PROFIT IN PIGS.

Putaruru Press, Volume II, Issue 55, 13 November 1924, Page 4

PROFIT IN PIGS.

PAYABLE SIDE LINE. Sows Pay Better Than tows. Although perhaps there is little pleasure in pig farming those Morrinsville dairymen who adopt it merely as a side line find it most profitable and the large numbers of pigs which are usually brought to the Morrinsville stock sales are indications that the majority of the farmers in the district go in for pig rearing-. Sows, it is claimed, are more profitable than cows. It is estimated tfiat an ordinary sow will return the owner at least £2O a year, while one Morrlnsyilte farmer recently made £57 from one sow in one year. Aw ordinary cow would give in the vicinity of 2001 b of butterfat, which at Is Gd pci pound would be a return of £ls to the owner. Even supposing the average for the Morrinsville district was 2501 b of fat this would return the owner only £IS, and it would take a good cow, well looked after, which would be worth £57 in one year, equalling 7601 b of butterfat at Is Gd per pound. A sow would give two litters a year, averaging approximately eight with each litter. The early spring litter is usually sold at eight or twelve weeks and should average approximately £1 apiece. This is £B. W.hat ordinary calves of a similar age would bring the same price? The next litter is usually fattened, and bringing 5d per pound at a weight of 801 b, should average £2 apiece, £l6 for eight, making a total of £24 for the one sow. With a good class of pig for breeding purposes and careful attention these figures would of course be greatly increased. One man quoted an example of £4lO as being the value returned from a farm of 97 acres with seven sows in the one year. This, however, was during the boom period. The question arises what number of sows could be kept with very little additional expense with the average herd ? One Morrinsville farmer spoken to on the subject said that he had a herd of between 40 and 50 cows. At present he had four sows but intended to increase the number to ten next year. Another man estimated that the skim milk from a herd of 40 or 50 cows would easily keep 10 sows, which would have little difficulty in returning the owner £2O a year. It ,s said that at the Chicago meat canning works nothing is lost except the squeal, every portion of the animal being utilised for some purpose. On a dairy farm also nothing need be lost. All food matter of no value for other purposes can be given to the pigs. Prices for calves are so poor that most farmers kill them and sell the skins. The bodies boiled down make excellent food for the pigs and the bones can be ground up for the fowls. Judging by recent prices it is more profitable to dispose of pigs when only a few weeks old than to keep them tor several months. One farmer stated that weaners were sold for 25s to 30s and if kept for three months the price would be only about 5s more.