Field Trial on the Effects of Homemade Probiotics and Sweet Potato Silage Supplementation on Sows Productivity and Profitability in the Marginal Upland Area in Inopacan, Leyte

This study is part of the big CHED-Phernet program on “Enhancing Farm Productivity and Environmental Quality in Climate Change Vulnerable Marginal Uplands of Eastern Visayas. An incomplete randomized block design was used in control field trial was conducted from May 2013 to December 2013 involving 9 sows in Guinsangaan, Linao, and Marao Inopacan, Leyte. Homemade liquid probiotics and sweetpotato silage were given to the treatment group. The sows performance on the average litter size born/Average littersize at weaning for T0 (commercial feeds) was 9.33/6.33 hds., while T1 (commercial feeds + 20 ml HMP) was 11.0/10.33 hds, and T2 (commercial feeds + 20 ml HMP + crop-silage by-products @ 0.10% BW on DM basis) 9.67/8.67 hds, and the average weaning weight for T0 = 8.61kg, T1 = 01 9.23 kgs, and T2 = 8.35kgs, respectively. However,the total number of weaned piglets for each treatment resulted to a significant profitability (given the price per weanling equivalent to Php 2,000 per head) of the treatment assigned to sows productivity performance based on these results T0 = 19 hds (Php 38,000.00), T1 = 31 hds (Php 62,000.00), and T2 = 26 hds (Php 12 48,000.00). The introduction of crop-silage plus HMP technology increases the productivity of the sows and likewise, increases the profitability in terms of peso income after weaning the piglets of marginal upland area pig raisers.</jats:p

A field trial of the effect of improved piglet management on smallholder sow productivity in the Philippines

We conducted a randomised, controlled field trial during 1998/1999 to evaluate the hypothesis that improved piglet management would improve the reproductive performance of smallholder sows. Simple changes were introduced into the treatment herds including the construction of a heated piglet-separation pen, vitamin injections, creep feeding and early weaning. The control herds were unchanged. Data were collected from all sows in each enrolled herd over two farrowings. We enrolled 176 sows, including 170 (96 treatment and 74 control) sows that remained throughout the study period. Significant differences in the reproductive performance of treatment and control sows were recorded for interfarrowing interval (median 176 versus 220 days), average number liveborn over 2 litters (11 versus 12), and average preweaning mortality over 2 litters (0 versus 37%). Based on a discount rate of 17%, the benefit-cost ratio of the treatment was 11.1 and 12.1 over 3 and 5 years, respectively. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved

A longitudinal study of unweaned piglets raised by smallholder farmers in the Philippines

We conducted a longitudinal study to obtain detailed baseline information about the health and productivity of unweaned piglets raised by smallholder pig raisers in the Philippines, and to identify constraints and opportunities to smallholder-piglet production. At two sites in the Philippines, we collected data about 242 litters from 173 sows in 102 herds during on-farm visits over 12-18 months. Preweaning mortality at the northern and southern sites was 17 and 9%, respectively. Of the piglet deaths at the northern site, 49% occurred within 24 h of birth. Pig raisers used few of the recognised interventions known to reduce neonatal piglet mortality, although >50% of litters were given iron injections at the northern site and kept in a farrowing pen with a barrier at the southern site. Creep feeding was more common at the northern site but the nutritive value of the feeds given to piglets was low. We used repeated-measures and time-to-event analyses. Our results suggest that targeted extension (addressing, in particular, management issues relating to neonatal piglets) can contribute to increased productivity of unweaned piglets

Weight-for-age of growing pigs raised by small. holder farmers in the Philippines

We conducted a cross-sectional study at two sites in the Philippines to obtain baseline information about weight-for-age of smallholder growing pigs, and to identify important constraints and opportunities for smallholder pig raisers. Using an interview-based questionnaire, we collected data about 115 (with 244 growing pigs) and 123 (212) herds at the northern and southern study sites, respectively. At these sites, the median weight-for-age was 5.7 and 5.5 kg/mo, respectively. There was herd-level clustering with respect to weight-for-age, and the breed and origin of the growing pig was strongly associated with this measure of productivity. Herd-level weight-for-age was higher for smallholders who had a strong production focus and who specialised in raising growing pigs

The reproductive performance of sows raised by smallholder farmers in the Philippines

We conducted a cross-sectional study at two sites in the Philippines to obtain baseline information about the reproductive performance of smallholder sows, and to identify important constraints and opportunities for smallholder pig raisers. Using an interview-based questionnaire, we collected data about 99 (with 128 sows) and 123 (144) herds at the northern and southern study sites, respectively. A range of animal- and herd-level measures of sow productivity were assessed, including average interfarrowing interval (9.7 and 6.6 mo in herds at the northern and southern sites, respectively), number of liveborn piglets (8.5 and 8.4) and preweaning mortality (19.0% and 12.8%). We have identified a number of animal- and herd-level factors associated with the productivity of smallholder sows in the Philippines, including aspects of breeding and piglet management and nutrition. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved