11 



mill refuse is the basis of the grain mixture that he recommends. For a month or 

 two after weaning shorts constitutes the chief part of the ration, but he also gives 

 a little whole wheat or pease once a day. After this period mixed meal composed of 

 barley, corn and wheat is added to the shorts and bran. This is continued until 

 the pigs are about five months old, when they are able to digest food comprising meal 

 to the extent of three-quarters of the ration. This is mixed with water twelve hours 

 before being fed, and in cool weather hot water is used, to bring the food up to the 

 temperature of new milk. Whenever skim milk is available it is substituted for water 

 in an amount equal to its own bulk. 



Both in Ireland and England much was heard in favour of the Large Blacks. 

 Wherever these swine or these grades were seen by the Commission they made a 

 favourable impression. Advantage was therefore taken at the first opportunity to visit 

 a prominent herd of this breed. The herd visited was that of Mr. C. F. Marriner, in 

 the county of Suffolk, that has in recent years won a large number of championship 

 awards at leading shows. Here was found a large herd of brood sows and a few stock 

 boars that individually and collectively rank high among the herds of swino of England 

 for the profitable production of pigs for bacon requirements. In earlier years the Large 

 Black was a bit rough in the shoulder, short in hind quarter and light in the ham. 

 For years Mr. Marriner has given special attention to these points until his present 

 herd, which is uniform in type and lusty in vigour, .show none of these old defect?. 

 Many of the breeding animals were on grass pasture which of itself seemed to be 

 sufficient to maintain the stock in good breeding form. The heartiness of these pigs 

 was spoken of everywhere and the members of the Commission are satisfied that the 

 claim is well founded. Mr. Marriner claims that the narrow range of vision of the 

 Large Blacks, due to the drooping ears, is conducive to docility and thrift. 



The Berkshire in England as in Canada is being stretched out. In the herd of 

 Mr. Kimber. in which many prize winners have been produced, were many lengthy, 

 smooth shouldered, deep sided sows. There was an entire absence of the chubby, fat- 

 backed, short-faced pigs that were common in England some years ago. It is observed 

 that the bacon type Berkshire is a much better breeder and suckler, and, therefore, a 

 more profitable hog than the old fashioned kind. The appreciation of the British 

 breeder of the new type was apparent at an auction sale of Berkshires, attended by 

 the Commission, where only the more ranp-ev. strong bonpd piV<! bT-mio-ht good prices. 

 A number of neat, fine boned animals brought no more than pork values. 



Feeding Berkshires for Bacon. 



Mr. Kimber, who is a tenant farmer, explained his system of feeding pigs intended 

 for bacon. The litters which are weaned at eight weeks, get green food, such as pulped 

 mangels and swedes, and whole dry grain, such as corn and beans. On this they are 

 kept growing nicely. At four months the grain is given ground and fed in such 

 quantities as to have the pigs at six months old weighing from 150 to 170 pounds. 

 In winter the chop is mixed with pulped roots twelve hours before feeding. In the 

 early stages one part of the meal is given with three parts of roots, then as the pigs 

 commence to leave roots in the trough, the meal is gradually increased until when 

 within two weeks of finishing, the roots are entirely withheld, so as to get the pigs off 

 as quickly as possible. The pigs are usually marketed when they reach 180 pounds 

 dressed. 



To induce a good flow of milk in a sow Mr. Kimber depends chiefly on shorts and 

 oat chop, with an occasional feed of roots or other green feed as a change. He does 

 not consider barley meal good for milk, but likes it for fattening swine. 



In the county of Berkshire, pork production does not hold a prominent place in 

 agricultural practice. Those who feed at all extensively prefer cross-bred stock, the 

 produce of Tamworth dams and Berkshire sires. This cross, it is claimed, gives a 

 thrifty, heavy weighing pig of a class to suit either the bacon or the pork and ham 

 trade. In the district visited, very little milk is fed to pigs, because of the demand for 

 it for the London market. Wishing to procure the best possible information on the 



