Applies As A Pig Feed

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 60, Issue 1, 15 January 1940, Page 29

Applies As A Pig Feed

Under Proper Management Pigs Will Turn Waste or Reject Apples Into Clear Profit

M. J. SCOTT,

Superintendent of the Pig Industry, Wellington.

»g«n— mi—mi—mi—mi— mi—mi—-mi— mt—j The utilisation of waste or reject | I apples as pig feed has been s I investigated in Motueka and I 1 Christchurch, and it has been ! i shown that if adequate supple- | [ mentary feed is also provided J i and the pigs are kept under J I good conditions a profit of j | from 6d. to Is. a case may be j | expected from this class of = 1 apple. j i 1 •gmi.—mi—mt—-mi—-mi—-mi— mi— mt—-mi—mt—

AS a result of trials recently conducted in Motueka and Christchurch, it can be safely said that waste and reject apples return a clear profit of from 6d to Is per case when fed to pigs which are turned off as bacon. Apples contain approximately 18 to 20 per cent, of dry matter, so that 41b of apples are equivalent to lib of feed of barley quality. Under reasonably careful feeding conditions— that is, by never allowing pigs to be starved, and by keeping them free from parasites and illness through reasonable housing and attentionlib of pig-meat (carcass) can be produced for 61b of feed. The average for New Zealand is nearer 71b of feed, although many farmers produce it for 51b. The theoretical minimum is 41b of feed for lib of meat. On the basis that lib of meat is produced for 241 b of apples, the earning capacity of apples is approximately lOd per case of 401 b. On a conservative basis, and making allowance for purchased meat-meal, which must be used at the average rate of at least lib per pig daily, the value per case is at least Bd. In an actual trial conducted recently at Motueka it has been shown that

the apples fed to pigs return Is per case after all outgoings are met. This return is above the average expected return quoted above, probably because in this instance the ail-the-year-round feeding has not been allowed for. There will be months when no apples are available, such as November, December, and January at least. Other feed will have to be provided to carry store pigs during this period.

Supplementary Feed It will be necessary to provide supplementary feed with the apples. The main source of this supply, required in October, November, December, January, and February, could be readily provided from lucerne, clover, grass, or other grown crop. If sows were farrowed in June and December both litters could be turned off as bacon in the flush of the apple, season.

The June litter would have to be carried through as summer stores. on pasture and meat-meal when : no apples were available, and finished off. in the early part of the apple season. ■ The December litter would be r weaned on to apples and finished as bacon at the end of the apple season. On the assumption that the equivalent of 1000 cases of apples are. not gathered or are rejected on a 15-acre orchard, it is recommended that one sow be kept to deal with this quantity. One sow could be kept for each - addi-

> tional 1000 cases that are unmarketi able. Many farmers have had little ; success with feeding apples, chiefly : because they went the easy way about ; it, and were not prepared to adjust l . their ideas ' to fit the circumstances. : They bought pigs too dear, had insuf- ... ficient equipment, and used insufficient • supplementary feeds. ; 1 ' ; Because of these experiences an out- : line is given of the programme of : feed and. costs and returns for one . sow and her two litters to bacon in a • I year.: Approximately 1000 cases of

apples, half a drum of molasses, one ton of meat-meal, 36 bushels of barley, and two acres of grazing, at a total cost of £24, gives a return of 14 baconers of 1501 b carcass, worth more than £5O. The equipment necessary would be approximately £3O per sow. The following details are worth careful study by anyone interested, and the thanks of the Department are due to the Christchurch District Pig Council and farmers in Motueka and Christchurch districts who have assembled these data.

Sows Farrowing —Baconers following August. (Including November to /January farrowing period). One Sow and Litter of seven Pigs. FEED REQUIRED. \ :

December to Sow suckling • . . . . ... . . ■ .. February 60 days’ feeding .. .. .. ... Weaning weights, 35 lb. .. .. .. ’ ■ - ‘ . and grazing or pasture, February to 7 weaned pigs ; . . .. . J'-.j ■ April 60 days’ feeding . . .. . . 35 to 70 lb. live weight . . .... April to 7 fattening pigs . . . . . . . . . . August , ■ 140 days’ feeding . . 70 to 200 lb. live weight . . . . . . COST OF BOUGHT FEED. i drum molasses at £2 per drum . . . . . . £0 10 0 10 cwt. meat-meal at £l4 per ton . . .•. . . 7 0 0 18 bushels barley at .5/- per bushel :.. .. ’ .. 410 0 Total feed costs . . £l2 0 0

Average " . ■' 4 Amts. Req. Total feed ; Daily. Reqd. ... Molasses . . . . 2 lb. = 120 lb. • ' —.' J drum Meat-meal . . 2 lb. = 120 lb. = 1 cwt. Barley . . . . 4 lb. = 480 lb. ....=. 10 bushels clover, lucerne, carrots. ■ ■ ; Meat-meal . . . . i lb. 210 lb. =. ■ 2 cwt. Barley . . . . 1 lb. = ; 420 lb. = , 8 bushels Apples . . . . 4 lb. = 1,680 lb. = 42 cases . Meat-meal .. .. 1 lb. 735 lb. = ' 7 cwt. . Apples . . . . 20 lb. . = 19,600 lb. = 490 cases . 1 ’ ~ •_.*,■ , =*.'* r *; VALUE OF PIGS PRODUCED. 7 baconers, .150 lb. carcasses, at 6d. per lb. . . - . . £26 5 0 Less feed costs .. . . .. . . . . 12 .0 0 Return for 532 cases apples fed < . £l4 5 0

The return works out at approximately 6d. per case.

Sows Farrowing June—Baconers following April. (Including June to August farrowing period). ' One Sow and Litter of seven Pigs. FEED REQUIRED.

June to \ ‘ Sow - suckling L . . ' . . August 60 days’ feeding . . . ... ... , . .. . .. ... ;.. Weaning weight, 35 lb.'per pig . . . . August to , 7 wearied pigs'.; ■ .. : : ’October •60 days’ feeding. .. .. . . . . ... ' . 35. to 70 lb. live weight .. . . .. ..; October to .7’ store pigs ... '. .'• . January 90 days’ feeding . . .'. . . ' . . . ■ 70 to 130 lb. live weight . . . . January to 7 fattening pigs . . ... ■ • . . . . , . . April ,60 days’ feeding . . ' ... . . -. • ■ . . ' ' 130 to 200 lb. live weight . . .'. . . . ; - COST OF BOUGHT FEED. It drum molasses at £2-per drum . . . . . . £0 10 0 10 cwt. meat-meal .at £l4 per ton . . ' . . . . . 7 0 0 18 bushels barley at 5/- per bushel . . . . . . . ■ 410 0 Total feed costs . . £l2 0 0

' 'l’ ■ Average ' . ' , ’ . Amts. Req. Total feed Daily. Reqd. Molasses . . ... 2 lb. = 120 lb. ■ J drum .Meat-meal . . .. 2 lb. 120 lb. 1 cwt. Barley ‘ . . . . 2 lb. ' == 120 lb. = 2 bushels Apples . . . . 32 lb.. - . 1,920 lb. = 48' cases . ' Meat-meal .. .. I. lb. ■ 210 lb. = 2 cwt. Barley .. .. i lb. = ' 210 lb. = 4 bushels Apples ... . . 8 lb. = . 3,360 lb. = 84 cases Meat-meal . . ■■ i lb. = 315 lb. 3 cwt. Barley .. .. 1.1 b... = 315 lb. = 12 bushels Pasture or good grazing, at least 2 acres. Meat-meal . . . . .1 lb. . = 420 lb. = 4 cwt. ' Apples ... 1 . . .25 lb. . 10,000 lb. = 250 cases ! * VALUE OF PIGS PRODUCED. 7 baconers, 150 lb. carcasses, at 6d. per lb. , . . .. £26 5 0 Less feed costs .. . . .. .. .. 1200 ' ■< . k Return for 382 cases apples fed . . £l4 5 0

The return works out at approximately 9d. per case.