PIG MANAGEMENT

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 72, Issue 4, 15 April 1946, Page 405

PIG MANAGEMENT

Industry’s Value Could Be Doubled

By

H. M. PEIRSON,

Superintendent of the Pig Industry, Wellington

THE high praise given New Zealand pigs, in London recently, reported in the February, 1946, issue of the “Journal,” should encourage New Zealand farmers to breed and feed for the requirements of the British market. That the figure of 680,000 pigs produced in the year ended September, 1945, could easily be doubled without attaining the goal of one pig per cow shows that the best economic use is not being made of dairy by-products in the production of pig meats.

The more intensive instructional work of District Pig Councils has been aimed at a continuous expansion of pig production, and in this article broadcast talks on pig breeding and management by District Pig Council Supervisors during the past year are summarised.

FROM their introduction into New Zealand pigs were looked upon ~, , ' as scavengers, and were treated accordmgly Poor accommodation, was provided, little attention was given ; to them a minimum expenditure was mcurred on them, hey had a maximum nuisance value always, and they produced to about half their capacity, but they showed such profits that they compelled interest As awareness of . their value developed, and as the slowing-up of the. dairy cow development left more time for attention to pigs, pigs and cows beame mSepar l able. Today pigs are kept on most farms where skim-milk, whey, or buttermilk is available,, as pigs are the obvious users of this most valuable but too often despised feed supply. Expansion of the industry began in real earnest in 1928, and has continned with slight interruption until the present. , In the last 15 years, except for a period during, the war, production has more than doubled. This development can be attributed only to the effort and interest of farmers themselves, but it may not be

out of place to mention a number of factors that actually stimulated the interest of many who have made outstanding successes o f pigs, especially since 1928 . . In . that year pig recording b and created a mild sensation b advocating the production of 40 i b . weaners> and sug g es ting that at 16 wees p ig s were 2J times their eight weeks - weann g weight Information about what constituted good manage . ment adequate feed and quality in igs was co n ec4ed by the recording club breeders became more in . terested in quality, and ultimate i to meet the demand for instruction and advic the National Pig Industry Council was formed This bod com t posed o and controlled mainly by pi g producer and allied interests, now advises on questions of pig production, an d is largely responsible for instructional work on pigs. In every district there is a supervisor, whose services are at the disposal of producers on all matters relating to pigs,

n .•i r i „ Possibilities With Feed Supply Information collected from all kinds of sources makes it clear

that at least £4 worth of pigs can be produced per cow each year. If this were done by all, the industry would be turned into a £SJ million a year venture—double its present value.

Dairy by-products equivalent to the milk from. 1,400,000 cows are available for pig feeding. Any increase in pig production can be brought about only by providing and using the appropriate supplements to skim-milk. - One cow’s milk alone, fully used, could produce about £2 worth of pigs a year. Because of the seasonal way in which milk is produced, milk cannot be fully utilised when used alone, and because of its high feed value it is wasteful to use it alone except for fattening pigs. It is necessary to provide other feed when milk is absent, or to make the 1 milk spin out. Roots or paddock feeds fill the bill, but to make the best of these some meal should be used with them when milk is absent. The ideal combination of pig feeds is \skim-milk, meals, 'and roots or grazing.

Skim-milk provides between 600 and 650 million gallons of high-quality pig feed. Because it is not available in equal amounts each month, and because it is not easily stored, its use presents a difficulty that only the most progressive have overcome. Most people waste some of it at some time of the year, and even when it is all fed to pigs some is still wasted, because pigs are sometimes overfed and at other times underfed. If a pig is ultimately underfed, previous feeding represents the biggest waste. Skim-milk . fed alone produces an excellent carcass, and older pigs can grow naturally on skim-milk only. Fattening pigs, therefore, require no supplement of meal if milk is abundant. Any meals fed with skim-milk should be fed to pigs under 4 months old, or to make up for a shortage of milk in the off-season. Whey supplies the equivalent of 80 to 90 million gallons, of skim-milk. It

has about. two-thirds the feeding value of skim-milk, but because some is lost in cheese-making it is usual to reckon whey for pig feeding at half the value of. skim-milk. . Compared with skimmilk it has two further disqualifications; it has to be carted back from the factory, and it requires the use of a protein supplement. For these reasons much whey is wasted. Whey gives excellent results with all classes of pigs when fed with jib. meat-meal daily, and fed this way the value of whey is almost doubled. About 40 million gallons of buttermilk, the feed value of which is the same as that of skim-milk, is available yearly for pig feeding.

Brceding for Seasonal Feed Because little milk is available in late autumn, winter, and early spring,

and because pigs have two litters a year, it. is essential to provide something to take the > place of milk. Every conceivable way of getting round this difficulty has been tried, but getting rid of the responsibility of winter pigs entails the penalty of buying dear stores in the spring or wasting milk. The only way out of the difficulty is to grow grass, roots, etc., use some meal, have as few big pigs on hand as possible in winter, and sell heavy baooners in midsummer and pork or light baconers in May and June. Have some sows farrowing in May, June, or July. It is most important to have enough big pigs to use the flush milk, and this can be done with a minimum of winter feed by having sows farrow in May, June, or July. There is a most marked tendency to reduce the num-

ber of heavy pigs carried in winter, and to replace them by suckers and weaners; 3 to 4 suckers can be carried in place of every store pig. To use the home-grown feed supply effectively some meal or grain is required, but as these are high-priced feeds they should be used judiciously and quantities measured. Home-produced crops are generally of low feeding value. The kind to grow will depend on suitability of the crop on any particular soil, yield obtainable, and when the crop is wanted. Grass is most widely used, and provided pigs get 2 gallons of milk or 21b. of feed, preferably concentrates, daily, whatever their size they can make good use of grass, especially from 3 to 5 months old. Where attention is paid to details there is little difficulty in getting lib. or 1 ton of meat for every 61b. or 6 tons of feed used. For the whole of New Zealand it is estimated that 81b. of feed is used for every pound of carcass produced.

Care Brings Profits

The importance of using good breeding stock cannot be over-estimated. Pigs provide only carcass, and it must be realised that progress lies in appreciating the possibilities of good matings. The returns obtained from pig keeping are very closely . associated not only with the ' selection of breeding stock, but also with the care and attention given to the sow. Neglect of the most important members of the herd is usually accompanied by unsuitable conditions for the rest. More than any other class of animal, the pig is a real source of profit and satisfaction to those -who have ability to organise and plan. Sows produce twice a year, and must be well fed between litters. Sows that lose weight during this period cannot nourish the litter they carry,, nor produce a normal and thrifty litter. Feed used at this stage is a better insurance of a good litter than feed used at any other stage of litter production; production of good litters is the starting point of successful pig keeping. Care of the Sow Few producers appreciate the reproductive ability of the sow. Given the right conditions and attention she will produce seven pigs each litter, and will do this twice a year, making it possible to return to the farmer for his 12 months’ labour a gross value of £5O. A number of cases are recorded where a ton of pig-meat £6O worth— been produced from a litter of 13 pigs in 6 months. r After farrowing the sow needs 41b. of feed for herself and lib. for every

pig in the litter until the piglets are four weeks old. After the fourth week the amount fed to the sow should be gradually reduced and given directly to the young pigs in the creep. At the eighth week the sow is getting 61b. feed, and the youngsters 2 to 2Jib. They start feeding at the creep at 3 weeks old, on Jib. daily, and at weaning the 2Jlb. supplies all they want, and weaning is no shock to them. It pays to feed sows and litters carefully, seeing that they. get enough to let - them grow satisfactorily. Attention given to a litter from birth to weaning returns more than care spent on pigs at any other time of their lives. The litter is the pig harvest, and just as the abundance of the harvest is paramount in the profits of a farm, so the excellence of the litter is the foundation of profitable pigs. All animals at birth have a decided inclination to grow rapidlythe socalled “growth” —and if this is destroyed by keeping them under conditions unsuitable for growth, the ability to resist infection or to eliminate poisonous by-products associated with digestion is lost. These infections, manifest in the weakly and usually blamed for poor health and growth, are secondary in nature. They are present everywhere, but do not appear in the thrifty pig, because he has higher powers of resistance. The thrifty weaner is thus the foundation of the profitable baconer.

The Litter

For the first three weeks piglets get almost all their nourishment from their mother’s milk, and to relieve the strain upon the sow it is important that the litter should be encouraged to start feeding at 3 weeks old, or earlier if they are, noticed trying to obtain food from their mother’s trough. A creep should be erected where the pigs can obtain feed .with-

out interruption from the sow. A little new milk, skim-milk, molasses, or meat meal will often tempt them to start. This will not only make them independent of their mother, but they will also make more rapid growth, for occupation also brings contentment and contentment is allied to rapid growth. It is the most natural way of feeding little pigs, and they are getting exercise all the time, which promotes health. The growth pigs make at this stage is the cheapest and most economic throughout their lives. . ■

The Creep

The quantity of feed ‘required by the litter depends not. only on the number of pigs, but on the individual weight of the pigs. The feeder must use his judgment and appreciate that the feed required by the litter increases daily. A suitable feeding place should be erected and the pigs given all they will eat in the dry feeder and all they

will drink in a trough. The main point, however, is to see that the food is at all times clean and wholesome; insanitary conditions retard growth. The creep also assists the less vigorous members of the litter.

W eaning

Taking the sow from the litter and leaving the piglets in familiar surroundings for a few days to become used to Sleeping by themselves is an important part’ of weaning. When several litters are weaned not more than 10 pigs should be run together, and then only when they have been graded into sizes. If too many are run together, crowding at the trough and in the sleeping quarters results in fighting,- with the bigger pig gaining all the advantages at the expense pf the little fellow, who makes little progress. Grading into' sizes ensures the production of an even line of pigs that will be content to live and’ feed together.

Even fattening pigs should be let out to get a little greenstuff three or four times a week; an ounce of animal fat per pig daily ensures health. Soil or mineral matter is an aid to health, especially for young pigs. Treat pigs for worms if these are' suspected; oil them to keep down external parasites and mange; watch for any signs of sickness. A 24 hours’ starve is an excellent insurance against indigestion and stomach complaints. Isolate the sick pig and act • promptly, as there is no profit in feeding pigs unless they are thriving.

Housing

Although the provision of adequate and cheap feed is the keystone of profitable production, it is obvious that something more than feed is necessary. Good houses and sanitation are essential for profitable pigs. In the past this side of pig production

has been neglected, but its importance is now being generally recognised. If sanitation and housing pay dividends only in the sickness, disease, and death they prevent, it would be more than worthwhile, but they are far more fundamental. They influence the whole outlook towards pigs; they create pride of ownership, which is the mainspring of success. There is no set of rules to define what is meant by good attention, but the results of the growing recognition of its 4 importance in pig keeping are reflected in the continuous drop in rejected pigs over the last 9 years. Ten years ago rejections from all causes were greater than 18 per cent.; today they are less than 5 per cent. Successful pig production depends on these three items—cheap and adequate feed, good housing, and able attention. Because pigs are used as scavengers and because they are hand fed, it is obviously necessary either to put them in sties when they are being used as scavengers, or else to fence them securely. Traditionally they are kept in sties because it is easier to keep

a sty pig-proof than it is to keep any length of fence. pig-proof. Sties have the lasting advantage that they keep pigs out of . mischief, but they have numerous disadvantages. When pigs do not have access to green, growing material they become sick, unless their feed supply contains all that grass contains. Sty-fed pigs are notoriously subject to lameness and paralysis. Sties have to be cleaned out, a job that is so unpleasant that it is usually neglected. In the insanitary conditions that prevail many internal infections take a toll of young pigs, either killing them off or delaying their growth severely. The repugnant state of . the pig-sty kills the owner’s interest in pigs, and in the absence of owner-interest the . pigs become unthrifty. It is a matter of choice whether central or dispersed units are built. The saving of material by pooling all pig-houses is offset by the extra cost of drainage and water supply, which are essential to the central unit. The saving in time required for feeding in the central house is offset by the time required for cleaning out, but

the central house enables the owner to keep the . whole unit under better observation, and probably entails less unpleasant work with pigs, especially when the weather is wet. Both the open-air and the central lay-outs are excellent so long as they are not overstocked, and so long as they are given the attention necessary to keep them in good working order. There can be no question that where pigs are well housed they will pay excellent dividends. It has been proved by every farmer who has gone to the trouble and expense of good accommodation that - pigs kept in clean, wellventilated houses and not overcrowded require less feed than where conditions are bad. The National Pig Industry Council provides a pig instructional service throughout New Zealand, and farmers contemplating a new lay-out should seek the advice of the local District Pig Council, whose services are free. Adaptability of the Pig

The evolution of the modern pig is quite an interesting study. No other animal has been called upon to provide such wide variations from its original form, habits, and body construction. The wild or semi-wild pig had to forage for itself, and required great hardiness and fighting ability to escape extinction, which led to the development of the head and shoulders.

It has ever been a prolific animal, and under the control of those who have sought, through breeding and selection, to improve its conformation, the response has been most generous. For., instance, at' one ' r time .carcasses weighing from 4 to 6cwt. and carrying a great proportion of fat were in popular demand, but subsequent preference for c lightweight bodies and a predominance of meaty flesh led to the development of the after end of the pig, good loins, and hams; in other words, the evolution of the pig has transferred the weight from one end to the other. The pig has met these needs without sacrificing those great attributes of hardiness, prolificacy, and early maturity, together with the preservation of the particular excellence of the flesh, which has always been a favourite article of diet. Gervase Markham in 1638, speaking of the domesticated pig, said that “’although troublesome, . noisome, unruly, and greatly ravenous,” it was, to him, “in the dish, so lovely and wholesome that all other faults may be borne with.” So it is today. Consumers’ tastes dictate the standard of any product. The present demand is for long, lean pigs that will give a. loin cut with the greatest amount of meat with only a reasonable amount of fat.. The bacon curer . or butcher

can find in a pig only what the producer . has put. in by breeding and feeding. Good hams and bacon and fresh pork cannot be manufactured out of poor pigs.

Baconer Competitions

The establishment of official standards for judging baconer carcasses not only gives the producer in attendance at competitions an understanding of the methods used to evaluate his pigs, but provides him with an opportunity of making a critical study of practices at freezing works and possible happenings to pigs in transit from farm to works; it emphasises the necessity of such marketing factors as suitability of weight and evenness of conformation; it results in the pooling of information and knowledge of the pig industry and brings into effective co-operation producers, export freezing works, curers, meat inspectors, buyers, and agents, who are concerned with consumers’ tastes, which dictate the standard for any product. When the consumer and the producer meet the desire of the consumer is fairly readily interpreted. So seldom, however, does the pig producer come into contact with the consumer that quality standards are necessary to interpret to the producer the character and type of live animal that can be expected to process economically into the most desirable finished product. It is clear that those who produce pigs, market them, process them, and regulate and direct the industry all have responsibilities in determining the future of the industry. Attendances of over 1,000 producers at baconer , competitions , show , that this responsibility is appreciated. It is clear, too, that the display of the meat industry’s by-products is of great interest to the producer. Like the farmer who produces pigs as a means of using his dairy by-products, the meat industry and the curer have to find a profitable avenue for disposing of their by-products in a marketable form, for which the manufacturer has certain standards of excellence. The bacon-judging system gives these standards of excellence for pigs.

HOW TO BECOME A SHEARER. . Although it is only by practical experience that one can ever become a shearer, the main essentials to be mastered are clearly given in Bulletin Nc. 246, “Shearing.” In addition to a detailed description, the bulletin contains 27 large illustrations showing the correct cuts and method of holding the sheep from start to finish. The bulletin is available from the Department of Agriculture offices at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin. Price 6d.

MODEL EQUIPMENT FOR SUCKERS AND SOWS