PIG FARMING PROSPECTS

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5155, 22 July 1927, Page 3

PIG FARMING PROSPECTS

ANIMAL THAT PAYS THE RENT. ADJUNCT TO DAIRY INDUSTRY. In a recent article dealing with pig farming prospects the “Taranaki Daily News" says :— “Excluding boroughs, there were 472,534 pigs in the Dominion at January 31, 1926, an increase of 32,419 over the number recorded during the previous year. After earlier vicissitudes pig-breeding now shows signs of being in a more stable condition, and increases in the total have been recorded each year from 1919. Pigfarming is usually carried on as an adjunct to dairy farming, and can be ranked with bee-keeping as a profitable source of revenue- for enterprising men on the land. Although the fattening of pigs has been profitable in the past, it is only recently that New Zealand producers have seriously investigated the possibilities of better markets and enhanced values. For instance, every move made by the Dominion’s chief competitor in the matter of da.iry produce is watched with the closest interest, but there can be no doubt that the Danes command as much of the ham and bacon trade of Great Britain ast they choose to seek.

“Recently, however, the Meat Producers’ Board has been collecting information relative to market requirements, and is now in a position to advise dairymen on such important questions aa the best size and best breed of pigs for export purposes. The very real interest taken of late in the methods of breeding and fattening, togethe'r with the improved sanitation now found on most successful farms, is calculated tp ihave a most important bearing upon the future of the pig in New Zealand, and experts look witlf confidence to the development of a bigger and more profitable industry.

“ England’s first gift to New Zealand was pigs, and it is only fitting that the gift should be returned. Here there are no widespread diseases to contend with, and the climate is so good that swine husbandry is possible when conducted merely on ,the forage system with portable styes that can be freely opened to the cleansing influences of air and sunshine while not in use. The possibilities of building up an export .trade in frozen pork may be gathered from the fact that during the past ten years nearly 99 per cent, of the total pork, bacon, and ham produced was consumed in the Dominion. The local market has always offered good prices, but it is high time the export trade was better organised, and encourage the dairy farmer to breed pigs far in excess of the number now handled. Especially does this apply to Taranaki, where the operations of dairy farming offer such excellent economic conditions for .the growing of pork and bacon. Last year, out of the 472,534 pigs in the Dominion, Taranaki contained only 57,828, and even to-day many dairy farmers consider rearing and fattening pigs to be too much trouble.” ,