The Farm.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 29, 21 October 1893, Page 10

The Farm.

preparing STOCK FOR 'SHOW. PIGS. The average farmer takes little interest in nigs ; certainly not as much as he ought to take. The Americans, who are a very practical and inquiring people, have long: ago proved the truth of the Irishman s compliment to the pig that he is “ the gentleman who pays the rint.” In the United States, as well as in Ireland, the pig business is a most important industry, and the reason for mentioning this fact is to illustrate that whether kept on a small or large scale, as a single pig or in a herd comprising several hundred head, the testimony that this class of stock is profitable when properly managed is overwhelming. There must in this country be greater individual and more general enthusiasm evoked among pig breeders before their exhibits at the shows receive the attention they deserve. One has to go to America to learn how to manage “ hogs.’ There they are kept in a different style to what we are accustomed to a Being them here. ; The principal buildings on the farm—in the swine breeding districts of the slates—are the hog-pens and corn cribs. All the costly yards about the homestead, the windmills and water-tanks, the shady groves of maple and willow trees, and the finest clover pastures on the place, all belong to the pigs. These things are provided specially for the pigs, and, reader, “ don’t you forget it,” when the pig is given a “ show,” or the same amount of care and attention as is more frequently in this country bestowed upon horses, sheep, or cattle, he is “all there,” and can give a better account of the food he consumes than any other stock on the premises. At the leading American shows, or “fairs,” as they axe called, all the excitement is about the bogs. And no stranger marvels at it, after having visited an ordinary hog-ranch, where probably 500 or 1000 head of fat hogs are to be seen quietly grazing on the best clover and timothy paddock, with an equal number ofshoats, or pigs of a younger age, coming forward, which are depastured in the second quality of grass. Other enclosures, suitable for the purpose, are provided for the brood sows, the sows and pigs, and the hoar, all growing and multiplying and converting the cheaply grown herbage and grain into valuable meat, surely enough to convince any sceptic about the profitableness of pig keeping. Generally speaking, nobody can exhibit pigs successfully who has only a few head to select from. The owner of a large herd, especially if he manages them well, can always show more successfully than the owner of a small herd of pigs, the same as the squatter with thousands of sheep to select from can generally overpower the farmer, who can only count hundreds in his flock. Another reason I claim for referring to American practice is to encourage a greater interest in pig-keeping among the farmers of this country. There is no stock so profitable when properly managed, and none, 1 regret to say, so much neglected in our show-yards. Agricultural societies would greatly promote the swine-breeding industry by observing the three following simple rules: 1. Give better prizes. ?. Give no premiums for pigs over eight months, except for sows with litter at foot not more than six weeks farrowed. 3. Give the best prizes in open classes, and have all breeds compete in sweepstakes. .Aged, monster pigs are unprofitable to the feeder, and afford no instruction to anybody. They are also very unwieldy in moving from show to show, and the opportunity of examining them is almost impossible to both judges and visitors. Offering better premiums to the younger classes would bring forward more exhibitors, thus creating a keener interest in the competitions, and lead to other things which make for profitable swine-breed-ing. The good qualities of any pig can be fully developed at the age of eight months. The time for profitable fattening is up to that age, and all who are really interested in the business do not want to see heavy specimens reared and fattened at any cost without regard to commercial principles. Where show-yard committees err in regard to pigs is in offering prizes for pure breeds only. My experience leads me to believe that there are a hundred crossbred pigs reared and fattened for every one that is purebred. Why, then, are not the crossbred invited to the show ? In the erosssbreds are centred the swine industry of this country, and from them the hulk of our farmers declare they can make most money. If the owners of purebred or p> digreed pigs claim superior excel! cnce in their stock, let them have the opportunity tf proving it in the showyard. Make open classes for all or any breed, give good premiums, get unprejudiced judges who care not whether the pig is black, brown, or white, and the pig industry will then be encouraged on the lines it ought to follow and does follow in actual practice. In commencing to prepare pigs for show, it is well to remember that the success of the ■undertaking depends very much upon having the right kind) of stock for a foundation. There arc many different breeds to choose from, and any. of them are good enough. There are Targe, middle, and small breeds varying from black to white and brown, or a mixture of colours. A good pig, like a horse, is never a bad colour. In different situations and for different purposes different breeds are preferred, but all the breeds have their

admirers, who cilltivate the variety which they fancy will yield them the largest,, profit. As to the kinds of food required for bringing forward young pigs for show, grain of some kind or other is necessary. The market price of the foods available will determine whether oatmeal, barley meal, maize meal, or any other kind of meal will give the best result?. Along with grain the next most essential food is roots, potatoes, turnips, or mangels, whicn should be cooked before being fed. Then, when milk or whey can he obtained to add to the root and grain ration, the diet is as nearly perfect as we can make it. Of itself grass is a perfect food for pigs, and if they have the run of a good pasture, a very small quantity of grain and roots will be required to make them fat. Pasture is, in fact, the main road to success in pigkeoping, and without a good paddock is entirely reserved for their special use, all other efforts to maintain them profitably by handfeeding alone will result in loss and disappointment. There is little or no trimming necessary with show pigs. They merely require to be kept in comfortable and clean quarters, and well fed, but not overdone.' They enjoy a good brushing every day. On the show morning pigs require to be washed and well dried, then brushed, and their coats finally dressed with an oiled cloth. They are then ready for the inspection of the judges, and if good care in selecting the animals has been tiken, and proper treatment given to them on the lines here suggested, the chances are that the coveted ticket will be won. —Australasian.