THE PIG INDUSTRY.

Waikato Times, Volume 100, Issue 16813, 3 June 1926, Page 9

THE PIG INDUSTRY.

ADDRESS BY MR. GORRINGE. SOME GOOD ADVICE. An address on "Pigs" was given at the farm school in Hamilton by Mr K. W. Gorringe. The lecturer made it quite clear that the pig industry of this country was in a very happy slate, as there was a market in England for all that could be supplied. The English buyers are looking only for the best qualities of bacon, and it behoves the farmer to go into pig-breeding, not as a pastlime, but. as a business. If farmers gave half their attention to cows and half to pigs, lie assured the meeting that the results obtained would surprise all. Skimmed milk is one of Ihe best foods for pigs, but the same can be kept and roared and made to pay handsomely without this food by growing forage crops. A mistake generally made by pig keepers is that they will buy Ihe pigs which Ihcy want instead of breeding their own, thereby paying a considerable amount more than the cost of producing their own. When a young pig is bought, it may come from a stye on land that is "dirty and will cary germs on to land that is clean. Happily for this country, swine fever plagues arc not known, but in America Ihcy lose :>,000,000 pigs annually from these complaints. Buying pigs costs more, than rearing same, and after 0 months, the pigs were, sold, Ihe farmer would find that there was practically no protit left. The sanitary condition in which pigs are kept in this country accounts annually for 100,000 pigs. Pigs contract diseases easily, and care must be taken and the styes and troughs should be kept clean. Skimmed milk, the lecturer advised, Is the best food for young pigs, and later a little meal or grain. Sufficient natural grazing ground must be allowed for these animals. Nature supplied the pig with a snout for getting under the grouriC, thereby showing that it is necessary for the pig to root. Breeding fop Pork op Bacon. The question now arises, wlilch are the best commercial breeds suitable for New Zealand conditions, (i) to breed for pork, (2) to breed for bacon? As regards breeding for pork, I have come to the conclusion that any of the smaller breeds fulfil the requirements —namely, the Small Yorkshire, Middle Yorkshire, and Berkshire (purebred), or the firstcross Middle Yorkshire and Berkshire either way. This first cross not only has the benefit of producing goodtype porkers, but increased vigour and constitution as welL In breeding for bacon, however, more attention should be given to the growing of pigs most suitable to the demands of the consumer and baconcurer. What are these demands? In this country we have a standard weight for bacon pigs ranging from 1101 bto 1501 b dead-weight The bacon-curer tells us that the greatest demand is about 1401 b net; therefore, ■with this standard set, it is not wise for fanners to grow others, unless required for home consumption only. The same conditions apply equally for export. The British curer is demanding a long, lean side, with a minimum of fat, and shoulders considerably reduced in size. He finds it very difficult to convert a short-sided pig into marketable bacon. In fact, he declares that ail breeds except three — the Tamworth, Large Yorkshire, and Large Black (Devon) —fall short of the required length to provide a suitable carcase. To meet the position we must breed a pig to satisfy all requirements. This is where the Tamworth comes in. This breed, as well as the Large Yorkshire and Large Black (Devon) by themselves, are not suitable, but byusing them to cross with the Berkshire and Middle Yorkshire they are of v cxIrcme value. The Sow. The selection of the sow for breeding purposes, whether it be for raising porkers, baconcrs, or stud stock, demands careful study and good judgment; but it is not essential, as in the case of the boar, that she be purebred (unless stud pigs bo the object) if she is suitable in other respects. It is, however, of great importance to ascertain that she is the progeny of quiet and good-tempered parents, for an irritable restless sow is frequently the source of disaster at farrowingtime; that she comes from a good milking strain; and that she is possessed of at least twelve well-developed teats, regularly placed, and extending well forward along the body. The points and characteristics to be sought for in a sow are early maturity, length and depth of frame, broad and well-let-down hams, and well-formed udders; she should be compact, though roomy, with a good girth, straight back, broad loins, standing on good short legs, with bone of fine quality, and plenty of good silky hair. She should have a good docile temperament, kindly disposition, and be cleanly in habit. She should come from a family of uniformly good mothers and large litters. Spring litters arc to he preferred, because the young sow will as a rule grow and develop better during the summer than the winter, and with proper management they can be put to boar so as to farrow at about twelve months of age.

As to disposition, the sow should be above all, motherly, quiet, gentle, and kind. It is as well to reject any that have a tendency to fatten, for a clumsy sow is unprofitable and disheartening. The same can be said of a fidgety illtempered sow; she is not a success in rearing a litter. Sows coming from mature mothers are usually Ihe best breeders. The principle of Ihe rnilk-ing-strajn in a cow applies equally lo the sow. It is therefore advisable that this characteristic be preserved, and breeding-slock should be selected from sows which have heavy-milking qualities, for upon Ihis depends the welfare of Ihe progeny.

The young sow should not he less than eight months old before being sent lo the hoar. If maternity he forced upon her under this age it may result in small litters and immature stock, and in many cases it has been the means of permanent injury lo the animal. A young sow will show evidence of sexual heat as early as five months. Her pigs are seldom so numerous as those of a mature sow, and ihey are never so large. If n gill is used for breeding and her litters are'weighed at birth it will be found that I hey are lighter Lhan the nigs" of a litter produced hy a mature sow. In Ihc mailer of size Ihe litter follows the dam. No attempt should |ir inatlc lo obtain large pigs from a small sow by using a large hoar. Site. It is not generally recognised hy farmers how important it is that great care should be taken in Ihe selection of a site for the piggery. .Many mis-

lakes have beon made in the past, in Ihis rcspccl-, rcsulllng in severe losses i.olii i" breeders and feeders. Fanners, in I'acl, liavc fallowed Hm ideas praeliscd by their forefathers, and have

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too often built their piggeries more for the sake of their own convenience than for the comfort and well-being of the pigs. They have not sufficiently realised what they are doing when they enclose any small plot of ground —say, about half a chain square—and place a shed in one corner in which to keep their pigs from year to year. This may give good results for a start, hut as time goes on the shed and the whole plot become infested with parasites and germs unless special attention is given to the disinfecting of the whole premises, which, one regrets to say, is very generally neglected. One often hears the remark that a place is "pig-sick." The proper definition of the matter is that the piggery is so infested for want of proper sanitation that the pigs have to light for their very existence.

In selecting a site it is important to avoid low' or wet ground. High ground with good drainage, a gentle slope, or rolling country/is lo he preferred. If it is the breeder's special desire lo build a permanent or central house, special care should be taken to choose the most suitable site for the house lo rest on. Springs under Ihe ground, not seen or felt, yet close lo the surface, have been the cause of continual dampness Ihroughout pig-houses, even though Ihe whole ground-sur-face lias been covered wilh brick or concrete.

it is advisable to portion off an area of the farm for the pigs, the minimum to be .1 V acres, divided up into four equal paddocks—the idea being lo give the animals a change from one paddock lo anolher. These paddocks can sown down with any good forage crops and grasses; and Ihe fact that they will occasionally be ploughed up and resown will tend lo keep the urea in a good, healthy, and sanitary condition. In connection wilh a silo, the watersupply is of Ihe greatest importance. Provision must usually be made lo supply Ihis artificially, as it cannot he obtained by having a creek running through the piggery in cases where Ihe water Hows through anolher properly afterwards. Good fresh water plays a very important part in the health of all pigs, whereas foul and dirty water'is often the cause of worms and other intcslinal complaints. 11. is essential that good clean water be within reach' of the pigs at all limes; it is astonishing what a large quantity will ho consumed, especially during the summer months. Together wilh the question of site, Hie legal provisions embodied in different statutes must always be kept in view. No drainage from a piggery is allowed into a running stream if 'his afterwards runs through anolher properly, or is afterwards used for any oilier purpose. All pigs must he kept al least 50 yards away from the nearest milking shed, dairy, or slaughterhouse, and must not be so placed as to become a nuisance to the, general public or adjoining dwellings In ocupation.