BACON CURING 



The exclusion of Danish live pigs from Germany has truly proved 

 a blessing in disguise to the Danish farmer, and to the prosperity 

 of the country generally. Shut out of their accustomed market, 

 pig-feeders were compelled to find another method of disposing of 

 their product, and this necessity was the mother of a great system 

 of organisation and industry, viz., the Co-operative Pig-killing and 

 Bacon-curing Factories of Denmark. 



Starting in 1888, the Co-operative Bacon Factories have been 

 an unqualified success, securing for pig owners a convenient market 

 and full value for their animals without a host of middlemen to 

 reduce the profits. 



A glance at the following table v,n\\ show what has been 

 accomplished : — 



In addition to these co-operative factories, there are twenty- 

 five private factories, and in many cases cattle, sheep and horses 

 are slaughtered as well as pigs. 



Each factory serves a tract of country about sixteen miles in 

 radius, within which the pigs are fattened, and the average number 

 supplied by one farmer per year runs from ten to twelve. 



Whether a farmer sends his pigs by rail, or brings them in by 

 road, he runs no risk of loss by accident to his animals, as, when 

 once consigned, they are covered by an insurance fund administered 

 by the factory. 



Whenever the pigs arrive, small metallic number plates are 

 securely fixed into their ears. This remains until they are 

 slaughtered, disembowelled, weighed, inspected for tuberculosis or 

 other disease, and classified for quality. The inspector for tuber- 

 culosis, etc., is a Government official. Pigs condemned by him are 

 also covered by co-operative insurance. The farmer is paid for the 



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