PIG INDUSTRY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 August 1938, Page 3

PIG INDUSTRY

INFERIOR QUALITY CARCASE BIG ANNUAL LOSSES. INSURANCE & COMPENSATION. The losses in the pig industry as a result of inferior quality carcase, unexportable meat, and partial or total condemnations of carcases, were the subject of a statement by the Acting Director-General of Agriculture, Mr E. J. Fawcett, on behalf of the National Pig Council. Mr Fawcett said that, following on the passage of a remit from the National Pig Industry Council to the effect that “the Council should make an authoritative statement of losses in the industry, with special reference to the question of insurance and compensation,” he had instructed his officers to investigate the position. The inquiry showed that the losses amounted to £261,333 6s 8d per annum, and constituted a serious drain on the industry which warranted a special effort on the part of the producers to improve the standard of pig management.

The inquiry was based on a total kill of 1,120,000 pigs'for the twelve months ended September 30, 1937. Of this number 627,000 were porkers at an average weight of 901bs. and 494,000 baconers at an average weight of 1351b5„ making the average weight per carcase approximately llOlbs. The total monetary loss for every 100 pigs, taking the price at 6d per lb., was £23 6s Bd, made up as follows:—lnferior quality bacon and pork,. £6 12s lOd; unexportable pig meat, £2 19s Id; condemned heads, £3 10s; total condemnations, £6 14s 9d; partial condemnations, £3 16s. On this basis the loss on 1,120,000 pigs was £261,336 6s Bd, and the direct loss to the producer was estimated at £l4 5s 5d per 100 pigs, or a total on the slaughterings under review of £201,833 6s Bd. This sum includes an estimated amount of £42,000 at 9d per pig for insurance. The loss to the trade was calculated at £9 Is 3d per 100 pigs, giving a total loss of £100,500. This is offset by insurance as above and Government compensation, leaving a net loss of £39,500. The remainder of the loss, namely £20,000, was borne by the Government in the form of compensation for partial or total condemnations, generally for tuberculosis or other diseases w,hich occur in spite of attention on the part of the owner. in commenting on the figures, the Mr Fawcett said that condemned meat was a total loss except for its offal value, and was set down accordingly. The price paid to the farmer for condemned pigs was taken from schedules published by the principal export companies; for second quality and unexportable the price difference was nominal.

Second quality and unexportable meat were included as a source of loss because their occurrence meant a reduced return to the producer, actually greater under the present circumstances than that incurred by disease. This loss could be reduced by better attention to housing and sanitation, and when that happened there was always a considerable reduction in condemnations. The loss through second quality, unexportable and condemnation would possibly never be wholly eliminated, but it would be reduced most quickly and effectively by attention on the part of, the owner. In the Auckland province the loss through unexportable had been reduced by three per cent for the year ended March 31, 1938. Compensation payments for tuberculosis had been reduced for the whole of New Zealand by thirteen per cent. This was the most encouraging feature of the industry, and must be a source of considerable satisfaction to those who have improved their conditions of housing. No mention was made of-the loss incurred by the trade in handling condemned pigs, but that must be a real one. Condemned animals probably required more attention per animal in their examination, removal and disposal than healthy ones did. If the loss were represented by a killing charge of one-halfpenny per pound, it would amount to £19,600.