XN000022-1988-02-02 — Page 5

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1988

ACCOMPANYING THE GROUP ON THE VISIT WERE THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, MR JOHN CHAMBERS, THE REGIONAL SECRETARY (NEW TERRITORIES), MR MICHAEL SUEN, THE DEPUTY REGIONAL SECRETARY (NEW TERRITORIES), MR LEO KWAN, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT, MR MIKE STOKOE, AND THE DIRECTOR OF ARGICULTURE AND FISHERIES, DR LAWRENCE LEE.

PRESENTING THE RESULTS OF THE TRIALS ON 208 "GROWER"

PIGS, DR

LEE BRIEFED THE GROUP ON THE THEORY AND METHODOLOGY OF THE NEW TECHNIQUE.

THE TECHNIQUE WAS FIRST TRIED OUT IN THE SUMMER LAST YEAR WITH A VIEW TO SOLVING SUCH EXISTING HUSBANDRY PROBLEMS AS DAMAGED HOOFS EXPERIENCED IN THE CONVENTIONAL METHOD.

"THE ESSENCE OF THE NEW TECHNIQUE IS TO OVERLAY THE FLOOR OF THE PIG PENS WITH SAWDUST LITTER, ABOUT 20 CM

HIGH, AND MIXED WITH

A BACTERIAL PRODUCT AVAILABLE COMMERCIALLY," DR LEE SAID.

"WHILE THE SAWDUST LAYER HAS THE EFFECT OF PREVENTING HOOF DAMAGE CAUSED BY A SLIPPERY FLOOR, THE MIXTURE CAN DECOMPOSE PIG MANURE, RENDERING IT SMELL-FREE AND RESULTING IN NO DISCHARGE OF EFFLUENT.

"THE PROCESS IS BASICALLY AN IN-SITU COMPOSTING, WHICH REQUIRES TOPPING UP OF THE BACTERIAL PRODUCT AT FORTNIGHTLY INTERVALS. IT NOT ONLY HAS THE EFFECT OF SAVING IN LABOUR REQUIRED FOR HOSING DOWN BUT ALSO RENDERS THE HANDLING OF PIG MANURE UNNECESSARY.

FURTHERMORE, HE SAID,

THE

EXPERIMENTAL PIGS HAD PERFORMED CONVENTIONAL METHOD IN TERMS OF

BETTER THAN THOSE REARED BY THE WEIGHT GAIN AND HEALTH,

THE GROUP WAS TOLD THAT THE NEW METHOD HAD BEEN TRIED OUT UNDER DIFFERENT WEATHER CONDITIONS THROUGH SUMMER TO WINTER WITHOUT ANY ADVERSE EFFECT.

THE SECOND STAGE EXPERIMENT HAD USED TEST AND CONTROL GROUPS BOTH ON THE GOVERNMENT FARM AND ON TWO PRIVATE FARMS.

IN VIEW OF THE ENCOURAGING RESULTS SO FAR ACHIEVED, TWO OTHER PRIVATE PIG FARMS HAD RECENTLY PARTICIPATED IN THE EXPERIMENT.

DR LEE SAID THE TEST RESULTS ON THE GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE FARMS WERE EQUALLY SATISFACTORY IN THAT, APART FROM ACHIEVING BETTER HUSBANDRY EFFECT AND SAVING IN LABOUR, THUS INCREASING PRODUCTIVITY, NO EFFLUENT OF PIG WASTE AND NO NOTICEABLE EMISSION OF A BAD SMELL WERE PRODUCED.

/IN ADDITION,