PIG-REARING CONTESTS

Taranaki Daily News, 3 June 1935, Page 3

PIG-REARING CONTESTS

TARANAKI SCHOOL WORK RESULTS OF LONDON JUDGING. ! PREPARING FOR COMPETITIONS. Matters in connection with this year’s pig-rearing competitions in North Taranaki schools were completed at a meeting of the executive of the North Taranaki School Pig Clubs on Saturday morning,; when a report was received on the results of the judging of last year’s entries on arrival at London. There were present Messrs. R. W. D. Robertson (chairman), Duncan Mackay, Warner, W.' H. Reader, J. D. Aitken, P. G. Knight, W. B. Grant; J. D. Pearce, W. Wilton and W. M. Dill-Macky (honorary secretary). The London report on the 51 pigs shipped to London by the Port Chalmers on account of the schools was forwarded by Mr. P. J. Allen, manager of Borthwick and Sons’ Waitara freezing works. The results were: — Under 1001 b: Jack Blizzard (Carrington •Road) 581 b 1, Alfred Sl)arrock (Tataraimaka) ’66lb 2, Rex Hdffman. (Hurford Road) 771 b 3. The pigs submitted by Nigel Instone (Kaimata), Dan Barrett (Kina Road) and another were also selected as, worthy of commendation, but the rest of the pigs showed lack of finish. Heavier class: Pat Richardson (Tataraimaka) 1031 b 1, lohe McFetridge (Tataraimaka) 1161 b 2, Lloyd Penwarden (Tataraimaka) 1131 b 3. Pens entered by Susan Matthews (Inglewood) and Ray McFetridge (Tataraimaka) were also very good. There were 18 entries. The report added that the aim should be to encourage the breeding of pigs from 60 to 801 b without as wide a range in weights as in the shipment. Twenty photographs of the shipment as hung, at the works at London were forwarded, numbered to, enable each scholar to identify his entry. In the course of discussion it was stated that the Meat Board had advised farmers to go in more for baconers as there were too many porkers in store.. Mr. Warner considered they should aim at teaching the children, to produce a porker as near as possible to the full weight of 801 b and a baconer over 1201 b. The chairman agreed that there was a wonderful disparity in the weight of pigs, showing that there was need for some system to arrive at uniformity in weight. The pigs varied' from 421 b to 1381 b. , BIG QUESTION.OPENED. Mr. W. B. Grant said it opened up a very big question. Children could not be expected to feed all the pigs the same way. If half a dozen pigs were treated alike there would be a variation in the weights. It was considered that as much as possible should be made of the field daj’ at the works, as tha? was where the greatest educational value was derived. The national importance of the movement lay in educating the children to produce the right type, of pig. With a view to making the competition more valuable from an educative standpoint it was resolved on the suggestion of Mr. Reader to endeavour to arrange a field day at some suitable farm as-well as at Berthwick’s works. On the motion of Messrs. W. B. Grant and J. D. Pearce it was resolved to extend the time of judging from December to start on February 10. The dates of the competition, therefore, will be: Porkers, from September 23 to February 10, allowing 20 weeks 3 days until judging is started; baconers, from August 1 to February 10, allowing 27 weeks 5 days. Submitting a report, Messrs. Grant and Pearce said that under the dates worked on last year all the pigs were unfinished and under weight. Extending the date to February would also be easier for .both teachers and parents, as December was a very busy month, and it was essential that as many parents as possible should be present on judging days. Moreover, during the holidays the children would have to attend to the pigs in the latter stages of finishing and a better finished pig would be produced that would show to better advantage on the British market. The Tataraimaka Cup for the best baconer judged at Smithfield was awarded to Pat Richards, Tataraimaka, the winner in the heavier class. It was decided that next year the cup will be awarded to baconer pigs weighing 1211 b or more. It was resolved (that record points be not taken into consideration in the judging of the pig, but that it be incumbent on every competitor to furnish a record, for which a prize might be On the suggestion of Mr. W. B. Grant it was resolved that it was not necessary to lead the pigs, but that the.pigs must show evidence of having been kindly handled. , Appreciative reference was made to tne valuable assistance given by teachers, school committees and supervisors, as well as by Messrs. Borthwick and Sons Ltd. in making the competitions successful.