat at 9d per lb, Id from skim-milk would increase the return by 10 per cent. Was this return worth having? That milk and whey supplies were being thrown away, yielding no return whatever, was clearly ' indicated by the report of the Pig Industry Advisory Council, which showed the position as it is and as it should be: As it is, I sow to 25 cows, 301 b. of pork per cow, 101 b. of pork per acre; as it should be. I sow to 8 cows, 1201 b. pork per cow, 40 lb. pork per acre. Apart from the many cases where farmers were not utilising by-products, skim-milk and whey were wasted in many of the following ways: Excessive use, badly-balanced number of pigs to milk supply, less through purchase of pigs in lieu of home breeding, bad type of pigs and bad management. To the discerning farmer these needed little amplification. Most must plead guilty to misuse of skim-milk and whey on one or more of these counts. What was not realised was the reflection of such misuse in the farm balance-sheet. When pigs had access to all they could consume excessive quantities were taken. For example, a sow with a litter under test, fed on whey exclusively under ordinary farm conditions where she was given all she could consume, developed the enormous capacity of 58 gallons a day, a ration wasteful of the product, certainly injurious to the health of the pig, and sufficient for six sows. In far too many cases insufficient pigs were kept and supplies could not be consumed during the high production period. Purchase of pigs in lieu of home breeding almost invariably resulted in profit for the breeder alone, reducing the value of the by-produce far below that possible when the farmer bred his own. By keeping more sows, breeding more pigs and carefully controlling farrowing dates, this waste could be entirely eliminated. Slow maturing, unthrifty, and sec-ond-grade pigs were responsible for considerable loss, while poor management methods in feeding and housing and general care brought the same result. Many of the farmers were afraid of pigs on the score that purchase of large quantities of meals was necessary. Increased returns from the pig department of the farm did not mean the wide use of expensive concentrate foods. Excellent returns had been, secured from the use of skim-milk alone,’ while even on whey farms, meal costs were kept within the limits of 5s per pig, with excellent results. A series of lantern slides was exhibited showing the activities of pig recording in respect of breeding, feeding and management and particularly in respect of feed trials made by the club. Accompanying Mr. Croucher and taking part in the lecture were Messrs. C. P. Meekap, Massey College, and W. A. Davison, members of the executive of the club.

A demonstration designed to indicate to the farmer producing pigs the type of carcase required by the British market, was given yesterday afternoon at J.‘ C. Hutton’s works at Eltham. After a demonstration on live pigs the farmers present judged a line of pigs on the hoof, and followed each animal to the dressed carcase stage, comparing their judgment of the live pig with the type of carcase it produced. A further demonstration will take place to-day at 1 p.m. at T. H Walker and Sons’, works at Hawera.

ARREST CASES FIRST. DISCUSSION IN HAWERA COURT. Whether or not cases against persons arrested should be heard before persons summoned were brought to trial caused considerable discussion in the Hawera Magistrate’s Court yesterday, and Mr. W. H. Woodward, S.M., on the bench fin-ally-agreed to f;ear arrest cases first. The discussion arose when the magistrate decided to hear a summons charge, previously adjourned, before an arrest case. Mr. Niccol, counsel for defendant on the arrest charge, immediately rose. “I understand it is the practice for arrest cases to be heard before summons cases,” he said. “That practice must have grown up overnight,” commented Mr. A. K. North, counsel for defendant of the summons case. To Mr. Woodward, Mr. Niccol said the practice had been adopted at Hawera for some time. “It is not usual, and I am afraid that in future cases must be heard by right of priority,” said Mr. Woodward. “When a man is on bail there is no need for special hurry.” Later the discussion again arose, and on Sergeant J. Henry’s representation Mr. Woodward agreed in future to take