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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 estab- 

 lished one with a good trade in England. They do their own selling and thus save commis- 

 sion 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 lame 

 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 Ibs. live weight (about $8.50 per 100 Ibs.) 

 and 50 kroner per 110 Ibs. dressed weight (about $12 per 100 Ibs.) This was about 20 cents 

 more per 100 Ibs. dressed weight than the co-operative factories were quoting to be paid as 

 cash. The private owners publish their quotations in newspapers. 



Rail 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 com- 

 pany 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 cool 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 house- 

 hold 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 buttermaking. 

 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 butter milk to 176 deg. 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 butter milk are returned to the suppliers, to be used as food for calves and pigs. 

 There will always among the suppliers of a dairy be one or more farmers who have a highly 

 tuberculosis stock, one or more cows which yield in the course of the year 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 in 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 trouble- 

 some. It is, however, to be hope that this measure will be carried out some day, though 



