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.