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The History of the BPA:
Another Breed Joins the NPBA
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More pedigree societies were formed and in the early part of the
20th Century the Berkshire breed joined the association. It was also
during this time that Alec Hobson took over as NPBA secretary when
the Associations offices were in Derby. He recognised that the
association was too far removed from the seat of power and urged
that the headquarters was moved to London. It was also Alec Hobson
who gave impetus to setting new standards to enhance the improvement
of pedigree pigs and stepped up the efficiency of the association as
an effective representative organisation for pedigree pig breeders.
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Mr N
Beniafield's 'Commander in Chief',
Bath and West champion
1904 |
Early Publications
The new vigour was clearly illustrated by the launching of a
quarterly journal, the NPBA Gazette, in November 1927. In his first
editorial, Mr. Hobson wrote: "We believe that members will
appreciate any attempt to keep them better informed of what is
happening within the association. Nothing elaborate or pretentious
is to be attempted. The Gazette will be produced once a quarter for
a year as an experiment. If we are content to start in a small way
we can't fall far, but as the best view is always obtained from a
height, so we must aspire to better things as time elapses and we
gain experience."
The Gazette continued to be published for more than 50 years. It
recorded the activities of the association, as Alec Hobson intended.
That first issue included details of an NPBA council meeting, a list
of auction sales for various breeds, the names of newly appointed
judges for the Berkshire, Large White, Middle White and Tamworth
breeds and contained a plug for volume seven of the Pig Breeders'
Annual, a well-established year book produced by the NPBA, which was
described as being of "astonishing value" at 2s lid, post free. The
annual dealt with pig breeding, feeding and management from "almost
every angle". The Gazette also gave added appeal to its pages by
including the main pig issues of the day.
A reference to a report of the Scottish Pig Industry Committee has a
familiar ring. The committee recommends: "Do not go in and out of
pig breeding and feeding. Take the rough of the markets with the
smooth. Sell your store pigs as far as possible direct to the
feeder. Confine feeding pigs to warm quarters in winter to ensure
rapid progress with an economical ration. Aim at a high standard of
quality, steadily develop your output and take an interest in the
important question of organising supplies to the market."
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