108
HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT
Pigs. The pigs of the Colony are mostly Chinese types of the Fa Yuen, Wai Chau and Lung Kong breeds. The Government maintains herds of pure exotic strain pigs, such as Berkshires, Mid Whites and Large Whites, for experi- mental purposes and distribution for the eventual upgrading of the Colony pig stock. In the villages pigs are often kept under primitive conditions, but due to the influence of the Department and the issue of loans by the Kadoorie Agricul- tural Aid Association there has been an improvement in the type of piggery being built.
Full use is made of local food crops and their by-products, but a high percentage of the concentrate feed has to be imported.
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Cattle. The local cattle are well suited for the work of ploughing the small terraced fields-typical of a large part of the Colony's cultivated area. They are only slaughtered for food when surplus to requirements or unfit for work.
There is one large Dairy Farm on Hong Kong Island and several smaller ones in Kowloon and the New Territories. The dairy cattle are mainly Friesians, Ayrshires and Jerseys with a few Shorthorns. Australia is the main source of re- placements; and local breeding is being improved by the importation of frozen semen for artificial insemination.
The animals are stall-fed on imported fodder and con- centrates, supplemented by locally-grown guinea grass. All dairy cattle are regularly tested for freedom from tuber- culosis, and additions to herds must be tested and found free from tuberculosis prior to their acceptance.
Poultry. The poultry industry is dependent on the supply of hatching eggs from China, but local production of exotic strains, mostly White Leghorns, continues to increase. China also supplies much of the poultry meat and eating eggs, although local supplies are steadily improving.
Production. Of a total of 77,939 head of cattle slaughtered in the Colony in 1956-7 only 4,568 were of local origin, but