HOLLAND. 



The country of dykes and windmills is largely devoted to dairying and is conse- 

 quently an extensive producer of pigs. England -alone, in 1907, imported from Holland 

 about 170,000 cwts. of butter and 241,500 cwts. of cheese. To consume the skim-milk 

 and whey pigs are reared and fed. Being situated in close proximitj' to Germany the 

 major portion of Dutch pig meats go to the cities of that country in the form of fresh 

 pork. England too, gets some of this and during recent years considerable attention 

 has been given to the production of bacon for the British market. On the London 

 Smithfield market the Commission saw large quantities of both fresh pork and bacon 

 from Holland. Statistics show that in 1907 England received more than 20,000 cwts. 

 of bacon and nearly a half million cwts. of fresh and salted pork, chiefly fresh. Directed 

 by the firm of Mills & Sparrow, large handlers of Canadian as well as D'utch bacon, 

 the Commission made a short visit, on the return journey from Denmark, to a district 

 of which Oss is the centre. At this point one of the four large bacon curing plants in 

 Holland, is operated by Messrs. Hortag. The four factories are all owned by private 

 firms. Their annual killings amount to about 100,000. During the winter practically 

 all are sold as fresh pork, while in summer it is chiefly cured, but this depends on 

 the relative values of fresh pork and cured bacon and pork. The farmers pay com- 

 paratively little attention to the market end except in so far as the packing firms 

 dictate. When the packers want light, young pigs for the fresh pork trade, they quote 

 higher for this class than for older stock. When the bacon trade promises to be more 

 profitable farmers are encouraged to hold their pigs until 6 to 7 months old and reach 

 bacon weights. No attempt at co-operative curing has been successfully made. In 

 view of the undecided state of the industry Holland need not, for the present at least, 

 be considered a strong competitor of Canada in the bacon market. 



The factory at Oss in winter, kills from 2,000 to 3,000 hogs a week for the export 

 trade. In July, 1909, the firm was killing about 1,000 per week,, chiefly for bacon. This 

 was about half the number usually killed at that season. The shortage was said to be 

 due to dear food stuffs. During the first half of 1909, this factory had sent to England 

 bacon from 10,000 pigs and fresh pork from 20,000 small pigs (about 100 to 120 lbs. 

 dressed). 



Dutch farmers are following to some extent the methods of the Danes in the 

 matter of pig breeding. To improve the stock five breeding centres have been estab- 

 lished. These are chiefly stocked with Yorkshires but there are a small number of 

 Tamworths as well. The object of the centres is to produce good boars to improve 

 the native stock. The native sow is a white, fine-boned animal of medium length. 

 Her offspring at 4 to 5 months old are well adapted to the fresh pork trade. The in- 

 troduction of the Yorkshire and Tamworth is to improve the pigs from the bacon 

 standpoint. 



In the neighbourhood of Oss the farmers cook all pig feed. At each place visited 

 was found a large kettle set over a brick fireplace for cooking food. The food used 

 consists of potatoes, barley, rye and buttermilk. Feeding is done three times a day, 

 frequently by women, who take a keen interest in the stock. All pigs seen were very 

 thrifty and well grown. A lot of six said to be only 20 weeks old would weigh about 

 180 lbs. each. These were getting a thick slop made of buttermilk and ground barley 

 fed warm. As pigs approach the finishing stage roots and potatoes are almost if not 

 qiiite withheld from the ration. 



The factories quote prices for pigs weekly and take all that are fat enough. In 

 July, 20 per cent of the receipts were too small for bacon and were sold fresh. Eighty 



