BACON AND PORK

Waikato Independent, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2924, 17 April 1928, Page 5

BACON AND PORK

ENCOURAGING THE INDUSTRY.

PROGRAMME OF RESEARCH,

(By Telegraph —Press Association). WELLINGTON, Yesterday.

Details of a comprehensive programme of research to be applied immediately to the pig industry were announced by the Prime Minister during the week-end.

Although provision lias been made for immediate assistance to the industry by means of a susbidy of £30,000, which will ensure reductions in freight and thus enable the producers to place their port and bacon on the oversea markets at a lessened cost the Government is determined to leave no stone unturned in order that the industry locally may be put on a sound basis, said Mr Coatcs. It felt that there may be possibilities for improvement in this industry and that there is ample room for such in the methods of breeding, feeding, management and manufacture. The four main sections are embraced by the programme of scientific investigation proposed—experimental feeding, pig rearing, quality of carcases, and tests and investigations of pork and bacon-curing processes.

Three pig recording groups, said the Prime Minister, would be established in the districts displaying certain marked types of farming. It is proposed that one group officer would work in the Waikato in a district, where an abundance of skim milk would be available for'pig feed; another in the Manawatu, in the whey district and associated with the Massey College; and the third in Canterbury in the grain district and associated with Lincoln College.

Under this system a valuable mass of detailed information regarding the prolificacy of sows, the value of certain types and strains of pigs, the influence of feeding and management would be secured.

"This summary," concluded the Prime Minister, "will serve to indicate that the Government views tho development of the bacon and pork industry as one of great potential value to the Dominion, and' proposes to do everything possible in co-operation with those most directly concerned to ensure that the foundations of the industry may be soundly laid along such scientific lines as will be productive of an output of unexcelled quality.