MODERN PIC-KEEPING

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 9817, 22 February 1936, Page 31 (Supplement)

MODERN PIC-KEEPING

Westrallan Methods. A very interesting visitor to the Dominion is Mr R. Reed, a large bacon curer of Perth (he deals with 16,000 to 17,000 carcases a year), who has closely investigated New Zealand methods, and, under the guidance of Mr H. M. Peirson, has seen something of the producing end of the business in the Waikato. Speaking of the layouts he has seen which have been ereoted under the advice of the Waikato Pig Recording and Research Association he says the method Is -obviously the Ideal way of keeping pigs, and the natural conditions (with the good housing) must make for rapid growth and freedom from disease. In West Australia farmers, under the guidance of the Government, are concentrating on the Tamworth and Berkshire breeds, the most favoured carcase for curing being a cross of these two breeds. After seeing the Tamworths of the Burwln stud (Messrs. Caro and Barry) and of Mr Ghllcott Mr Reed said he wished they had as good Tamworth In West Australia. He was also greatly impressed with the Berkshire he saw at Mr Chiloott’3. These were not the old-fashioned Berkshire, but were good boned lengthy pigs which when orossed with the Tamworth should give excellent baooners. These were far superior to the Berkshire they had In West Australia. Great difficulty had been experienced in West Australia, said Mr Reed, by vested Interests Introducing breeds suoh as the Duroo Jersey, Gloucester Old Spot, etc. But the Department of Agriculture had come to the aid of the industry by strongly advocating and promoting use of only two breeds, the Berkshire and Tamworth. The dead weight of the baconer carcase wanted in West Australia, where the local trade Is practically the only consideration, Is from 1001 b. to 1201 b. This fact, light baconers only being required, has a great bearing on the breed problem, and is the main reason why the Large White and the Devon are not popular In the western state of the Commonwealth. Mr Reed considers the Large White (but perhaps he has only handled poor strains of the breed) is too ooarse in the grain of the flesh, and when It comes to quality of flesh it Is not in it with the Tamworth, and the Large Whites they have had in Westralla do not appeal to the butcher, because of the coarseness of rib bone, and it cuts up uneconomieally from the point of view of small Joints and chops. The Large Black, or Devon, has gone right out, because it is not an early maturing type, and then cannot be got to the weight desired when required. Also when it is finished It Is too great a weight. It certainly made an Ideal baconer as a heavy carcase, and the heavy carcase was not required, and it certainly did not make a good porker. * * * * Milk v. Grain. Mr Reed lias an exceptional opportunity of studying the effect of milk versus grain feeding. Two-thirds of the pigs he handles come from wheat districts and one-third from dairying districts. One thing noticeable is that the pigs from the wheat area lose muoh less from live to dead weight, but they are inclined tQ be over-fat.

'But when there is undesirable overfatness it can always be traced to wrong feeding. In some cases the pigs are two or three days in transit on the way to the factory, and in these cases the milk-fed pigs lose very heavily in weight. Generally speaking the grain-fed pigs are more Inclined to carry excess fat but they have a thicker belly. This also shows more lean but Is well interlarded with fat, though where too much Berkshire blood Is in the cross there is a tendency for too much fat in the streak. The milk-fed pigs do not have as good a belly, but they have a thinner back fat, and this is the main consideration. * * * * Sound Methods. While the great majority of pigs In West Australia are kept under sty conditions, not the ideal grazing conditions being Introduced to New Zealand, remarked Mr Reed, the farmer who supplies him with the best bacon pigs he handles keeps his pigs under open-air conditions. The breeding methods of this farmer are Interesting. He has adopted the principle the Americans (at least the Minnesota experts) are so strongly advocating, the oriss cross system. This is crossing two pure breeds and at subsequent matings always using a pure-bred sire of one of either of the breeds being worked with. In the case of the successful West Australian farmer he is working with Tamworths and Berkshlres. If the sows are leaning too muoh to the Berkshire then a Tamworth boar is used but if the »owp are showing too muoh Tamworth then the Berkshire boar Is used. He is thus able to maintain a uniform type of carcase, midway between the Tamworth and Berkshire types. Of baconers for the West Australian market this man’s pigs, says Mr Reed, are outstanding.