Jemadel C. Gallardo, Mitchelyn B. Morada, Chiremy T. Pillones
Corresponding email: [email protected]
A B S T R A C T
The main objective of this research is determination of the situation of backyard swine production in northern Negros by describing the socio[1]demographic characteristics of backyard swine raisers in the said area; identifying the management practices they employed and the common issues they encountered in backyard swine production. A survey was conducted in the three cities and municipalities in the 2nd district of Negros Occidental which include Sagay, Cadiz, and Manapla from January to March 2022. Utilizing a questionnaire, a total of 339 respondents were interviewed on different aspects of socio-demographics, management practices, and issues confronted in backyard swine production. The data were analyzed and interpreted using the frequencies and percentages through the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). In the aspect of socio-demographic profile, the majority of the backyard swine raisers in the 2nd district of Negros Occidental were females, were primarily housewives, and have not attended any seminar or training related to swine raising. In terms of their management practices, the majority provide commercial feeds, provide concrete housing, and practice vitamin-mineral supplementation. The majority preferred to raise fattening pigs and those who practiced breeding preferred natural mating in breeding the sow. Respondents also indicated that scours is the primary cause of piglet mortality and the respiratory problem is the leading disease observed in growing and adult pigs. The major constraints faced by the respondents include expensive commercial feeds, the low market value of pigs, and the lack of sure buyers at the time of harvest, which often resulted in no profit. Despite the problems encountered, most backyard swine raisers manage to find alternative solutions to these problems to sustain production.