THE PIG TRADE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19314, 15 October 1932, Page 16

THE PIG TRADE

NEED FOR INVESTIGATION Instructive pig records have been issued by Mr J. Hunter Smith and Mr J. W. Reid, of the Hertfordshire Institute of Agriculture, England. Pig-keeping at the Institute, he says is organised as a separate department under charge of a full-time stockman. From the period under review, April 1, 1923, to March 31, 1930, from ten to twenty sows have been kept, and, with few exceptions, pigs bred have been sold off the premises for pork or bacon, but mainly for pork. During the dry period the breeding sows run on rough woodland pasture, with sheltered sheds, but are brought up to farrowing pens a week or fortnight before farrowing. The young pigs remain with their mothers for approximately eight weeks, so are kept outdoors for that time. As soon as possible after weaning they come into a fattening shed.

The special object until the spring of 1928 was to procure pork, but thereafter a number of pigs were fed to bacon weight. There is good local demand for pork pigs weighing from 1201 b. live weight.

From 1932 to 1930 the total number of litters was 213, the number of pigs born alive was (1823) giving an average litter of 8.56.

The 213 litters have been obtained over seven years from an annual average number of sows of 15.7, thus giving an average of 1.93 litters per sow per annum. The ideal is two litters per annum, and this has almost been reached. A general review of the breeding results is summarised as follows: Number of litters .. .. .. 213 Pigs born alive, per litter .. 8.56 Pigs, weaned, per litter .. .. 7.63 Pigs reaching maturity, per litter 6.83 Loss between birth and weaning 11 per cent. Loss from weaning to maturity 10 per cent. Need for Recording It is stated that wide variations emphasise the need for systematic recording on commercial farms to measure the problems and reduce the losses, and to determine which breeds excel and what is comprised in the term "good management.” Only financial results tell the true story of profit and loss. Cost accounts have been kept

These figures show wide variation and illustrate very clearly the ups and downs of the pig trade. Further Information Required It is stated that details indicate a low return from pig-keeping, and emphasises that further information is urgently required to eliminate weak links in management. A litter average of G. 83 pigs reaching maturity does not appear satisfactory, and if this is the normal figure (and there is every reason to believe that it is not a low one) then investigations are considered necessary to trace where the weakness lies. Is it a question of breed, or type, or both? Experience on the farm indicates that breed is not unimportant, but, even within the same breed, sows give varying results.

since 1923, and the following notes arc based on the information they contain about the pig department:— £ s. d. Valuation, 23 .. .. 134 0 0 Manual Labour .. .. 826 12 9 Horse Labour .. .. 39 17 4 Purchase of Stock .. .. 481 2 0 Foods: Home-grown .. 760 2 10 Milk 76 G 1 Purchased - • 3,971 13 6 Implements—depreciation 95 0 5 Establishment .. .. 201 1 4 Veterinary .. .. .. 83 0 5 Sundries .. .. .. 60 0 5 Net Profit 423 6 11 £7,155 4 0 £ s. d. Sales .. .. •• •• 6,444 4 9 Sendee Fees .. .. .. 26 5 0 Manurial Residues .. .. 466 14 3 Valuation, 1930 .. .. 27 0 0 Experimental Account .. 191 0 0 £7,155 4 0 The system of feeding by control also shows in a favourable light when viewed from another standpoint. For every £100 spent on feeding stuffs the total cash sales were approximately £135. On the seven years’ working there is a total profit of £423/6/11, and the incidence of profits and loss has been as follows:— Profit Loss £ s. d. £ s. d. 1923-24 .... 191 13 9 1924-25 .... 25 19 3 1925-26 .. .. 76 18 4 1926-27 .. .. 311 11 1 1927-28 .. .. 22 9 4 1928-29 .. .. 38 6 11 1929-30 .. .. 191 14 3