PIG PRODUCERS

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20260, 31 July 1937, Page 3

PIG PRODUCERS

DECISIONS AT CONFERENCE IMPROVEMENT OF BACONERS. BOBBY CALF POOLS. I With only two delegates dissenting, the annual meeting of the New Zealand Pig Marketing Association to-day approved the association’s plan for the paying of a levy by producers on all pigs for the purpose of providing a premium for baconers reaching the highest grade. Such a plan, it was stated, would result in the improvement of the export quality of New Zealand pigs, and thus ultimately bring better prices to the producers. Britain was already more than amply provided with pork, but required more bacon. Therefore the Dominion would have to concentrate on the production of better-class baconers if it were going to increase the volume of Its pig products. Delegates agreed that the only feasible way in which the production of better-class baconers could be encouraged was by the paying of a premium for baconers of the highest class. Tuberculosis Problem. The problem of tuberculosis in the dairy herds of the Dominion would have to be solved before the problem of tuberculosis in pigs was finally solved, commented Dr. 11. E. Annett during the discussion on a remit concerning the inspection of pedigree stock for disease. In Denmark farmers were allowed to feed only pasteurised skim-milk to their pigs, observed the speaker. The meeting decided to ask the National Pig Council to investigate the possibility of getting pedigree breeders to test their pigs for disease, so that they could provide certificates showing that their pigs were free from disease at the time of sale. Pools for Calf Collection. “The New Zealand Pig Marketing Association is Mie only co-operative ooncern the farmer has in regard to pigs and bobby calves,” said Mr H. 0. Mellsop, Auckland provincial president of the Farmers’ Union. The question of forming Independent pools of farmers for the collecting of bobby calves In the Auckland province had first come from the Farmers' Union, said Mr Mellsop, but he would advise farmers by all means to form their pools under the New Zealand Pig Marketing Association. He agreed with Mr Phillips’s suggestion that there should be one national pool. Much had been heard of the success of the bobby calf pools In Southland, said Mr N. W. Hastings, Dominion organiser of the association, and it appeared that the Southland pool was paying more than what was being received in other districts. However, it had to be taken into consideration that the calves handled in Southland were for the main part Friesians, and for this reason were worth considerably more than the average calf seen in other districts. It would be safe to say that what would he called the average calf in the Waikato would be rejected in Southland. A Southland delegate stated that there was no doubt that the discrepancy between the prices received in Southland and In the Waikato was wholly due to the heavier calves handled in Southland.