KEEPING PIGS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 September 1940, Page 2

KEEPING PIGS

BACONER COMPETITION UNUSUAL EXPERIMENT. WINTER FATTENING PROVED PRACTICABLE. To encourage farmers to carry pigs through the winter and to bring them to baconer weights a Dominion-wide competition has just been completed at the instigation of the New Zealand Co-operative Pig Marketing Association. This competition attracted widespread interest from every pig producing district in the Dominion and by its results proved conclusively that second litter pigs which would normally be sent away as porkers in the autumn could profitably be kept and sent away as bacon in the early spring, hence this interesting and unusual competition must be regarded as being of considerable value .to the industry.

The judging at all points was carried out by Mr M. J. Scott, Superintendent of the Pig Industry, in conjunction with the local Service Officer of the district pig councils, in which connection we are indebted to Mr Scott for the following interesting comment: .

“The competition was open to all farmers, any one of whom could enter two lines each of six baconers. Separate competitions were held for each of the following districts: North Auckland, Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, Wellington, Gisborne and East Coast. Prizes . of £l5, £7, £2 and £1 were given for first, second, third and fourth places respectively for each district, and prizes of £4O and £lO for first and second for the whole of the Island. Points were awarded for grade, length, and quality of hams and shoulders, with deductions for under-weight or over-weight pigs and for blemishes.

"In each of the six centres at which pigs were assembled some excellent lines were sent forward. The winning pigs were as well finished as any pigs slaughtered in the height of the season. In fact, there were more prime No. I’s and fewer prime No. 2’s and second quality than are usually found. Occasional pigs showed some second growth hair, but otherwise they dressed as well as mid-season pigs. It is most encouraging to find that so many farmers were able and willing to carry these late-season pigs on to bacon at a time when it has become customary to bundle them off to the works as unfinished porkers. Insofar as this competition demonstrates the ability of farmers to produce this end-of-sea-son bacon, it has been of the greatest value.

“Gisborne pigs were outstanding, principally because of excellent grading returns and lack of blemish. Mr Geo Brown, Puha, secured the district prize with 168 points, and with this line of pigs also gained first place in the Dominion. His pigs were of uniform weight—all prime No. l’s, excellently finished, showing good length, good hams and fine shoulders, with only one point deducted for blemish. Messrs L. C. Wagner, Makaraka (164 points), G. R. Sefton, Puha (163 points) and M. P. Hills, Ngatapa (162 J points) received second, third and fourth prizes for the district competition and took minor placings only owing to the presence of blemishes. “The Taranaki district supplied a large number of excellent pigs. Mr A. E. Winter, of Waitotara, secured the district prize (1671 points) as well as second prize for the Dominion. His pigs were equally as good as the winning lot but suffered through the presence of blemish. Messrs C. W. Baldwin, Inglewood (165 points), M. W. Gould, Hawera (1631 points), and P. Julian, Kakaramea (163 points) secured second, third, and fourth places for the district. Points were lost for grading, lack of length, reduced quality of hams and heavy shoulders. "Mr B. F. Keiller, Box 272, Palmerston North, secured first place in the Manawatu-Rangitikei district competition with an award of 1661 points. His pigs showed excellent length and grading but lost a point or two on hams. At slightly heavier weights these might easily have been the winning pigs. Messrs N. Myers, Mauriceville) (1601 points), P. L. Keat. Glen Orona (1591 points), and W. A. Davison, Rongotea (1571 points) secured second, third, and fourth places for the district, points being lost for blemishes and a lack of evenness.

“The Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty districts supplied a large number of excellent pigs. Mr D. Shaw, of Ararimu, secured the district prize with 1624 points. The winning team lost points for length, also for shoulders which were on the heavy side. Messrs J. Hetherington, Tirau (162 points), W. H. L. Morgan. Pukekohe East (1614 points), and R. Fischer, R. D. Whakatane (161 points), secured second, third and fourth places for the district. As is indicated by the slight variation in points secured by these competitors, there was little between them.

“Mr H. E. Johnson. Kiripaka (165 points), secured the North Auckland prize with Messrs R. O. Cotterill, Whareora Road, Whangarei (164 points), H. E. Johnson, Kiripaka (1554 points), and W. H. Gillingham, Maungakaramea (1521 points) in second, third and fourth places. The winning team lost the Dominion prize through one pig being No. 2 prime and through weak hams. Inferior shoulders and slight blemish took points off the second line, while the third and fourth team lost a few points under all headings.

"In offering my congratulations to all competitors, I desire also to tender my thanks to them for the special effort made, which in my opinion has completely demonstrated the practicability of the objectives aimed at.”