PIG RAISING.

Matamata Record, Volume VI, Issue 474, 24 September 1923, Page 4

PIG RAISING.

SOME POINTS WORTH NOTING. The higher prices now being paid for pigs and the improved prospects for a steadily-increasing demand for bacon and ham, both in the Dominion and overseas, emphasises the necessity for much better care being taken of this very profitable branch of the farming industry. Artichokes make good feed for winter and the pigs will do the labour of rooting them out. One pig raiser in the Tc Aroha district hist year secured a very profitable crop of the tubers and he stated that artichokes for pigs were splendid and inexpensive. Other farmers have noted the success attending this man's enterprise and here and there throughout the district are patches of this succulent and easilygrown vegetable. Tubers may now be planted. Lucerne or rape make excellent pasturage and the lucerne hay, if finely chaffed and mixed with pulped mangolds, makes a splendid winter feed. Every pig breeder or raiser should grow a small area of mangolds and he will find no more economical winter feed. Of course, for sows rearing a litter, or for weaners, nothing is better than milk, supplemented by a handful of crushed barley, which should be grown on the farm. A patch of ground in the vegetable garden could quite well be utilised for the purpose. In pig breeding the best quality only should be kept—those of the mongrel class, as a rule (in common with dairy stock) do not nay for their food. Every pig breeder has his own special fancy, and each breed has its own special qualities; but. a good type of Berkshire is excellent and suits Auckland provincial conditions well. In this part of the province elaborate piggeries are not essential—just sufficient to shield the nigs from the sun, or during an exceptionally cold wet spell. A sow will successfully farrow in a corner of a naddock in mid-winter and- do well, though naturally the opportunity to farrow in a clean bed of straw in a stye should, if possible, be given.. The main thing is to have them in good condition, so that there will be an abundance of milk for the young ones. The open air, with reasonable shelter, is better than a filthy, badlyconstructed stye. Small movable huts on runners are excellent; they should be just large enough to accommodate one sow and her young ones. The sows, as they come near farrowing, should be separated from the others, and for a few days previous to and after farrowing their food should consist principally of sloppy bran. As in the case of lambs, it is essential that young pigs do not receive a check after they arc weaned. Nevertheless, it often happens that through gross neglect they are worth more at weaning time than a month later. If intended for pork fattening should not cease, and if for bacon or for breeding they should get such food as will keep them'in a thoioughly healthy condition. That is the opinion of a very successful pig breeder who is a recognised authority. Much irritation to pigs is often caused by the presence of large numbers of lice and the best remedy is the application of some cheap oil. By the way, an American invention to combat this evil is an excellent one, and the apparatus consists of a roller which runs on an oil bath something like a grindstone. The contrivance is placed in such a position that it enables the pigs to rub themselves on the rollei\ The rubbing causes the roller to revolve and its surface is automatically kept moist constantly with oil and lice are eradicated with a minimum of trouble to the«owner of the pigs. Sows should herniated as soon as their young ones arc weaned and every sow should rear two litters in 12 months. Some farmers make the mistake of allowing the boar to go to the sow as soon as she delivers her youngones but this obviously is a, wrong practice. The sow is so weakened by her task of providing sustenance for the unborn young that she is not in a fit condition to undertake the dual task of motherincr her young ones and storing vitality for the needs rf the next litter. The succeeding litter is usually a small and weekly one, so the gain is nebulous.