ON AGRICULTURE TO DENMARK 6/ 



The Pig 



Pigs form an important part of the live stock of Denmark. 

 Pig-keeping has arisen almost as a necessary adjnnct to dairying, 

 and if dairying is the mainstay of the Danish farmer, pig-keeping 

 forms a worthy prop. Pig- keeping has been found remunerative, 

 and every one keeps pigs, and usually as many of them as possible, 

 with the result that in ten years the pig population has increased 

 by a half, and there is now considerably over a million pigs in 

 Denmark — fully half a pig per head of population. Indeed, as 

 the following figures from the Irish Report of 1903 will show, 

 Denmark possesses a very large number of pigs per inhabitants : — 



Pigs per 1000 Inhabitants. 



Denmark .... 503 



Prussia . ... . . 295 



France . . . . • . 195 



Sweden ..... 160 



Great Britain and Ireland . . 93 



Great attention is paid to pig-breeding. There is evidence of 

 this in the gradual increase in the value of the cured bacon during 

 this last ten years. The statistics relating to the export of bacon 

 show that it has risen from 41s. 4d. per cwt. in 1891 to over 50s. 

 in 1900, or in other words it has increased about 20 per cent, in 

 value. But although pigs are carefully bred, few farmers keep 

 their own boar. The Danish farmer very much prefers becoming a 

 member of a pig-breeding society, and for a moderate premium 

 obtains the service of a first-class boar. Moreover he prefers 

 expert advice as to which boar the sow should be taken to, with 

 the result that his pig-breeding, like his breeding of cattle for milk, 

 has, in the opinion of outside observers, reached a stage of almost 

 fine art. Indeed, the reliance the Danish farmer places on the 

 guidance of experts in many things pertaining to his calling is 

 remarkable, and the way in which he co-operates with them and 

 the Government, readily volunteering full information about every- 

 thing affecting pigs, and especially in preventing and eradicating 

 disease, forms a splendid object lesson to us in this country. 

 Swine fever is now unknown, and the pig industry has hardly 

 suffered from the disease since early in the eighties, when it was 

 most effectually stamped out, and the system of farm inspection 

 begun, which prevents the spread of contagious disease either in 

 swine or other farm animals. The live-stock expert, the Control 

 Society inspector, and others holding similar positions, call at the 

 farms regularly, and are received as valued and respected friends. 



The Breed of Pig 



Pigs are mostly a cross of the old native breed. A standard 

 size is aimed at. The weight, 120 to 190 lbs. dead- weight, is 

 determined by the market, which is Great Britain. An excellent 

 pig for the purpose is got by the cross between the large Yorkshire 



