If pigs could fly

For the last three years I have immersed myself in the science of backyard hog raising and the more I learn, the more I realize the great disadvantage of ordinary Filipinos engaged in backyard piggeries.

In spite of the fact that backyard hog raisers produce 60 percent of all the pigs/pork required by the Philippine market, and that these people have very limited capital and make very little profit (as in P500 to P700 per 60-day-old piglet or P1,000 to P1,500 (P300 /month) for each five-month-old pig sold to market), it is disturbing to learn that there seems to be no strategic plan, institutional training system or barangay-based support system nationwide to help backyard growers succeed at what they do.

In fact, if it were not for private sector initiatives, I would dare say that backyard hog raisers are largely on their own and at great risk for very little profit. Last year I spent time with technical experts of BMeg/ San Miguel Foods as they travelled from the far north Cagayan Valley to down south Davao conducting seminars, summits and leadership training. We also went on “trade visits” where we interviewed and discovered the countless challenges of backyard piggeries.

At every BMeg “Fiestahan” (public seminars) I’ve attended, the crowds were consistently at 900 to as much as 1,400 participants many of whom were ordinary teachers, government employees, OFWs or unemployed college graduates looking for alternatives to the elusive jobs they were suppose to get with a college degree. In general they would be what we term as  “poor” who borrow from cooperatives, paluwagan or taking a risk on raising one pig at the end of a rope. The BMeg Fiestahans are often in very hot basketball courts or multi-purpose gyms lasting for four to six hours but the people listen intently, always ask questions, shared their problems and ALWAYS took down notes as if they were back in elementary!

Sadly, a one- or two-day event is never enough to turn these brave entrepreneurs or potential piggery owners into competent or minimally knowledgeable hog raisers.

As a “hobbyist” and training moderator, I have learned so much about raising pigs from books and actual events plus hands-on experience. But it’s not enough, so on the 16th I will be going back to school for two weeks to learn the basics of hog raising and piggery management at the ITCPH or International Training Center for Pig Husbandry at a cost of P7,000. ITCPH is recognized as one of the best places if not the only place you could learn the basics without going back to college and taking up animal husbandry.

So why isn’t the government, particularly the Department of Agriculture, investing or setting up these much needed learning facilities nationwide? How is it possible that the Department of Agriculture stands idly by without contributing to the survival and success of the people who supplies 60 percent of our hog requirements? Information and knowledge are basic needs and is at least 50 percent of the battle.

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In my experience I also learned that the second major handicap of backyard piggeries and hog raisers is that they start out with inferior materials as in low quality breeder boars and sows, as well as piglets that are usually bought within the barangay or a nearby backyard farm, unlike the professional farms that acquire their piglets and breeders from Genetic companies. As a result the backyard breeder produces less number of piglets where anything below 10 to a liter is a technical loss since the ideal number of piglets per birthing should be 12 to 14.

Inferior piglets also result in slower growth and slower weight gain. This means losses in a business where daily weight gain determines profitability. You can use premium products such as BMeg, which sets the industry standard, but I ‘ve learned from many farms that having good quality “genetic material” gives growers an added advantage and profitability.

The problem is that most genetic companies prefer to deal ONLY with large farms, meaning 50 sow head levels and above this is because production is also limited, transport risky and adaptation to farms affects warranties. Consequently good quality gilts at three months intended for breeding purposes start at P20,000 per head while three-month old boar-to-be cost P37,000 up based on an industry average. If you want the grandparent stock be prepared to pay P45K/P76K respectively, IF these companies would even sell piece meal.

After several failed attempts to acquire from other companies I was fortunate to have been referred by BMeg to PIC Philippines, a 40-year-old company operating in 30 companies and with the unique service of having a “backyard farms  support facility” that sells genetic material in smaller numbers. Thanks to Doc GJ a.k.a Graciano Catungal Jr. I’ve managed to buy a couple of sows and am now saving up for a PIC boar. But what about the hundred thousand other breeders and growers out there? This is where I find the Department of Agriculture lagging behind on this real need where they could easily import tax free, breed, and sell VAT-free such genetic materials and work with government banking institutions and the DILG to facilitate installment payments. They do it for cows, why not pigs?

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Because of  “devolution”, one vital support of the Department of Agriculture for farmers has all but disappeared. These are farm extension workers or technicians who help educate farmers/producers as well as provide assistance to combat disease or nutritional problems. So now, companies like BMeg and their distributors and dealers nationwide have to hire and train frontline technicians. Again there isn’t enough, and devolution or no devolution; the Department of Agriculture needs to step in to help contain infestations that wipe out piggeries.

If I remember correctly, my friend Congressman Dong Mendoza was already investigating this serious lack of extension workers in the committee on agriculture in Congress. I do hope he can fast track this knowing his pigs were also wiped out by some province wide “peste.”        In the end, the government can really help, but it’s not.

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