ATTENTION!

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 186, 15 July 1940, Page 2

ATTENTION!

BRITAIN HAS BEEN PROMISED AN EXTRA 10,000 TONS OF BACON By M. J. Scolt, Superintendent oi the Pig Industry, Wellington. New Zealand has promised Great Britain an extra 10,000 tons of bacon for the coming year. Our total production of pork and bacon for the last two years was about 40,000 tons, so that we are now asked to increase ciur production by one. quarter. This year approximately 360,000 pigs under 1201b weight Avill be killed. By increasing the weight ol these pigs by 301b ea.ch avc would produce about half of the increase requirde for export. If no increase in. these lightweight pigs is made, then an additional 160,000 baconers of 1401!) carcass weight., or 220,000 average pigs, are required. This means the progeny of lb',ooo to 22.000 more scavs, and this increase in sow numbers means that the figures should be restored to the level of January, 1939. It is impossible to say what tire sow population is at present, but the opinion is generally held that a sufficient number of sows have been retained to provide the extra pigs. Individual farmers will have a better idea of whether or not the position satisfactory. The Objective. It wild be more than satisfactory if every farmer accepts the ideal oi producing a baconer for every cow milked for butter and one for 2 A r e r y two cows milked for cheese, at the same time taking immediate steps to provide the equipment, stock and feed necessary to do so. This Avould give us 80,000 tons oif pigs, and would make the 10,000 tons increase just a milestone on the road of progress. Pigs cannot be produced without feed additional to dairy by-pro-ducts. These products aire just about half the feed required to produce a baconer, and the kind and duality of the other half depends A r ery much on the months in Avhich the soavs farrow. A careful study of the following details may help some farmers to obtain a clearer idea of the amounts of feed that are required in differ-] ent circumstances.. When pigs could be marketed at any Aveight the months of farrowing Avere not so very important. At least, that seems to be the case from a careful .review of the monthly killings as jiork and bacon for several years pasb. It is evident from thi's review that December and January! farrowings produce mostly pork and the corresponding farrowings in June and July produce mostly bacon. Pigs born in other months are more evenly divided between pork and bacon. Fewer scavs farrow ill February, May and October than in any other months. Best Time to Farrow. Noav that the objective is bacon production, careful thought given to the question of Avhich are the best tijnes of the year to haA r e soavs farrotw might ensure the best use of feed on many farms. This urge to consider the question of farrowing dates is directed particularly at those Avho do not yet realise thel adA r antage they used to take of pork production tn fitting their feed supply to pig numbers. Farrowing which suited pork production can easily make the production of bacon difficult. Generally, no hard and fast rules can be laid down, as many variable and uncertain factors haA r e to be considered. The time the cows conic in, the amount of grazing used for pigs, the amount of root cropij grefwn for pigs, when the cows dry off, and the number and weight of baconers sold per sow all influence the month of farro-wing. Facilities for keeping pigs in Avinter are important. In the discussion Avhich follows the argument is based on:— (1) One sow producing 12 baconers being kept for every 12 fows milked. 1 (2) Fairly generous amounts of ' meal being used. (3) Some grazing being used. 1 (4) Some roots being used. 1 (5) Baconers being sold at car- ' cass weights ranging from 1301b to 1501b. < (6) At least] threequarters of the ( coavs being in milk by the end of ] August. ( January and July Farrowings. ] A soav Avhich farrows in January and again in July requires for her- ' self and the two litters 12,5001b of (

feed, made up or (5300 gallons of milk, 35001b of meal, 10 tons of roots, and 2 tons of grazing. The peak months o!' feed requirements arc January, February, September, and October; the slack months are March, April, May. Reasonably good stores of.Bslb'to 1001b carcassweiglu along with . the sow are the only pigs wintered. February and September Farrowings Feed requirements for a sow and progeny as above are 12,0001b of feed, made up of 6300 gallons of •milk, 2100!.b oi grain, 13 tons of roots ancl four tons of grass. Peak months arc October, November, February, March; the slack ones are April, May, June, July. Stores of 651b to 801b are breeding slock only are wintered. March and September Farrowing' 4.. Feed requirements for a sow and progeny are 11,9001b of feed, made up of 6300 gallons of milk, 25001b of grain, 7 tons of roots and 7 tons of grazing, Peak months are October, November, December, March and April; the slack ones May, June July and August. Stores of 451b to 601b are wintered. April and October Farrowings. Feed requirements for a sow ancl pdegeny are 11,6001b of feed, ma do up of 6300 gallons of milk, 30101b of grain, tons of root ; s, and six tons of grazing. Peak months are November, December, April., May, slack ones June, July and August. Weaned pigs are wintered. May and November Farrowings. Feed requirements for a sow and progeny are 11,6001b of feed, made up of 6300 gallons of milk, 27261b of meal, 7 tons of roots, and 6 tons of grazing. Peak months are December, January, May and -June; the slack ones July, August and February. Baconers are being finished off in June, and Aveaned pigs are carried for the remaining Avinter months. June and December Farrowing':. Feed requirements for a sow and progeny are 12,7001b of feed, made up of 6300 gallons of milk, 45001b of meal, 7 tons of roots, and .2 tons of grazing. Peak months are December, January, August and f . September; the slack ones February, March, April and October. Light baconers are carried through the , winter. ; If this information is set out in a J summarised table it will'... be seen that, with a fixed milk supply, a maximum amount of purchased meal, is required Avhen pigs are bom in January-July or December-June, y and a minimum for pigs born Feb; T ruary-August, March-September. A maximum of roots and a minimum, j of grazing is required for pigs born January-July, February-August r and June-December. Minimum quan tities of roots and a maximum of grazing are required for pigs born s April-October, May-November and , March-September, It looks very complicated, but it ] is worth Avliile getting it sorted up if best use is to be made of the fend available.