PIG-RAISING AT CLAREVILLE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 967, 7 November 1910, Page 10

PIG-RAISING AT CLAREVILLE.

ON CO-OPERATIVE LINES. - Tlio Taratahi Co-operativo Dairy Company at Ciarovillo have gone in for pigraising on co-operativo lines, and have erected piggeries on modern methods close to tho,factory. There are twelve pens, each having roomy houses, with a board floor, a few inches above tho concrete foundation. The wooden covering is moveable, and thus assists, greatly in the work of cleaning. There is a concrete trough and platform in each pen, the occupants of which number twentyfour. A wire fence separates each pen. At present there are about 335 pigs at the farm, principally halfbred Berkshires and Yorkshires. There are also a few Tamworths. All were purchased in .the, district by Mr. .'J. Kilm'inster, who acts as buyer and manager of the farm. . There appears to be no scarcity of pigs in the district, for a thousand could have been procured if they had been required. 1 'The piggeries have so far only been working some six weeks, and at tho time of the writer's visit drafting had just been completed. A lino pen of 24 mixed sorts were seen to advantage. When they arrived at the farm, they .'wore, a." good'.deal below the standard condition, but ate now well on tho way to market, and are to be topped off with corn, and should be ready for the factory at about Christmas time. The principal food is of course whey; which is. pasteurised'up to 160 degrees before being fed to the pigs, and the wcancrs have .relish in pollard mixed-.witk» their- whey<.-">A divided trough'6'n"a*" trolley, willi'a pipe connection to.tho pen. troughs, is tho method adopted; for '.distributing the food, and saves a good - deal of labour. Care is taken that tho auimals do not gorge, but as careful as the manager is, one occasionally appears to consume more than is good for him. Of the total number of pigs, 150 are weaners, and ."a finer'.-lot one could not wish to sec. The whey at present being used; was in former seasons wasted, and there is still plenty'o'fvhey for at least 50 to 100 more pigs. In addition,, a number.,of suppliers take whey liome, but are aware that this privilege ceases as soon as the manager finds that he .requires: the whole.supply.