FARMING NOTES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 169, 5 June 1940, Page 3

FARMING NOTES

WINTERING OF PIGS STATEMENT BY SUPERINTENDENT OF INDUSTRY The basis of increased pork and bacon production to replace supplies which have been cut oft' from the United Kingdom is the wintering of a greater number of pigs, and Mr M. J. Scott. Superintendent of the Pig Industry, Department of Agriculture, has issued a statement to farmers outlining a programme for the maintenance of pigs when the supplies of dairying by-products are not available. "The shortage of dairy by-pro-ducts in winter make the wintering of pigs difficult enough at any time but when the winter shortage is contrasted with 'summer's abundance of milk, the wintering of pigs appears to be a rea! hardship, the world's worst job," states Mr Scott. Must Carry Through Winter. "Men have dodged it by killing off porkers and light weight pigs in la|te autumn or by taking only one iltter off a sow each year. Most people when asked how many pig* are wintered put the figure at onesixth to one-eighth of the number carried in the peak months, bni careful estimates based on the monthly killings make it clear that the numbers wintered are at leasf half the numbers carried in tho peak months, and that even although there is little skim milk the amount of feed used is also slightly more than half that used in the peak months. That extra food imainly home-grown crops. "Because sows to be profitable must have two litters a year, it is the first essential of successful pig production that pigs be carried through the winter. Some people who disagree with this may quote numbers of immediate reasons for not wintering pigs, but the facts remain that any increase in pig production depends absolutely on more pigs being wintered and that already at least half the farmers do carry pigs through the winter; to their own advantage. Few will dispute the contention that there* is more profit in spring fed pigs than in winter fed pigs, but that discussion gets nowhere. All must be convinced that there is more profit in keeping pigs all the year round than there is in keeping them just when milk is abundant. Loss of Pigs. "In general half a ton of roots and half a cvvt of meat-meal r,ro sufficient to winter a pig of 701b live weight in June to make him

100-1201bs live weight by the end of August. Feed roots at the rate of 111) per pound of live weight weekly; thus a 701b pig gets roots at the rate of 701bs aw eek, 1001b pig at the rate of 1001b a week. Feed half a pound of meatmeal to get a growth of 3-4 lb in ten (lavs, or one pound to get a growth of 4-0 lb in thes ame time. If no roots are available, and there is some grass, V*lb of meatmeal with Ito iy 2 lb of grain daily along with grazing will give the same kind of growth as stated for root feeding. If no roots, grass or other growing crop or cheap feed is available, it is not advisable to try and winter pigs on meal alone. In the past too many have fallen down on the wintering of pigs because they tried to do it too cheaply. Because they had plenty of feed they were not prepared to use even a little meatmeni and as a result finished up with a few disheartened pigs instead of a nice line of stores. They lost more than the price of the meatmeal in dead pigs. Increased Production. "It is estimated that there is approximately enough milk to give a gallon ai day to half the pigs wintered during June and July. If the vest of the pigs got their half a pound of meatmeal during these months they would consume .'5500 tons ucsed annually in New Zealand. It is also estimated that only about 4000 tons of meatmeal are used for pigs annually, and, although the consumption in winter is greater than in other monththat for June and July does no! exceed 1000 tons approximately 1-:! of what should be used. Those who have not previouslyu sod it or who use it too sparingly could with advantage, try meatmeal at the rate of not less than half a pound per .pig daily. "More pigs have to be wintered if production is to be increased.* Roots for pigs is the fuse that starts the blaze of increased production. Bring those you have through the winter without los? and make preparations now for thai' extra half acre of roots to Avinter 20 pigs more next year. "Have dry sleeping quarters, use a foundation of meatmeal and/or grain, give them enough other feed: watch for and treat the sickly pigs." DAIRY PRODUCTION UTMOST CARE NEEDED The need for the utmost care being taken by dairy factory managers in the manufacture of butter and cheese was emphasised by Professor W. Riddet when speaking to the annual conference of managers and first assistants assembled at the Dairy Research Institute. He wa? referring to the effects of hostilities on the supply of dairy produce to Grea\ Britain. With the shutting off of Scandinavian imports of 200,000 tons of butter, Britain would be asking New Zealand to supply some of that loss and it would be definitely to the Dominion's advantage to supply an article of superior quality, because one could not tell what the result would be if substitutes got a footing on the British market. Margarine to-day in some cases could hardly be distinguished from butter and the result might very well be that if it came into everyday use it would be difficult to convince people that it Avas better to have butter. There was also need for greater care in manufacture, because of the conditions which produce was likely to be subjected to by transport in Avar time. OOOOOODOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO