PRODUCING BACONERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 October 1940, Page 9

PRODUCING BACONERS

POINTS IN DESIRABLE ANIMAL. PROTEIN ESSENTIAL. In an article in the South African Agricultural Press Service on the production of baconers, Mr E. K. Hall, College of Agriculture, Cedara, says that a desirable baconer must not only have the correct weight when marketed, but must also have the necessary length of body and thickness and firmness of fat. The qualities which go to make up a good baconer are obtainable only through a combination of breeding,, and correct feeding. Healthy, well-bed bacon pigs fed an adequate amount of a well-balanced ration are capable of reaching a weight of 2001 b. at an age of six to seven months. But the same pigs, if improperly fed, may take twice as long to j attain the same weight. In order to reach the desired weight at an early age. it is necessary to pay 1 attention to a few important points in connection with the young pigs. The litter should be encouraged to eat at the age of from three to four weeks, so that they will be feeding well at weaning time. ' It is best to feed them away from i the sow, otherwise they do not get a ; fair chance. This can easily be done . by means of a creep, that, is by feed- ! ing them in a separate trough and by putting up a barrier which enables the I young pigs to pass through but pre- ; vents the sow from reaching the trough. I It is a mistake to wean the litter beI fore the piglets are eight weeks old. There is nothing to be gained from weaning them at an earlier age; on the contrary it is unwise to do so, as poorer results will be obtained. The most economical methods of .feeding young pigs is through the sow. At weaning time there is no better ration for the young pigs than one consisting of separated milk and cereal grains—maize-meal, pollard and bar-ley-meal. The above with some succulent feed will enable the pigs to make rapid gains, thus giving the producer a quicker turnover. Pigs can, of course, be reared satisfactorily without milk, but then it is absolutely essential to use a protein supplement such as meat-meal or blood-meal. Failure to provide the necessary protein will lead to poor results. At weaning time a well-grown pig will require about 111 b. to 21b. of concentrates per day, and this amount should be increased by approximately lib. every month. The weanlings should be fed at least twice daily; and it is essential to furnish an abundant supply of clean drinking water. Pigs that are free from internal parasites and that are well fed from the pre-weaning stage will make rapid gains and should be marketable when 6 to 7 months old.