Production management and characteristics of native pigs in the Cordillera [Philippines]
1991
Maddul, S.B.
Most pig stocks, consisting mainly of breeding females, were acquired from within the village. Pigs were commonly fed twice daily with boiled sweet potatoes and farm by-products in troughs made from local materials. Gilts were usually bred at about one year old on the first day of estrus by a communal boar at no charge. Sows were allowed to farrow four to five times in their lifetime age, weaning was usually at three to four months, while castration was done between three months and one year old by elders using bamboo instrument. Health care was minimal, preferring to slaughter a sick pig for home consumption or use ethnoveterinary medicine. Most pigs were marketed live on a per head basis. Unavailability of boars at breeding time, low nutritional level, poor standards of management, and lack of support services were perceived problems of respondents. Native pigs were small with straight to low-set back and short legs. They were predominantly black in color, had long snout and small, erect ears. They were alert and nervous in temperament. Mean body measurements for mature pig of both sexes were as follows: weight, 30.40 +- 7.36 kg; body length, 77.52 +- 9.90 cm; heartgirth, 70.15 +- 12.74 cm; and height, 46.52 +- 4.80 cm. Body weight was most correlated with heartgirth. Simple and multiple linear regressions predicted the most accurate estimates of body weight but simple linear regression maybe preferred in terms of practicality. Native pigs were sexually mature at a mean age of 5.79 months. Average estrous cycle was 19.66 days while estrus lasted for about four days. Mean gestation period was 112.94 days. Litter size at birth averaged 5.22; mean litter size at weaning was 4.62. Largely influenced by superstition, native pig raising played a vital role on the lives of Cordillerans.
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