49 



A Private Slaughtery. 



The Commission visited a private factory at Aarhus that slaughters 20,000 hogs a 

 year, half of which arrive by rail. Many come from a section where a co-operative 

 plant was soon to go up, which would materially reduce their supply. This firm is an 

 old established one with a good trade in England. They do their own selling and thus 

 save commission fees. They have buyers going about the country, paying them one 

 kroner (27 cents) per hog for buying. All No. 1 hogs in good condition are bought by 

 live weight, while lames ones and those in doubtful health are bought by dressed weight. 

 These are earmarked for identification, and losses in those found to be diseased are 

 borne by the feeders. On July 15, this firm was paying 35 kroner per 110 lbs. live 

 weight (about $8.50 per 100 lbs.) and 50 kroner per 110 lbs. dressed weight (about $12 

 per 100 lbs.). This was about 20 cents more per 100 lbs. dressed weight than the co- 

 operative factories were quoting to be paid as cash. The private owners publish 

 their quotations in newspapers. 



Kail hauls in Denmark are short, 8 hours being the longest time hogs are on the 

 train. Losses during transit are very rare, there having been only two pigs shipped to 

 this company die on cars in 1909, up to July 15. Buyers are cautioned to handle the 

 hogs carefully and not to crowd them in the car. 



The proprietor gave the commission a few notes on their system of curing. Both 

 the brine and dry salt methods are used. When thoroughly cooled the sides are charged 

 with the usual curing solution by pressure, the same as in Canadian packing houses 

 before being put into brine or salt. The sides remain 5 days in brine or 10 days in salt. 

 "When cured the sides are shipped in bales to the representatives in England or 

 Scotland. 



The Health of Danish Swine. 



The Danish Government has applied vigorous measures for the protection of the 

 health of live stock. The prevalence of tuberculosis discovered to exist amongst herds 

 of cattle and swine many years ago led the practical Dane to grapple with the question. 

 Through the work accomplished the name of Professor Bernard Bang has become a 

 household word the world over, in connection with the subject of tuberculosis. The 

 ' Bang ' system of ridding herds of this disease is recognized as highly practical. It 

 has done much to improve the dairy industry of Denmark and is being applied with 

 gratifying results by certain breeders in most progressive live stock countries. 



Swine raising in Denmark is carried on as an industry secondary to that of butter- 

 making. The butter, is made in creameries and the milk returned to the farms for 

 feeding to pigs. It being recognized that tuberculosis is transferred from cows to pigs, 

 through the feeding of milk, a law was enacted requiring the heating of milk before it 

 leaves the creamery. On this question Prof. Bang said : — 



' The most important of all the measures against tuberculosis among cattle and 

 pigs which have been carried out in Denmark is the law relating to the heating of 

 skimmed milk and buttermilk to 176 degrees Fahr. before it is returned from the 

 dairies. As in Denmark nearly all milk not sold directly for consumption is sent to 

 co-operative dairies it is clear that there is very great danger of a wide dissemination 

 of tuberculosis if raw skimmed milk and buttermilk are returned to the suppliers, tobe 

 used as food for calves and pigs. There will always among the suppliers of a dairy 

 be one or m.ore farmers who have a highly tuberculous stock, one or more cows which 

 vield in the course of the vear great quantities of infected milk, and so, by employing 

 this milk, after it has been skimmed, to feed other stock, the infection is spread to 

 hitherto healthy herds. This was formerly done on a large scale, and there is no doubt 

 that most stocks of cattle and pigs in Denmark would gradually be infected m this 

 way, if measures had not been taken to prevent it. Of course the heating of the whey 

 ought to have been enforced by law as well ; this was proposed, but the proposal was 

 not accepted, chiefly because the heating of the whey is rather troublesome It is. how- 

 ever, to be hoped that this measure will be carried out some day, though whey is mostly 



2270-4. 



