Swine Raising for Meat Production in the Philippines

Here’s an in-depth look at the world of swine raising and the potential business you can get out of it.

Another biosecurity measure is, regular monitoring of animals for diseases. All incoming livestock must be tested and quarantined before transporting them to the hog house.

Waste management is a key biosecurity measure. Improper waste management in the hog house can inevitably lead to profit losses. Sanitation in the pens may be performed by dry cleaning or by using a power sprayer to minimize water usage in cleaning the pens. The use of slatted flooring also lessens water usage in cleaning. Pens should be built to maintain the pigs’ temperature levels to minimize the need to wash them. Trees and foliage may be planted in the vicinity of the hog house to keep the animals cool in hot weather.

An anaerobic process called biogas production may be used to extract methane gas from the animal wastes. This greatly reduces waste odor in the hog house. Another anaerobic process that can be adapted is the use of a septic tank, commonly known as the poso negro. A lagoon may be built with aerators as an aerobic process of waste management. Solid wastes may also be mixed with plant residues with effective microorganisms like Trichoderma and Azotobacter to produce organic fertilizer within a month.

Common swine diseases

Brucellosis or contagious abortion

Brucellosis of pigs or contagious abortion, also known as Bang’s disease is caused by bacteria scientifically known as Brucella suis that is shed in milk or by the aborted fetus, afterbirth or other reproductive tract discharges.

There is no effective way to detect this disease. Abortion or birth of weak piglets is the most obvious sign. Abortion happens when the sow is at its second or third month of pregnancy. The sow may demonstrate irregular heat cycles and stillbirths may occur. Milk production is reduced due to changes in normal lactation period caused by abortions and delayed conceptions. Other signs of this disease include enlarged arthritic joints, paralysis and lameness. This disease is not necessarily fatal, unless it is complicated by metritis.

This disease is transmitted through direct contact with an infected animal or environment or equipment contaminated with discharges from infected animals.

Weight loss and stillbirths damages the farm profitability. This disease may also be transmitted to humans and rapidly spreads. Therefore prevention of this disease should be given importance. Sanitation and strict hygienic measures should be applied in the hog house. Breeding animals should be purchased from certified herds. Animals tested positive for this disease should be disposed immediately to prevent contamination.

A high incidence of this disease in the hog house should necessitate replacement of the entire herd and restocking after six to eight months.

Hog cholera

Hog Cholera, now commonly known as classical swine fever, is a highly contagious viral disease. This disease occurs in an acute, sub acute, chronic or persistent form.

Hog Cholera is characterized by high fever and loss of appetite. Pigs with hog cholera suffer from constipation which is later followed by diarrhea. Other symptoms include increased thirst, chills, and vomiting. There is inflammation of the eye with discharges that cause the eyelids to close. There is also a reddish purple discoloration of skin at the ears, abdomen, inner thighs or tail.

Chronic hog cholera terminates in pneumonia or hemorrhagic enteritis or both. This disease has a high morbidity and mortality rate as death follows in four to seven days of sign onset.

The common source of this infection is uncooked slops or kitchen scraps. Thus feeding this to the pigs should be avoided.

This disease may be prevented by administering vaccination to all pigs. Sows and boars must be vaccinated every six months and piglets weaned at one week should be vaccinated before or after weaning.

If this disease penetrates the hog house, all pigs known to have contracted this disease should be disposed immediately. Contaminated areas should be cleaned and disinfected properly.

Gastroenteritis complex / scouring (diarrhea)

Gastroenteritis or scouring is commonly cause by irritation of he small intestine by parasites, bacteria, or by sudden diet changes.

Conditions that cause gastroenteritis complex include dietary scours, colibacillosis, balantidiosis, dysentery, and gastrointestinal parasites. Dietary scours are caused by sudden changes in the diet, thus feeds must be introduced to pigs gradually over a period of seven days. Colibacilosis is commonly caused by stress factors like weaning, transport, and vaccination. Colibacilosis can also be caused by a contaminated water supply or a change in feed, as these upsets the balance of bacteria in the pig intestines. Balantidiosis is caused by contaminated water or contaminated forage like kangkong. Overcrowding of animals which is often followed by a lack of deworming causes most cases of gastrointestinal parasites. Dysentery resuls from transport stress, and contaminated feeds like kitchen scraps.
Gastroenteritis characterized by diarrhea must be corrected immediately by administering fluids to infected animals. Infected animals should be diagnosed by a veterinarian and should be treated according to diagnosis