1959 Carcass Competitions Show

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 99, Issue 6, 15 December 1959, Page 513

1959 Carcass Competitions Show

Importance of Rate of Growth in Successful Pig Production

ENTRIES in the North Island Porker and Baconer Carcass Competitions sponsored by Messrs W. and R. Fletcher (N.Z.) Ltd. at Tomoana, Patea, and Westfield freezing works this year totalled 3,276 pigs. The quality of the leading teams was maintained at a high level and a number of farmers have again scored well in the growth-rate section. Economy in production based on rapid growth in pigs should be the aim of all pig producers and in this article E. D. EDWARDS, Research Officer, Department of Agriculture, Wellington, reviews competition results and discusses the importance of feeding and breeding for rapid growth.

THE relatively small number of entries this year coincides with a marked increase in pigs slaughtered in the Dominion, over 100,000 pigs more than in the previous year. It would appear from this • that farmers are more concerned with carrying more pigs than in quality aspects, hoping to increase net income in this manner. These efforts may succeed,

but are they as profitable as performance recording can make them? The entries comprised groups of four pigs, each carcass being individually appraised and team points allotted as in Table 1.

TABLE I—POINTS SYSTEM USED IN COMPETITIONS

Maximum points Porkers Baconers Measurement Body length .. .. .. 20 20 Backfat: Shoulder .. ..10 10 Loin . . .. 15 20 Balance of side .. .. 5 5 Eye appraisal Hams .. . . .. • 15 15 Shoulders .. .. .. 10 . 10 Development of loin ... 10 10 Belly thickness .. .. 5 5 Marketing points .. .. 10 . 5 Total carcass points .. .. 100 ' 100 Team points Evenness of weight .. 10 10 Conformation .. .. 10 10 Total carcass points (four carcasses) .. .. 400 .400. Carcass quality max. per team 420 420 Growth-rate points per team 100 100 Max. points for growth-rate section .. .. .. 520 520

Entries in the growth-rate section fell to 46 and the standard was generally lower than in previous years. Mr V. Griffin of Hexton won the porker section with 429 points in a close contest with Messrs Fowell Bros., Howick, 426 points, ■ and Mr H. J. Billington, Eketahuna, 423 points. Messrs Fowell Bros, produced the best carcasses with 340 points, but lost

points for rate of growth. The. other two entries secured full marks for growth rate but lost points for loin development and shoulders. The growth-rate section baconer prize went to Mr L. F. Eustace, Hawera, with 420 points, 337 points for carcass and 83 for growth rate. These were whey fed pigs and from a National Hybrid sow bred by the New Zealand Pig Producer's’ Council at Korakonui. Entries in each category of the growth-rate section which reached the merit standard by gaining 70 per cent or more of the total points are shown in Table 2.

TABLE 2—TEAMS GAINING 70 PER CENT OR MORE OF TOTAL POINTS IN GROWTH-RATE SECTION

The details below are given in the following order: Exhibitor; breeding of pigs; date of birth; age (in days) at slaughter; average deadweight (in pounds) of four pigs; carcass points; total points; total points as percentage of possible points (520). PORKERS V. Griffin, Hexton; L.W. x; 29/1/59; 104; 733; 329; 429; 83 Fowell Bros., Howick; L.W.; 15/12/58 to 26/1/59; 93 to 135; 74}; 340; 426; 82 H. J. Billington, Eketahuna; L.W.; 21/1/59; 113; 771; 323; 423; 81 M. McCullough, Makauri; L.W. x B.; 25/1/59; 108; 72; 314; 414; 80 J. G. Johnston, Pukekohe; L.W. x B.; 1/11/58; 116; 771; 302; 399; 77 A. N. Furze, Mangorei; L.W.; 16/12/58; 98; 733; 298; 398; 77 N. W. Frost, Ngakuru; L.W.; 23/11/58; 121; 76; 304; 394; 76 L. F. Eustace, Hawera; L.W. x N. Hybrid; 12/11/58; 127; 78.1; 305; 389; 75 lan Billington, Eketahuna; L.W.; 25/1/59; 109; 76J; 289; 389; 75 M. Cooper, Eketahuna; Tam x; 20/12/58; 124; 782; 291; 384; 74 J. Gilmour, Te Aroha; L.W. x; 10/12/58; 139; 82J; 312; 381; 73 D. M. Gray, Morrinsville; T. x B.; 4/12/58; 110; 731; 276; 376; 72 H. J. Billington, Eketahuna; L.W.; 21/1/59; 113; 773; 272; 372; 72 Mrs M. E. Bent, Otorohanga; L.W. x (L.W. x L. 8.); 30/12/58; 120; 691; 290; 368; 71 A. N. Furze, Mangorei; L.W.; 12/11/58; 132; 88; 269; 364; 70 BACONERS L. F. Eustace, Hawera; L.W. x N. Hybrid; 13/10/58; 193; 1393; 337; 420; 81 H. Wenzlick, Maungakaramea; L.W. x B.; 5/6/58; 180; 1331; 316; 408; 79 H. J. Billington, Eketahuna; L.W.; 9/8/58; 173; 1401; 297; 397; 76 H. Wenzlick, Maungakaramea; L.W. x B.; 24/6/58; 181; 1381; 300; 395; 76 L. F. Eustace, Hawera; L.W. xN. Hybrid; 13/10/58; 211; 139 J; 334; 390, 75 M. Cooper, Eketahuna; Tam x; 10/7/58; 196; 1463; 301; 387; 74 Fowell Bros., Howick; L.W.; 8/11/58; 200; 128 J; 330; 383; 74 G. E. Ingram, Patea; L.W. x L. 8.; 18/10/58; 172; 130.1; 281; 378; 73 P. A. Ingram, Patea; L.W. x B.; 27/9/58; 193; 129; 312; 377; 73 H. J. Billington, Eketahuna; L.W.; 9/8/58; 187; 1411; 282; 376; 72 11. A. and A. D. Aiken, Waverley; L.W. x B.; 2/8/58; 187; 138}: 285; 375; 72 N. J. Aiken, Waverley; L.W. x B.; 21-29/9/58; 189-193; 143; 276; 369; 71 L. Aiken. Waverley; L.W. x B.; 16-23/7/58; 196-203; 1333; 298; 365; 70

Quality Baconers Some excellent baconers are produced at Gisborne. In 1957 Hooper Bros, won with a record 369 points for carcass, last year Mr K. W. Sewell bettered this with 871 points, and this year his winning team scored 362 points. In addition his porker team with 344 points was the best entry and enabled him to take the combined teams prize. These results prove that there are some very good strains of pigs in the country, which with first-class management yield a product of the highest quality. Such a product deserves a reward for the skill and resources required to produce it. There is a promising trend in negotiations to introduce a new grading scheme providing a premium for quality pigmeat, and results show that many farmers will be able to earn such a premium.

However, many more farmers could do so by paying particular attention to their feeding methods; If these methods are not sound, it is difficult to get a first-grade carcass even from a well bred pig. Maximum use must be made of existing pig accommodation and any planned by ensuring that as many pigs as possible are put through each unit each year. Well bred, well fed pigs soon justify good housing without necessarily increasing labour cost. Importance of Heavy Weaners The basis of economic growth and high quality carcasses is well grown weaners. Pedigree breeders and producers who aim at heavy weaners through selection and feeding are setting the foundation for profitable production, as the weight at weaning is closely related to later rate of growth and efficiency of feed conversion and the development of a meaty carcass. . Pig recording clubs 30 years ago focused attention on this important aspect of pig management. They established the fact that the weight of a pig at 16 weeks was about 2J times its weight at eight weeks. Thus at 16 weeks a 40 lb weaner would be 25 lb heavier than a pig weaned at 30 lb and could be marketed three weeks or a month sooner, permitting better use of housing and labour. Its growth pattern should result in a good quality carcass and efficient use of food even to the baconer stage. The importance of a good start cannot be stressed too often. The formation of lean meat, without which pigs cannot grade well, is laid in the early stages. A recent report of the British Landrace Progeny Testing Company’s second boar progeny test showed that not only did heavy weaners reach bacon weight earlier than light weaners, but they also graded better over the hooks. The report showed that the faster the pigs grew the more efficient was their use of food. This is an important aspect under New Zealand pig farming conditions. In this test pigs were fully fed right up to slaughter and it demonstrates the value of selecting for rapid growth. Top quality baconer carcasses can be produced economically, without restriction of the ration at any stage,

from pigs with a high potential growth rate and high quality carcass characteristics. Tables 3 and 4 show the relevant data obtained with Landrace pigs in the British progeny test. In this test feed efficiency improved steadily from 4.55 lb of food per pound of gain where the liveweight gain was between 1.0 to 1.19 lb per day to 3.64 lb of food per pound of gain where the

rate of daily gain was between 1.8 and 1.89 lb. This British information indicates that the inclusion of a growth-rate section in our carcass competitions is sound, even though it is not possible to obtain accurate food-consumption records. Teams which score well in the growth-rate section are of a high standard and reflect a sound selection policy and care in feeding. The small number of entries in the growth-rate section suggests that few farmers are aware of the advantages of recording performance in this manner. The. most important need at present is for better care of young pigs. For

instance, too few farmers use a creep for suckers. To achieve heavy weaning weights it is necessary to supplement the sow’s milk with meal or pellets, which should always be available from the time piglets will accept such a supplement. If time can be found to weigh litters at weaning, the effort will be well worth while if it stimulates interest in the pigs right through to the stage when they are on hooks. At least it would encourage better treatment of weaners. Pigs at this stage must be properly fed and housed to prevent that check in growth, accompanied by disease and waste of food, which so often occurs. The lack of care of weaners is a major weakness in our pig management. A recent survey revealed weaners did not receive meal on twothirds of farms where skim milk was fed and on a third of farms where whey was used. The average weaner in New Zealand would weigh only about 30 lb liveweight. Overfeeding on bulky liquids at this stage can be just as disastrous as underfeeding. To exploit fully the capacity of weaners for rapid growth it is necessary to use meal supplements. They promote good health and, if the ration

is appropriate, permit full development of muscle and bone, the foundation of a good carcass. Economic Use of Meal However desirable it may be to own healthy pigs which grow rapidly and yield a good carcass —pigs which have been given every opportunity to show their worth —all producers are concerned about the outlay on meals necessary to achieve this. The point is that the really good pig man can spend £1 on meals per pig sold and get away 15 or 16 fat pigs per sow each year, whereas most farmers spend only about 10s. per pig and manage to sell eight or nine fat pigs per sow over the year. This expenditure takes into account all meals used on the farm. When 15 or 16 pigs per sow are being got away the sows are really pulling their weight with excellent performance. Normally these sows get some meal at lactation. In the contrasting performance cited sows get little if any meal. Thus the meal bill for fattened stock is similar in both cases. But if we assume that the supply of milk is the same in both cases, how are the extra pigs reared to marketable weights?

This is achieved by making better use of available food: Firstly, wisely selected breeding stock under good management produce good, strong litters. Secondly, these litters get meal supplement when it is used most efficiently—in the creep and for a month or so after weaning; not, as so many pigs do, as stores on inadequate winter rations. Thirdly, housing is of reasonable standard so that food is not wasted in maintaining body warmth. Farmers who winter store pigs usually take them on to baconer weight and may lose financially in two additional ways: 1. Such pigs may become overfat if not fed carefully in spring. 2. It is more expensive to convert food into fat than into meat, and there is the risk of down grading of the carcass with a stiff penalty. These difficulties can be avoided to some extent by selling the shorter, early maturing pigs as porkers. Pigs carried on to bacon weight that have a tendency toward overfatness need to have their rations restricted from the time they reach about 130 lb liveweight to not more than six food units daily. The essential point is to use supplementary meal early, in the creep and to weaners, to get rapid early growth. That is where meal feeding pays best. The better the stock and management are the more meal can be used.

Full Value for Top Quality Pigs

"PRODUCERS of quality baconers may now earn the premiums for baconers under the Premium Grade Schedule which traders have agreed to offer as one of the purchasing options during the current season. Prime 1 grade baconers qualify for a premium of 2d. per pound over Prime 2 grade baconers, which in turn are 2-|d. per pound over Second Quality. A flat “No Grade” schedule of i|d. per pound below the Prime 2 grade price makes it well worth while for producers of better than average pigs to sell on the Premium Grade Schedule. A baconer of 140 lb dead weight would return 325. more if graded Prime 1 or Bs. 9d. more if graded Prime 2 than if sold under “No Grade”. Producers’ representatives have for years sought the introduction of worth-while incentives to the production of quality pigs. A quality carcass, which is the result of careful breeding and feeding, is the foundation of the production of a cured product which can be marketed readily and economically. The main danger at this time of year is overfeeding, which results in carcasses that are much too fat for today’s market. Overfeeding is usually due to more feed being available than is needed for the pigs kept. The alternative to overfeeding is to conserve some milk as curd for winter feeding. The local officer of the Department of Agriculture or Pig Council will advise producers on the equipment needed and the correct procedure. Aspects of breeding and management that lead to the production of profitable high quality pigs are dealt with in Bulletin No. 366 “Production of Quality Pig Carcasses” (free from your local Departmental office).

TABLE 3—EFFECT OF WEANER WEIGHT ON TIME REQUIRED TO REACH 200 LB LIVEWEIGHT (950 PIGS UNDER TEST) Days to 56-day reach 200 lb weight liveweight lb 30 and under . . . . .. 186.9 31-35 180.7 36-40 178.7 41-45 171.9 46-50 167.2 51-55 . . 159.6 56 and over . . .. . . 159.7

TABLE THE RELATION BETWEEN WEANING WEIGHT AND CARCASS GRADING 56-day No. of Days to Per cent weight of pigs 200 lb grade A lb 40 and under 147 179.7 . 61.2 41-45 .. 135 172.9 64.4 46-50 .. 132 168.4 75.0 51 and over .. 79 162.7 77.2