PIG-MANAGEMENT.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4, 20 October 1928, Page 261

PIG-MANAGEMENT.

Dealing with the subject of pigs in his annual report for 1927-28, the Director of the Live-stock Division (Mr. J. Lyons, M.R.C.V.S.), remarks: —

To any one who is familiar with the pig industry of this country it is obvious that if we are to gain a place in the world’s market with the products thereof we must materially alter our system as regards the management and feeding of this class of stock. Pigs, if properly fed and sheltered, will thrive excellently' in the open during the summer months.’ Such animals, however, are born in midwinter or early 1 spring, and it is then that they require most attention if the best is to be got out of them. It is well known that the better an animal is fed and cared for- during early life the sooner it will reach maturity, and if through any cause a check is received it’ may take eeks for the animal to recover, during which period it is being fed at a loss. It is essential, therefore, that every farmer should keep his pigs going well from the time they are dropped. To do this, however, good housing-accommodation (together with a liberal supply of bedding, so that the young animals may be kept warm) must be provided for the farrowing sows, and when reared the young animals must still be housed and given suitable food until such time as weather conditions allow them to be turned, into the open. Skim-milk when fed alone is not a balanced ration ;. too great a bulk of this material is required to bring a pig to maturity. With the addition of concentrates the milk required for one animal could be made to feed two, thus showing a handsome profit for the extra food consumed. When pigs are reared in large numbers in a given- space a certain amount of disease is difficult to avoid, but given good conditions for feeding and housing the mortality amongst pigs would be nothing like it is at present. Improved conditions mean increased profits, an object which should be held steadily in view. Pigs should be looked upon as a valuable asset whereby our by-products can be turned into a handsome profit, not as a medium for getting rid of such products.