asked the Minister for Agriculture whether pigs to kill out at ten stone dead weight can be produced profitably from balanced rations costing36/- per cwt. at current prices available from bacon curers, i.e. 260/- cwt.
Ceisteanna—Questions Oral Answers. - Pig Production.
Calculations made by my Department indicate that, in such a case, where the pig is bred by the feeder, there should be a margin of profit. It would, of course, be very unusual to feed a pig entirely on purchased rations; the more normal and more profitable practice would be to produce on the farm a good proportion of the feeding stuffs required.
Has the Minister read the question? There is no reference in the question to purchased rations but there is reference to balanced rations and whether the rations are purchased or grown on the farm they must have a value. Bearing that in mind, would the Minister say whether he thinks the margin of profit is calculated to make the farmer fat whatever it does to the pigs?
Mr. Walsh
The price of pigs is now 260/- a cwt. and not the 220/- the Deputy agreed to.
Do not give us that.