The Rural Voice, 1999-03, Page 15Scrap Book
Research explores
breeder vs. breed
debate for pigs
A study at the Centre for Genetic
Improvement of Live -stock at the
University of Guelph has found
that depending on the traits you
want in your hogs, the best results
can come either from choosing a
good breed, or a good breeder.
The study looked at the four
major breeds, Yorkshire,
Landrace, Hampshire and Duroc
with a total of 3200 pigs from 118
sources. Following growth and
performance tests, the pigs were
commercially slaughtered and
their carcasses sent to the U. of G.
for complete carcass dissection.
Each pig was subjected to about
400 different measurements,
including: days to 100 kg.; backfat
at 100 kg.; feed conversion; the
percentage of side constituted to
shoulder, loin, ham and belly; drip
Toss; marbling score; colour score;
and structure score.
A high proportion of the pigs
were tested for the halothane (or
stress) gene. Many of the intact
males were tested for boar taint
About a third of the carcasses
were used in taste panels.
The researchers concluded the
solution to the breed -vs. -breeder
dilemma depends on the traits
producers wish to control. When
considering backfat and some
commercially important character-
istics like feed conversion, genetic
variation is greater between
suppliers than it is between
breeds. But for growth rate and
meat quality traits such as marbl-
ing, there's little genetic variation
between suppliers and substantial
variation between breeds.
To genetically improve
commercially important traits in
pigs, the researchers recommend
that producers should account for
genetic variation between
breeding stocks as well as
between -breed variation.0
— Source: University of Guelph
THE FARMER IS
A TRUE INVESTOR
IT'S
YOUR
MONEY
By Paul J. Rocket
Chairman, Regal Capital Planners Ltd.
(NC) - I've never farmed, but I've
always admired farmers. To me,
farmers are real entrepreneurs. They
are the capitalists of the world, the
people who stake their financial future
on something that isn't guaranteed.
After all, the farmer invests his time
in studying agriculture, knowing the
soil, improving it, and then invests his
earnings in seed, fertilizers, equipment,
livestock, etc., without any guarantee
there will be good weather to give an
abundant crop, or even that the seed is
top quality and will germinate. If he
has livestock. there is no guarantee
that they will live, or not get diseases,
or that there will be a profitable market
for them when he wishes to sell.
The only thing a farmer knows is that
if he is successful, he will be supplying
a basic need for all of us. Whether
fulfilling that need is profitable is partly
due to good management on his part,
and things that he cannot control. such
as the weather, be it too dry or too wet,
or too hot or too cold.
Trouble is most successful farmers,
like most Canadians, once they have
saved some money, tend to want to put
it where they are "guaranteed" a fixed
rate of return, despite the fact they
achieved their income without a
guarantee.
Personally, I can't afford a
guarantee. There is not one guarantee
I know of that costs 'nothing'. Even a
savings institution that may offer
"Guaranteed Investment Certificates"
4 REGAL
CAPfTAL
PLANNERS
LTD.
Maitland Valley Financial Consultants Ltd.
453 Turnberry St.,
Brussels, ON NOG 1H0
or "Term Deposits" always guarantee
an amount that is less than they expect
to earn. That is the cost of a
guarantee.
I read in a paper some time ago that
the difference in what the savings
institutions pay out and what they earn
with those deposits was 4.7% per year.
Maybe on their "term deposits" or GICs
they only earn 2% more that they pay
depositors, but that still amounts to
having to forfeit a total of 10% over a
five-year period. That's too costly for
me!
I like to invest my savings where I
receive what they earn. Furthermore, I
like to have the value of my savings
increase (just as the farm increases in
value), giving me two kinds of gain,
namely capital gains (only 75°0 of
which are taxable), and dividends (like
the profit "earned" by the farmer) which
bear much reduced taxation.
Furthermore, there is a semblance of
"guarantees" in investing in something
like mutual funds because they have a
public record of past performance.
many of them averaging 12% and
better, over the past many years.
Like -the farmer, my investments (in
mutual funds, he in his farm) are not
guaranteed, but they have a record of
being profitable. I like that.
For a comparison of GICs and two
mutual funds, contact the advisor
pictured here and ask for "It's Your
Money."
Susan Carter, C.I.M.
Bus. (519) 887-2662
SOME OF OUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
Top Paying GICs, Tax Saving Strategies, Mutual Funds, Life & Disability Insurance, RRSPs, RRIFs. RESPs
(The above list represents only a few of the many financial services available
through your Regal Financial Centre.)
This is No. 1217 in a series of articles that have been appearing in newspapers and magazines
across Canada for more than 15 years. For Paul J. Rockel's book "WHY INVEST IN MUTUAL
FUNDS" contact your local book store or Regal Capital Planners Ltd., telephone 887-2662.
•
MARCH 1999 11