Pig Producers’ Problems

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20494, 10 May 1938, Page 19 (Supplement)

Pig Producers’ Problems

THE QUESTION OF GRADING

(Contributed by Mr P. 0. Bonham.) Many farmers will be wondering just what has been the experience of pig firms in regard to the new grading regulations instituted in the New Year by the Department of Agriculture and the purpose of this article is to throw some light on the problems which confront our pig farmers and at the same time outline some facts which can be kept in mind by any farmers who are producing baconer pigs. At the outset it should be stated that I am not a supporter of some of the methods of farming pigs which are being advocated by Departmental Officers in the employ of various pig councils throughout the country. During the first few weeks that pigs were being slaughtered and graded under the new regulations I found some anomalies presented themselves. Pigs which on the leg looked beautiful carcases were graded "No. 2” and “No. 3” selection and other pigs which I thought were certainly “No. 3” were coming back as “No. 1.” After visiting the works and conducting an investigation it was evident that the skewer method of ascertaining the width of backfat was not a fair way of measurement, as pigs with long carcases and light shoulders but high withers were in some cases grading badly, and the definitely inferior carcases which had thick fat on the actual shoulder blades, but flattened somewhat on top of the backbone were measuring within the prescribed limits for First Grade and going through in this grade. I understand, however, that more recently the length of carcase measurement has been discarded and the skewer method of backfat measurement is in disfavour and grading is being conducted more in line with the old methods of general carcase shape. It has always been my opinion that there is no one in this country in a position to state the exact carcase which would meet with the approval of the trade at Home, and in view of a recent experience of mine I am convinced that there is no unanimity of opinion in England either in regard to the ideal carcase which our farmers should produce. INTERESTING EXPERIENCE To prove my contention I entered two baconers in the recent competition for export baconers conducted by The Waikato A. and P. Association at their last show and was successful in obtaining first and second in a class of about 30 when the pigs were judged on the hooks at Smithfield. The pig that obtained first prize I had selected on the leg to win the competition and it conformed as far as the eye could see with the standards demanded by the Department of Agriculture to please the trade at Home. The pig that I obtained second prize with, however, I selected with a view to testing out the English judges’ opinion on a carcase which would have been considered on the leg by any local judge to be entirely unsuitable for the English Market, and to substantiate my judgment this pig was the first rejected from the show ring by the local judge in an entry of approximately 25 pigs. When the pigs were hung up at Smithfield the English judges’ comments in regard to my second entry were almost as complimentary as those made in regard to the pig which obtained first prize, and both carcases were considered ideal for the English market. As a result of my experiment it must be evident to our local farmers that there is no rigid measurement or rule by which the suitability of our pigs are judged in England and there must be a good deal of elasticity in the standards and measurements there. lam quite convinced that in England just the same as in New Zealand curers do not expect a line of baconers as even as peas in a pod. and I am also satisfied that a good deal too much has been made in this country of the lack of carcase shape in our export pigs. The main point to be kept in mind is to breed a pig which is virile, quick-fattening and free from disease, and when a farmer has these points in order, then a careful attempt should be made to improve the carcase shape (without reducing the virility of his stock) by the introduction of fresh blood.

It would be far better for a farmer to have his pigs free from disease, even if some pigs did grade second or third, than have a large amount of disease evident through too hasty an attempt to breed to a standard which has been suddenly and arbitrarily laid down and which no doubt will be altered from time to time. PADDOCK FATTENING In regard to the paddock fattening of pigs, I am of the opinion that too much can be made of the advantages of this method of farming. A farmer should certainly run his pigs out until they have acquired the frame necessary to carry the finished carcase, but the whole of the fattening should not be conducted in the paddock, as under this method pigs run off a lot of the meat and some of the feeding value of the milk and meal is lost. In fact it can be taken that it is not at all necessary to have extensive outside runs. In Denmark, owing to the severity of the weather conditions, pigs are stied through the whole of their lives and the Danish farmer is deservedly considered the most successful pig farmer. Our New Zealand winter cannot compare in severity with the European winters, but in New Zealand we Experience some very bleak, cold, wet weather during the months of May, June, July, August, September and October and the farmer possessing good stye accommodation during these months knows its value. It may be contended that pigs which are stied tend to run to fat through lack of exercise, and with injudicious feeding it is admitted that this is possible, but the shape of the carcase and the quality of the meat can be controlled by correct feeding and quantities, and in this direction also we could not do better than adopt the methods which have proved so successful in Denmark. To sum up, the New Zealand farmer has no need to be discouraged at the thought that the baconer pigs he is exporting are entirely unsuitable for the English trade or that his standard is a long way away from other competitors on the English market, nor need it be assumed that all the baconers produced in Denmark are as even as peas in a pod. Unsuitable carcases are either consumed in the country or exported to other markets than England. The farmers of this country would be well advised to concentrate on freeing their stock from disease, breeding from the most virile strains obtainable and follow grading standards when it does not conflict with this main object.