PIG GRADING.

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20278, 21 August 1937, Page 26 (Supplement)

PIG GRADING.

DOMINION CARCABEB. DISSATISFACTION AT HOME. ENGLISH CURER’S COMMENTS. A letter from one of the largest curers of New Zealand baconers in England to a personal friend in the Dominion makes very interesting reading and Indicates the necessity of a stricter system of grading at this end. The letter is as follows:

“We are putting out about 1000 pigs per week anil you understand that that keeps us busy.

“ Lately we have had a lot of New • Zealand pigs, and I am not too satisfied with them —a big proportion were too light and had to be made into sixes, and you know that gives us a very poor yield. Thero is also a lot of ■second-grade pigs coming along, real flabby stuff. I think It would be more profitable for llio New Zealand exporters In the long run if they kept thaf sort of pig in their own country even if they have to'sell it at a smaller price. Tho sizeabies arc all right, but I find lately that the nearer you get to tho 651 b mark the more No. 3’s you find. The trade In this country is getting more difficult every day in three—-

districts that did not object to No. 3 a few years ago all want No. 2 or No. 1 now.

“ A big objection to the New Zealand pigs Is also the extra heavy weights. There Is no other outlet for these pigs but to turn them Into bacon onoe they are and they certainly do not do any good to the New Zealand reputation, jiot only because of their weight but as a rule they have very little lean. In my opinion the export of that class of pork should be prohibited the same as the Continent prohibits the export of this class as bacon. Bruises on Caroasee.

“ I still hear a lot of complaints about whip marks and other bruises in the New Zealand pigs. I hear on the Continent it is forbidden now to export any bruised sides, not even as second grade.

“ I should like to hear from you how they are getting on in New Zealand now in regard to the Improvement of the breeds. For a considerable period I have been thinking that they were improving, from those arriving here but in the last few weeks I must say that again there are too many of these short pigs rather Inclined to be fat. Is It not possible to give us a longer pig with lighter shoulders. Surely you must be able to give us pigs of the same olass as the Danes are producing. Before I left Holland big improvements were made in a few years time and we got the most perfect pigs, even better than the Danish from the Groenlo area. Of course I know the feeding has a lot to do with it as well as the breed, but If the New Zealanders try to develop the muscles in the young pigs and do not keep them until they are too fat and see to It that the right proportions of starch and albumen are in the diet, we surely must be able to get a perfect bacon pig; from that country.