MAURICEVILLE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 October 1938, Page 9

MAURICEVILLE

PIG CLUB BALLOT. (“Times-Age” Special.) Very keen interest was shown by members of the Mauriceville Pig Club yesterday in the ballot for pigs from the litter of the pedigree Tamworth sow, “Rutherglen Tulip,” at Mr H. C. Mortenson’s yard. The three members who secured one each of the litter were Messrs G. Nielsen, G. Frederickson and H. C. Mortenson. The remaining two pigs from the litter are now available for public sale. Mr J. Williams, president of the Mauriceville Pig Club'/ and Mr H. C. Mortenson were appointed delegates to the newly formed Wairarapa Pig Club Advisory Committee. Mr E. P. Nielsen, District Supervisor to the Wellington District Pig clubs, explained to a “Times-Age” representative the system which has been started in the Wairarapa to recount pigs. The idea and working of this system is quite simple. The litter is weighed and earmarked at the age of 3 weeks. Up to this stage, of course, the litter is entirely dependent on the sow for feeding? The next weight is taken at ' 8 weeks and it is the increase of weight in this fattening period that is of most importance to the farmer. During this time the weight put on is mainly from the management of the farm —the feed and care received at the hands of the farmer himself. Another weight check is taken “on the hooks,” so each member of the club is able to obtain a complete record of each sow and her litter and thus try and improve on each weight year after year with better feeding and management.