AN ECONOMIC LOSS.

Putaruru Press, 2 June 1926, Page 7

AN ECONOMIC LOSS.

WEANING OF PIGS. At Too Early An Age. ‘The economic loss to the industry as a whole through weaning pigs at too early an age is a very serious one —one that could very largely be minimised by a better knowledge of the business. Pigs should not be weaned or taken away from their mother till they are eight weeks of age, and if they can be allowed to run with the sow a few days longer, even to nine or ten weeks, .so much the better; though where the objective is (as it should be) two litters per sow per year it will be necessary for the sow to be separated temporarily from the young pigs when they are between eight and nine weeks old, for it is at this period the sow will come “in season” and be ready for the service of the boar. It is almost criminal to wean pigs at six weeks of age, place them in a cart or wagon and take them off to the pig sales to some other farmer under whose care they will have an entirely different clas 6 of food to that to which they have been accustomed prior to weaning, though it is admitted that with special care and attention and a "drop of new milk” they can, if they are specially, well developed, be ca'rried on without "undue risk;' but it is this special care and attention and the new milk (milk fresh from the cow and prior to passing through the separator) which is often lacking. Nevertheless thousands of young pigs suffer each year as a result of ea'rly weaning. LOSSES DUE TO IMPROPER CASTRATION. Losses from the- above cause are very serious. Discussing this matter recently with one of our meat inspectors, he stressed the urgency of im- . castration of pigs, for he stated that our losses must run into one per cent or more every week. With some factories treating 1000 or more 1 pigs per week this means ten pigs or portion thereof—a heavy loss, indeed through a simple operation which, if properlyperformed when the 1 pig is six weeks old, leaves no ill-effect, nor does it • injure ot check the growth of the animal.