LESSONS FROM DANES

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18848, 10 April 1931, Page 4

LESSONS FROM DANES

MONEY IN PIGS. “New Zealand could easily export within two years anything up to £5,000,000 worth of pig products annually with her present pig food supplies and thereby make it not only a most profitable side line to dairy farming, but also make it the means of alleviating the present unhappy conditions following on the present low prices of dairy products and wool.” This was the statement made by Mr Elot Davis in an address delivered to Auckland Rotarians. Citing Denmark as an example of the returns obtainable from the pigindustry Mr Davis said the farms of that country exported to England in 1928 no less than £25,796,525 worth of pig products. In the same year New Zealand exports to England totalled £406,407. For every 100 pigs sent to England by New Zealand Denmark ent 7,200. The value of the lard alone (that is to say, pig fat) shipped to England by Denmark amounted to £5,557,962, whereas the value of lard shipped to England by New Zealand was £121,899. It only required application and industry on the part of the farmers to get this business, but it was not to be done with the class of pig which was now being raised in New Zealand, only 10 per cent of which were capable of competing with the standard of quality shipped by our Danish friends. We read a lot in the papers about Danish butter and its price compared with New Zealand prices in England, but whilst Denmark w’as our most serious competitor in butter, her pig products sent to England exceeded her dairying exports by £7,000,000 per annum. When comparing New Zealand and Danish exports of pig products, it was most significant to record that Denmark exports two pigs for each cow that is milked. This figure does not include pigs used for home consumption. New Zealand, on the other hand, kills only one pig for every three cows milked, and this Includes home consumption. Mr Davis speaks as a practical man and from personal experience when urging the point that farmers in the Dominion are neglecting one of the finest opportunities that has presented itself of adding material wealth for the community. He claims that the Agricultural Department should devote more attention to this branch and help the farmer by research work and with finance. It was all important that the correct type of pig should be kept. Summarising the practical aspect, Mr Davis’s conclusions were stated as follow: Take the average farm of 80 acres: One acre could be easily set apart for pigs and by keeping, say, six selected sows and a boar, these sows would rear an average of nine pigs per litter (which is the average for a herd of 30 sows on Mr Davis’s farm near Papakura). Assuming that half of the produce are sold as baconers, while skim milk is plentiful, at the low price mling now, viz., £2 10s each, and the other half which would be produced while skim milk was scarce, could be sold as weaners, stores or porkers, averaging in normal times 30/- each, the total amount returned, based on two litters per year, would be £216. Deducting £l per head for meal used for those kept to baconers, and 10/per head for those sold ao stores or porkers we still have a profit of £136 off one acre, even with the present exceptionally low prices. The one acre of good land would easily keep the sows, but should grass get a bit scarce m winter they can run in the paddock provided they are rung and have access to water, and one would not require to worry about them any more until very close to farrowing. These figures are compiled from practical experience gained on Mr Davis’s farm All that is needed are two styes for fatteners—two pens with a little shed m the corner for the suckers and the weaners and a good fan-owing pen Surely it is worth this little trouble to return £135 pc.; acre a year. As regards food for pigs, Mr Davis drew attention not only to the large amount of skim milk going to waste on dairly farms, but also in connection with the raising of pigs near large towns to the huge amount of available pig foodstuffs to be found in household refuse—suggesting organisation to utilise what is here going to waste. “