SWILL FED PIGS OBNOXIOUS

Shannon News, 25 November 1927, Page 4

SWILL FED PIGS OBNOXIOUS

CORRECT FEEDING ESSENTIAL’' 4 Breeds of pigs vary in their-ability to meet the requirements of butchers ■ and ■ curerSf,. says the Imperial .'Ministry of Agriculture. Certain, breeds, it is held, have natui-aliy. thin streaks - and bellies; others have consistently thick streaks. Unfortunately,; thick streaks are often associated - with ex- t cessive back fat; others again have a thick rind, others a thin rind, and f and so on. Black pigs are alleged to Buffer from certain disadvantages—namely, the visibility of seedy cut, v which reveals itself as a black, spotty discolouration of the* milk ducts of some female, pigs,. the unattractive K appearance, when dressed,> of black heads and feet and the racial tendency of the flesh to be of coarse texture. >

Correct feeding, which is. reflected in the ■ substance, colohr and texture of the flesh and to some extent the quality of the bona, is not less important than judicious breeding. It has often been said that the. only pig to pay its way is the good pig well fed, and that the best pig, badly fed. will turn out a bad pig. ' Improper feeding may lead to excessive fatness irrespective of weight; this is a common defect of home-produced pigs. The demand is for small, well-finish-ed. fine-boned carcases, with a good proportion of lean and a low proportion of offal early maturity being an Important consideration. Then, again the use of inferior feeding* stuffs, or the misuse of suitable f00d5,... causes otherwise excellent carcases to turn out practically worthless or to be reduced seriously in value. 4

Swill-fed pigs: are obnoxious;to tho bacon curer; carcases of pigs'indifferently fed on wash are common on the fresh pork market ’ Maiae. rice meal and certain oleaginous . foods, when fed , indiscriminately,. produce dark,, coarse-flesh and soft : spongy fat. The use of fish meal, of the wrong kind, or in.oxcessive -quantity, or too close to killing time,' taints the flesh and mantes it ■ unsuitable for ' either pork or bacon.