1 Ava., 1898.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 109 
SIXTH SESSION. 
Fripay Arrernoon, 13tH May, 1898. 
Mr. W. R. Rosinson (Toowoomba) read his paper on— 
PIGS AND THEIR MANAGEMENT. 
The pork industry in Queensland has made rapid strides during the past four or 
five years, and if it continues to grow at the same pace we shall very soon have to 
become exporters, and in this particular line we should be able to compete and hold 
our own with any of the pork-producing nations of the world. America has long 
been known as a swine-producing country, and its people claim to produce as well as 
consume more pork than any other nation. The export of pork in one form and 
another from that vast country amounts to nearly £20,000,000 annually. Now with 
our waste products Queensland should make a big bid for part of this business. Our 
conditions an‘ climate are well adapted for pig-raising on a very large scale. We 
have no hard winters where snow and ice compel pig-owners to erect expensive and 
covered-in piggeries to shelter their swine, as many have to doin America. We have 
soil and farmers equal to those of America, but for some reason we have not taken to 
the pig in the way we should have done, and had it not been for the few bacon factory 
owners, the Pig industry in Queensland would hardly have been worth speaking of. 
But now we have more factories going up in various parts of the colony. The 
business is increasing by leaps and bounds, and the farmers and pig-raisers are going 
to have a good time of it, as the competition for baconers and porkers will be very 
keen. But the man who does not devote some care and management to his pigs will 
be in the background. 
Pigs require good and careful attention. The old slip-shod method of pig- 
keeping has gone by. The bacon-curer requires a better class -of animal, and is 
prepared to pay a better price. Therefore it behoves every man who keeps a pig to 
keep one of the right sort, and no matter what distinct breed he wishes to keep let 
it be good of its kind. 
The Berkshire is the pig most suited to our climate, and the most popular, true 
to type, early maturing, up to date pig we have. If carefully reared and kept 
growing, they should be fit tor the bacon-curer at six to seven months old, and should 
weigh 120 to 140 1b. Every breeder’s aim should be to obtain a high-class sire from 
some well-known reliable breeder of pure pigs, remembering that the sire is half the 
herd, for if you start with some half-bred brute, you will be years working out 
the strain. In selecting a boar, always choose a pig with plenty of hair, true mark- 
ings, gentle disposition, uniform breadth—not only across the shoulders, but across 
the loins—good full hams, deep sides, and as much length as can possibly be obtained 
consistent with size. ‘The young boar, if he is perfectly developed, may be used for 
stud purposes at eight to nine months, and I always believe that better stock are got 
by relying upon a comparatively young, rather than on an old boar. 
The Selection of Sows.—This entirely depends on what you are going to do with 
your young pigs. If you intend breeding stud pigs, then select sows of the very 
ighest quality, but, as the breeding of stud pigs does not concern the majority, I 
will treat more on the general purpose or what we may call the commercial sow. 
That is a good, long, roomy sow, with deep ribs, full hams, an active, vigorous 
animal, about half or three-quarters bred; a sow that will eat readily, and develop a 
big supply of milk to suckle her young. Never choose a sow that has less than 
twelve teats. Mated to the pure-blooded boar, she should throw you not less than ten 
or twelve pigs at a litter twice a year, and rear them well. This class of sow is far 
more profitable to the farmer than the pure and highly-bred sow, but if he intends to 
go largely into pig-raising then it would be advisable to keep two or three pure sows, 
so as to grade up and breed his own stud boars. 
Pigs require plenty of exercise, good, clean, dry, camping quarters, well sheltered 
from driving rain and cold winds, and plenty of clean water to drink, Don’t run 
away with the idea that when you haye thrown your pigs in a lot of slop that it serves 
fora drink. ‘They want clean water as well. They also require a supply of charcoal, 
in which a litile flour of sulphur will be an advantage and conducive to health. 
Sows should not go to the boar before they are eight months old; although in many 
cases they may show signs before that age. Put your sows into a good, clean, dry pen 
a week before their time is due to farrow; they then become settled down. Feed 
lightly and on the same food as you intend feeding on after farrowing. A change of 
food often brings on scours in the litter, and this, if possible, should always be 
avoided, In the pigging pens it is always advisable to have a round rail 6 or 7 inches 
