SA pig buyer still going strong at 50-year milestone

John was still brokering deals for local, national and international pork buyers as he reflected on a storied career, which has seen him attend Australia's largest-ever pig sale, buy about six million pigs for more than 100 companies, and even select a pig for a barbecue attended by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in SA in 1977.

A well-known face in rural circles, John also judged the trade pig section at the Royal Adelaide Show for 40 years and filed a weekly market report for Stock Journal for 33 years.

His introduction to the pig industry was a happy coincidence - after landing a job at Elders in 1962, aged 17, John rose through the clerical and salesman ranks to be the auctioneer at Gepps Cross pig market.

"I was initially in the sheep and lamb market," he said.

"The pig section consisted of Bert Keech and Warren Fuller, whereas the sheep section had many more people.

"I didn't mind figures and the clerical work, so once I'd finished with the sheep guys, I gave Bert and Warren a hand.

"Mr Keech was getting towards retirement and an opportunity arose for me to be his understudy and concentrate exclusively on pigs."

Quickly making a mark as a talented auctioneer and canvasser for pig sellers, John accepted an offer from Oates, then Dalgety, to fill similar roles for them.

After 9.5 years as an agent and auctioneer, John was approached by a prominent Vic family to buy pigs for them full time and so a 50-year buying career began in June 1970.

Gepps Cross and Dublin were two regular stomping grounds for John, who has bought about 6m pigs for 11 Vic, one Tas, four NSW, two NT and about 100 local companies.

He still buys for local companies, including Conroy, Holco, Austral, Butch's Smallgoods and Lupoi.

Although Australian pig farmers have to contend with cheap imported pork coming into Australia, John said increased local consumption and issues in other countries presented great opportunities for the pig industry moving forward.

"China have slaughtered about 300m pigs to stop African Swine Fever - they've slaughtered and put into landfill what we produce in 60 years - while the United States have had to euthanise about 1m pigs a week, due to abattoir closures caused by COVID-19," he said.

"The world situation is probably in Australia's favour at the moment if we can keep ASF out. We have a clean, green reputation around the world."

HAVING spent 50 years in the pig buying game, John McKay says he has met many good people - many of whom had become good friends with he and wife Judith - and witnessed many changes in the Australian pork industry.

He said the number of Australian pig producers, the size of farms and the size of pigs had changed dramatically.

"In the late 1950s, in Australia, there was roughly 60,000 pig producers," John said.

"Now, we're struggling to get 2000 and they produce more than what the 60,000 did because the operations have got bigger and bigger.

"Many farmers once ran 50 sows. A lot of current-day producers have upwards of 500, 1000 or 2000 sows.

John said when he first started in the industry, the majority of pigs were about half the dressed weight they are today.

"Porkers were about 35 kilograms to 40kg dressed weight and were what every butcher wanted.

"Now the pigs are 75-85kg dwt and for the same number of pigs, Australia produces at least double the meat content that we did 50 years ago."

John said pork was considered a luxury item for the Christmas dinner table when he was a child.

As for his future, retirement is certainly not on the cards at 76 years young.

"I enjoy what I do and still get the grey matter ticking over," he said.

"If I didn't enjoy what I do, I would have pulled the pin some time ago.

"I said I'd get to 50 years and make a decision - well 50 years has come and gone and I'm still soldiering on."

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