NOT REALISED

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21231, 30 September 1940, Page 5

NOT REALISED

IMPORTANCE OF PIGS HIGH RETURNS WAITING OFFICIAL’S TOUR REVIEWED (By Dr. H. E. Annett, Chairman, i Waikato Pig Council) Mr H. M. Pierson, Pig Extension Officer, is making a tour of pig producing districts in New Zealand in connection with the campaign foi increasing pig production. in each centre he is co-operating with tne pig supervisor of the local district pig council in arranging meetings of farmers interested in pig keeping. At present he is in the Waikato working in co-operation with Mr C. P. Harington, supervisor for the Waikato District Pig Council. The latter is a successful pig producei himself and Mr Pierson is well known for the great success he attained in connection with the old Waikato Pig Recording Club, which did more than any other movement in spreading the right ideas in regard to pig keeping. The meetings held in this area were well advertised and provided an excellent opportunity for farmers to gain useful information. In certain centres there are already enthusiastic pig clubs and in such cases good attendances were obtained. However, a few meetings were not well attended and it is evident that the very great importance to this country of developing pig keeping to the maximum is not sufficiently realised. Waste of Whey Many farmers have the idea that whey is not of much value for pig production, and it is a matter for concern that at many cheese factories large amounts of whey are allowed to go to waste. Yet even at today’s prices for feed it is easily possible for a 100-acre farm supplying any Waikato cheese factory to obtain a gross return of £250 from pigs. Surely most farmers could do with an increase in their returns. Mr Pierson and Mr Harington pointed out that no other indifStry was capable of bringing such good returns from money invested in good equipment. Success in pig keeping is largely management, including the provision of good draught-proof houses. The cost of a good pig lay-out can be recovered in the first year’s returns. Moreover it saves labour and adds to the interest in pigs. The Danish farmer used to receive as much for his pigs as for his dairy produce. We in New Zealand are in a very dangerous position. We have concentrated almost entirely on dairy produce, and as Mr Pierson pointed out, our pig industry should bring in at least £lO,000,000 a year instead of the £2,000,000 which it brings in at present. The development of the dairy industry in New Zealand has been a wonderful achievement, but it has been onesided. More Interest Needed One is forced to the conclusion that the dairy companies should, in their own interests, take much more interest in the development of the pig industry. In fact, one might go so far as to suggest that there should be a closer relation between the Dairy Board and the work of the pig production councils. In 1938 pig production reached its peak in

New Zealand, over 1,121,000 carcases being produced in that year. This has dropped steadily during the past three years to under 800,000. It seems that when dairy produce prices are high farmers tend to trouble less about pigs. A suggestion has been made at some meetings that since it is important to increase pig production it would be a good plan to take £d a lb from the price paid for butterfat and add, say, 2d a lb to pig meat. My first reaction to such a suggestion was unfavourable, but on consideration of the national importance of increasing pig production there may be something in such a suggestion. England badly needs bacon today, and as a war effort the farmer? are asked to increase bacon production by at least 10.000 tons. Denmark used to produce a large proportion of the bacon used in England, but is now off the market and we have our chance to get into this market. Our fanners will do their best for the war effort, but it is also in their own interest to make this effort to increase bacon production. Post-war Position If we do not produce bacon now when the British people want it we

cannot expect much consideration after the war. The price of dairy produce seems bound to fall after the war, and if a healthy pig industry could be developed dairy farmers would be better able to meet the difficulties which are almost certain to arise. Mr Pierson pointed out that butter has a dangerous rival in margarine, but for bacon there -is no substitute. To a large extent the falling off in pig production has been due to labour shortage, because when labour difficulties arise the farmer cuts out his pigs first of all. A matter which was raised by many farmers was the fact that the price of pig meat was now fixed but the prices of barley and other meals were rising. It was considered that there should be some fixed relation between costs of meals and the price of pig meat. This seems reasonable. Mr Pierson pointed out that meal prices meant much less to us in New Zealand than to the English farmer, because here we have skim milk and whey as by-products and these form the bulk of the pig’s food, whereas such foods are available only to a limited extent to the British farmer. The average amount of meal fed to a baconer on all farms in New 1 Zealand is less than 501 b, which costs, say, 6s 6d. It is admitted that it

should have about 1001 b, but this would cost only about 13s, so that even if meals increased £2 a ton in price it would mean only an additional cost of, say, 2s on each baconer. Value of Grass Mr Pierson made the remark that where good grass is available this forms 15 per cent of the food consumed by pigs. He stated that it was possible that we might, by circumstances, not be able to import barley meal from overseas, and for this reason it might be a sound proposition to pay a subsidy to barley growers to ensure that barley should be available in New Zealand. This would not mean cheaper barley for the pig keeper, but he would be protected against rising prices overseas. The importance of growing root crops for winter feed was also stressed at all the meetings. The meetings certainly did much good, but as happens in all such gatherings the men who turn up already keep pigs and what is needed is to get non-pig keepers interested.