THE PIG INDUSTRY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19918, 13 August 1927, Page 22 (Supplement)

THE PIG INDUSTRY

UNSATISFACTORY EXPORT PRICES ADVICE TO LOCAL FARMERS. QUESTION OF WEIGHTS AND CONDITION. Prices realised for porx sent to the English markets, have not been as high as New Zealand farmers anticipated at the commencement of last season, and in the light of recent advice from the Old Country, it appears that there are several important factors in the growing and preparation of pork and bacon which farmers in this district would be well advised to observe. Rata Company’s Position. Speaking on the matter at the annual meeting of the Rata Dairy Co. last Saturday,' the chairman (Mr R. G. Dalziell) said that the company had been wrongly advised as- to the class of pig to send Home. Pigs had realised s£d and as the company had advanced* 4A-d a lb. there would be no further payout to suppliers. It was an unfortunate position but it was one which the company could not avoid. The chairman said that a committee had been set up at Palmerston North to go into the question and use its best endeavours to get a subsidy of £40,000 from the Government. A subsidy of £90,000 had been given to orchardists in connection with the sale of apples. Unfortunately the farmers had* not got the support of the Meat Producers’ Soard and the Dairy Control Board. The speaker considered that the chairman of the Dairy Control Board (Mr W. Grounds) showed more opposition than the chairman of the Meat Control Board, as he was right up against doing anything at all. However, they hoped to meet both boards and* come to some arrangement, as it was impossible to get anything while these organisations showed,* opposition.

'Advice From Home The chairman read a letter from Messrs Humphrey Frost and Co., London, in which that firm gave the following advice:—“Breeds must bo kept separate, and each breed must be carefully graded. “We have received long shaped Tamworth pigs mixed in with the short fat Berkshire pigs. Your scalding has been done with the water too hot. This turns the pigs brown and spoils appearance. “West of England ports require singed baconers. Glasgow requires scalded baconers. We do not recommend shipping on consignment to any out-ports, especially . Glasgow. But c.i.f. and c. offers to out-ports are always useful.

“ Wieghts of porkers should be A.— 60 to 801bs, B.—Bo to 100 lbs. No porkers over .100 lbs are really wanted*. “Weights of baconers . should? be A.—130 to 150 lbs, B—lso to J7olbs. Pigs of 120 lbs are too small for bacon; Baconers should be graded into fairly close limits, and we suggest the advisability of shipping baconers with heads off. Porkers should arrive here in September-October or as soon as possible after. The best results are to be looked for up to the end of-De-cember. Avoid, if possible, two large shipments arriving simultaneously.” In a futher letter the firm expressed the hope that the company was pressing upon the shippers the necessity for the front legs being clamped back towards the neck of the pig. This could only be done when the carcases were hot and before they had time to get stir and cold. A Recent Deputation In this connection it is interesting to recall that last April a deputation representing the London Retail Meat Traders’ Association waited on the High Commissioner (Sir James Parr) in oder to direct ‘his attention to the increasing demand for New Zealand frozen pork. The deputation informed the High Commissioner that the demand for New Zealand pork had been greatly stimulated by recent embargoes placed upon the importation of Continental pork as the result of foot and mouth disease existing in various exporting countriesThey stated that English pork was fairly expensive and that the working classes could? not afford to purchase it in any quantity. The retailers, therefore, desired supplies of the next best thing. They had tried different classes of frozen and imported pork, and had come to the conclusion that the New Zealand article was the best. What they desired was a continuity of supplies, and such an improvement in the grading as to enable them to purchase by grade-mark without examination, as was done in the case of New Zealand* mutton and lamb. The deputation further stated that the pig which would find most favour would be the one ranging from 641 b to 801 b, but that carcases a little larger, even up to 1121 b., would be acceptable if of good quality. At the present time the heavier weight New Zealand pig was selling wholesale at about 8d per lb., but the members of the deputation considercid that for carcases weighing from 60 to 801 b. there would be no difficulty in obtaining 9}cL to 9Ad per lb., and at this price there would be a good demand, as English pork of the same size could not be purchased for much less than Is 3d.

A HIGH PRODUCER After producing 12,944.81 b milk, 407.931 b fat at the age of 2 years 173 days, Ohapi Korndyke Colantha died last month through udder trouble. This is a serious loss to her owners, Muff Bros., of Orari, Geraldine, as this heifer was showing great promise of developing into a high producer as well as a cow of good type. Ohapi Korndyke Colantha was out of the Government bred cow Dominion Viola, while her sire was Rosevale Inka Colantha, who has three C.O.R. daughters including one of 514.341 b fat.