PIG INDUSTRY

Taranaki Daily News, 27 February 1935, Page 12

PIG INDUSTRY

UNIFORMITY OF TYPE. CLUB FORMED AT OKATO. Okato district farmers on Monday night unanimously decided to form a pig club in the district. This action was taken on the motion of .Messrs. T. E. Larking and W. J. Bridgeman after addresses on the subject by Messrs. J. C. H. Sorenson, chairman of the Pig Marketing Association in Taranaki, and C. J. Harris, Oakura. A dozen members joined last night and it was stated that there were several others, who had intimated their intention of linking up. A provisional committee was set up comprising Messrs L. D. Hickford (chairman), C. G. Cocksedge, (secretary), W. J. Bridgeman and J. Donald. Mr. Hickford commented on the great interest that Mr. Sorenson had taken in improving conditions in the pig. industry, of which he had made a study both in New Zealand and in Denmark.

The advantages to be derived from.the formation of a pig club were stressed by Mr. Sorenson, who said the New Zealand dairy farmer had a great opportunity in the export of pigs. He pointed out what had been done by the Danes as the result of co-operative effort and he instanced the case of one farmer in Denmark, whose gross receipts from the supply of milk were £4OO for one year, while his cheque for pigs for the same period was £l5OO. The Danes had developed the pig market in Britain and, despite tremendous opposition, that had been done on a co-operative basis. The Danes had a different system of cooperation, in that while no man was called on to take share capital, all shareholders were bound by a joint and several guarantee and could not dispose of their pigs for 10 years to any other concern. Pig raising was definitely going to be one of the means of the farmer’s livelihood, but there must be’ a spirit of co-operation. In Denmark 85 per cent, of the 6,000,0000 pigs killed annually were handled by co-operative concerns. Denmark had concentrated on type, with the result that there were now 1140 pig recording clubs there. Pig recording clubs had been in vogue in New Zealand for some time. Uniformity had been largely responsible for placing the Danes in the splendid position they now held on the British market and New Zealand, if it wished to take any of that trade from the Danes, must concentrate on breeding a uniform type of pig, and be subservient to the requirements of the man at the other end. Second grade pigs in Denmark never find their way to England as bacon, but were sent across in. pickle. The rush for yield could do New Zealand no more good in the pig export business than it had done in cheese, as any pig sent over on the wrong lines did definite ham to the trade. They must realise that all bacon sold on the English market must please the English housewife. It was therefore necessary to adopt some scheme whereby as many of the right type of . pig as possible could be placed among the farmers of New Zealand in as short a time as possible. That could be done by the pig recording clubs and, if these were established all over the Dominion as anticipated, an improvement would soon result. EIGHT CLUBS IN TARANAKI. There were now eight pig clubs in Taranaki and recording would follow later. The . principle was to get the greatest number of right type pigs out to the farmers of the district as quickly as possible. It was advisable, therefore, to limit the number of members to, say, 25, so that every member would secure a pig in a reasonable time. Each member would contribute £l, which would’ be used to purchase a suitable sow in farrow, erect the necessary stye, paddocks, etc. He favoured the Tamworth sow as the most suitable type. The farmer must be educated to provide conditions suitable to the pig and not pigs suitable to the conditions. Under the best of conditions pigs did much better. The clubs educated the fanner to take an intelligent interest in the welfare of the pigs and at most periods of the year the Tamworth would give a white carcase, which the trade in England favoured. He held, that under prevailing conditions it would be better at first to use the Tamworth to improve the type. Later they might revert to the White. '

It would be necessary for some member to take care of the sow. .The weaners would be sold to members at, say, one and a-half guineas or two guineas for pedigrees, and that money would be used to procure fresh stock. The boars should not be sold until old enough for their conformation to be assured. Arrangements were made for the custodian to receive a certain price for each pig reared. It was necessary that all clubs should follow on the same lines. Mr. Harris briefly outlined the rules of a club.

Replying to questions, Mr. Sorenson said he did not advocate tanners scrapping the pigs that they now had on their farms. He, however, advocated the clubs going in for pedigree pigs from the outset. He stressed the necessity for feeding grain to pigs for the English market. There was also need for a universal system of grading by Government inspectors. A vote of thanks was accorded Messrs. Sorenson and Harris. Those present were then the guests of the branch of the Farmers’ Union at supper.