Which Is The Best Baconer?

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 63, Issue 4, 15 October 1941, Page 303

Which Is The Best Baconer?

Report for Third Season of Carcass Quality Scheme

THE pig carcass quality scheme ’was instituted in 1938 to find an answer to the question so frequently asked, “Which is the best type of bacon pig?” At first sight this question means to some only whether one of the breeds, Berkshires, Large Whites, Tamworths, or Large Black, is better than all the others, but as every breed is crossed with every other breed according to someone’s fancy, the question involves not only the four pure breeds, but also all these various crosses which can be obtained from them. A few minutes with a- pencil and paper will make it clear that, in addition to the four purebreeds, there are six first cross halfbreds, and as each one of these six halfbreds may be put back to any of the four breeds of boar to give either a distinctive threequarter breed or else a pig containing three breeds— example, Large White x Berkshire x Tamworththere can be twenty-four more kinds of pigs. Many of these three-quarter bred and mixed breed sows are used for breeding purposes, and as the identity of their progeny by a boar of defined breed is not usually obvious, these can be classed as grades. Thus, there is a total of four purebreds, six halfbreds, twenty-four three-quarter or mixed breeds, and four grades, ' that is, 38 classes of pigs that can be produced from four pure breeds. If the reciprocal crosses are looked upon as being distinct in each case, the number of possible kinds of pigs is increased considerably. v Lest confusion should arise about the meaning of “purebred” as used here, it is meant to include all animals that are known to be of only one breed. When tattooed, registered pedigree animals are classed as “registered pedigrees,” but for the present they are included in the wider class of purebreds.

Measurement of Carcass Quality In this survey, carcass quality has been measured by the total points awarded for rate of growth, length of carcass, thickness of back fat at the

shoulder, and thickness of back fat at the loin. Quick growth is by far the most important feature of a good baconer. The rate of growth controls the amount of feed and the labour re-, quired to produce a carcass. Quick growers require less feed per pound of carcass gain than slow growers, and for this reason a maximum of 80 points is awarded for growth rate. In awarding points for growth rate the Canadian “maturity index” has been used, that is, standard age divided by actual age, multiplied by 80. A maximum of 20 points has been allowed each for length and shoulder fat, and a maximum of

12 points for loin fat The standards recommended by the Bacon Development Board (United Kingdom), slightly modified, have been used in awarding points for these three measurements. Altogether, 1,550 pigs have been reported on during the three years or

By

M. J. SCOTT,

Superintendent of the Pig Industry, Wellington. k 111 1111111.11111 1111111111111 Illi 11111111111111111111111 * 11111111111114 f I

operation of this scheme. In order to smooth out differences due to strains within the breeds, the month of birth, climate, and ways of feeding and treatment, it is estimated that at least 500 pigs are required in any one class.

Naturally, there is no single breed class in which this number has been examined, and it is therefore impossible at present to make any statement about the merits or otherwise of any one breed or cross. Even when pigs are grouped into wide general classes containing quite large numbers, the information from this small number of pigs is not dependable because of the variation between the smaller groups making up the class. One of the first general questions to answer, therefore, is whether purebred pigs, halfbreds, or mixed breeds make the best baconers. Purebreds score a total of 111 points, 69 for maturity, 20 for back fat, 12 for loin, and 10 for length; half and threequarter breds score 110 points (69, 19, 12, and 10), and mixed and grade score 109 (66, 20, 12, and 11). This would be one of the most useful contributions to our knowledge of pigs if it were dependable, but the purbred score is made up of Berkshires, 106 points, Large Blacks, 108 points; Large White, 116 points; and Tamworths, 112 points. None of these averages is dependable, as the biggest group, the Tamworths, is made up of only 154 pigs.

It will be a red-letter day for the industry when the measurements of a sufficiently large number of pigs make it possible to say definitely that purebreds, halfbreds, or mixed breeds make the best baconers. Most farmers believe in hybrid vigour, but few have sufficiently convincing proof to make the practice of producing baconers from mixed breeds generally accepted. Breed of Boar , A further grouping has been made of pigs by breed of boar used. Grouped in this way, there are 768 pigs from Tamworth boars by every kind of sow, 243 by Large Whites, 437 by Berkshires, and 97 by Large Black boars. Tamworth crosses score 112 (70, 20, 12, 10); Large Whites, 109 (68, 19, 12, 10); Berkshires, 107 (66, 20, 12, 9); and Large Blacks, 106 (65, 19, 12, 10) points respectively. If the differences were dependablethat is, if the results were obtained from very large numbers of pigs, they would be of considerable interest. The difference between Tamworth crosses (70 points for growth rate) and Berkshire crosses (66 points) means that Tamworth crosses reach 140 lb; at least two weeks sooner than

Berkshires. If this were true it would mean that the generally held opinions that Berkshires are hardy and that Tamworths are hungry would require reconsideration. In general, all pigs so far examined leave little to be desired for back fat thicknesses. Loin fat is inclined to be too thin on all. pigs of 101 to 120 lb., but especially on the Large White crosses. Shoulder fat is inclined to be too thick in all pigs in the weight range 161 to 180 lb. Length is ’ uniformly mediocre, and all crosses and all weights score only half marks when judged by the standard set by the United Kingdom Bacon Development Board’s scheme. At any weight one point for length corresponds to 3-16th of an inch, so that on their standards our pigs are uniformly just under 2 inches shorter than the perfect pig. The great failing in all pigs is the rate of growth. Pigs of 118 lb. average carcass weight are 46 days older than schedule; pigs average 132 lb., 44 days; pigs of 150 lb., 32 days; and pigs of 168 lb., 29 days. The standard of growth adopted may be too fast (142 lb. of carcass in 28 weeks), but it is a

performance that most pigs can do, and an ideal at which most bacon producers aim. The heavyweight pigs are ' usually produced when there is plenty of feed, and in the last stages get an opportunity of making up for lost time. On the other hand, light pigs are sold when the feed supply is failing, and do not get any opportunity of making up for the store period they have come through. These circumstances are unavoidable. Influence of Month of Birth When pigs are arranged in groups by the month in which they' are born a most unexpected result is obtained. Pigs born in January, February, and March are 60 days older than schedule; born in April, May, June, 23 days older; born in July, August, September, 29 days older; and born in November, December, January, they are only 10 days older than schedule in reaching average bacon weights of 140 lb. This result is in close agreement with the findings published in the “Journal”' in December, 1940, that for bacon production the best use could be made of feed when sows farrowed in May, June, July, and again in November, December, January. . > If the influence of month of birth on rate of growth can be established beyond doubtand that is possible only by the examination of a very large number of pigs—then at least six weeks can be cut off the life of many baconers merely by changing the month of farrowing. The value of such a saving to the industry will bear thinking about. In the past, all

the attention has been given to getting longer pigs and pigs that will grade better, improvements for which the farmer gets an indirect and almost invisible advantage. Attention given to rate of growth provides a benefit in which no one but the owner participates; the reward is in keeping with the effort spent. Having feed at the right time and proper attention are still the most important factors in getting rapid growth and maximum returns from pigs. After a sufficiently large number of pigs has been examined it will be possible to give definite information on the points discussed above and reliable answers to many questions now asked

by farmers. Only by the active cooperation of farmers will it be possible to get the number of pigs required. Farmers are asked to get in touch with supervisors and have their baconers, whatever the breed or strain, tattooed for carcass' evaluation. The service costs nothing, and the only obligation on the farmer is to supply the correct date of birth and the breed ■of sire and dam used. These two pieces of information are the foundations on which the scheme is built. Neither the age nor breed of a pig can be ascertained from an examination of the carcass; otherwise it would be possible to get all the pigs required in a couple of months at any export slaughterhouse. . ...