COPRA AS A PIG FEED

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 62, Issue 3, 15 March 1941, Page 167

COPRA AS A PIG FEED

Supplies Now Available To Farmers

y By the liiiiiimiitiiniiiißiiiui’;

I LIVESTOCK DIVISION i E E

THERE is every likelihood that copra will form a large part of the winter pig-meal supply for the coming season, and as its feed properties are practically unknown to farmers these notes are supplied for their information. The subject matter has been collected chiefly from reports of copra fed in other countries, combined with the results of feeding trials conducted in New Zealand since supplies of copra have been available. Considerable numbers of pigs are fed on copra or copra meal throughout the Western States of America, in Europe, and in the Pacific Islands, where the copra is produced. All reports agree that pigs grow surprisingly well on copra, and this is in agreement with the feeding value of the stuff. Pigs get sleek and lively, more so on copra than on any other meal so far used, but they can also be easily sickened by any excess of copra fed, and while some feeders can get pigs to eat as much as 2 lb. daily the usual recommendation is that the ration should be limited to one pound daily for pigs over 100 lb. live weight, and to half a pound for lighter pigs. - Whereas most pigs take to copra immediately, especially the older ones, some feeders report that it takes from a few days to . a fortnight to get ; younger pigs on to the feed. Difficulties of this kind could be overcome by introducing copra in very small : amounts long before it was necessary •to use it,' say, at the litter stage. Little 'difficulty should then be experienced in getting pigs to take their full •amount when copra, becomes their chief meal ration. It can be fed directly from the bag,. nr it can be soaked in water, when it swells and softens. There is apparently no advantage obtained by soaking it. It is too oily, to crush satisfactorily. Where no milk is available half a pound of meat meal should be fed daily per pig, with copra to make up Tor its deficiency of protein.

Influence on Carcass, Quality While there is a general fear that copra will taint bacon and give the fat a tendency to rancidity, the properties of coconut oil are such that on fundamental grounds one would not expect these things to happen. So far there are only a couple or reports on cured bacon and both are satisfactory. The fat is white, harder than usual, and free from any taint. This is very encouraging • and if confirmed by subsequent tests will be of very considerable value. However, in view of complaints received in past years about bacon spoilage from another source of feed it is strongly recommended for the present that copra be used to feed young and growing pigs, and, except where trials are being carried out, that it should not be fed to pigs during six weeks to a month prior to slaughter. At a later date it may be possible to withdraw this caution, but there is no object in taking any unnecessary risks about spoiling our bacon quality at the moment. Feed it to young and growing pigs and so release a sufficiency of other grain meals to feed the finishing pigs. Composition Copra is the meat of the coconut and is supplied in pieces the shape and size of a heavy tea cup or chips therefrom. The nut is broken, the meat removed, dried in a kiln or in the sun, and shipped in bags.- Kiln-dried copra ■with a lower moisture content keeps better than the sun - dried, but both kinds store readily for a year or more. It contains between 60 and 70 per cent, of oil; sto 7 per cent, protein; 12 to 15 per cent, ash, fibre, and carbohydrate, and 6to 10 per cent, of moisture. This gives it a feeding value at least equal to If times that of barley, pound for pound, and makes it a remarkably cheap feeding stuff. Getting Supplies The high oil content makes it unsuitable to, store in large quantities,

although- ’it stores satisfactorily in small quantities or when not tightly packed. For this reason farmers are asked to take their season’s supply direct from ship’s side, This saves handling into and out of store and has everything to recommend it. Farmers will be advised when cargoes are available. All should make themselves as familiar as possible with copra during the next few weeks by discussing it with their neighbours, and farmers are particularly asked to place orders with merchants for delivery on arrival of the amounts they will require for winter use. From one half to one hundredweight per pig should provide all the meal required during the winter months.