PIG TESTING

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 255, 26 September 1929, Page 8

PIG TESTING

OPERATIONS LAST SEASON. At the meetingTf' the , of tho Manawatu-Oroua to-day. various aspects of the pig tes ing scheme carried out last season ' commented upon y Professor RiddeC Altogether, he stated, 121-htteis on 37 farms had been weighed. Gf the 1litters, 87 had weighed between 150 an 300 pounds at eight weeks old Une litter only had weighed under 1W pounds and four over 400 ‘fe n P ie » g®rage weight over ail was 2291b5. A sur very of records showed that all breeds could produce good litter weights at eight weeks. Therefore, as m cows, it was obvious that more attention should be paid to the individuality of the pig than to its breed. Every effort should be made to breed from pigs that had had large litter weights. Bacon types, owing to their larger frame, usually, produced slightly heavier litters porkers at eight weeks old. Farmers who were aiming at producing large litters were not necessarily aiming at smaller pigs. The following results had been obtained: . , , Three in a litter.— Average weight 341bs ; four in a litter, average weight 40.41b5.; five in a litter, average weight 42.71b5.; six in a litter, average weight 331bs ; seven in a litter, average weight 32.51b5; eight in a litter, average weight 33.21b5; nine m a litter average weight, 31.41b5; ten in a litter, average weight 29.81b5; eleven in a litter, average weight 20.51b5. These weights showed little variation. T'eeaing, continued the speaker, undoubtedly played a large part. Feeding with a balanced ration of meal and whey or skim-milk was much more satistactoiy than feeding whey or skim-milk alone. Six litters fed on whey alone had averaged 136.61b5. with an average of 23.41b5. per piglet at eight weeks. Thirty-two utters had been fed on whey and meal and had averaged 258.91b5. with an average of 31.21b5. per piglet. Seven litters fed on skimmilk alone, had averaged 187.71b5. with an average of 25.81b5. per piglet. Forty-two pigs had been fed on skirnmilk and meal and had averaged ZK>A lbs with an average of 33.81b5. per piglet. . . The average number of pigs born in the litters weighed had been 9.1 and the average number reared naa been 7.3. The average litter weight at eight weeks had been 2291bs and the average weight per piglet 31.5 lbs. Breeding should be from sows which produced large litters and which looked after the piglets well. Farmers should, moreover, endeavour to have the sows in the best condition at mating time. This point could not be impressed too strongly upon the farmers. The mortality in young pigs was about 20.7 of those born, and usually occurred at birth. It was due largely to careless sows or to extremely cold weather conditions. In conclusion, Professor Riddet stressed the essential point of gohd feeding. The testing carried out locally was only part of a scheme and when all the figures were combined the results as a whole would be published. The chairman, Mr J. A. Russell, thanked Professor Riddet for his address. _ It was decided to ask thro Department of Scientific and Industrial Research to continue with the testing scheme this season.

Professor Riddet expressed tho view that in time testing associations might he formed to carry on the work.