The increasing trend is that more and more people are getting into organic pig farming. Understandably so because more and more are proving that this system makes hog raising, especially for the backyard raisers, more profitable.
One indication of the growing interest is the recent record attendees of the organic hog production seminar conducted by Ronald Costales, the award-winning organic farmer from Majayjay, Laguna.
Another indication is the growing interest of people from Luzon in joining the backyard contract growing program of a cooperative put up by stockholders of Agrichexers, a feedmill in Sta. Maria, Bulacan. The system makes use of the technique of growing the animals not on pens with cement flooring but with a mixture of carbonized rice hull and fresh rice hull. Under this system, the hogs are not bathed at all and the pens are not washed like when the hog house has cement flooring.
In the Costales seminar, the attendees were taught how to prepare fermented feeds as well as silage. With this system, according to Costales, the raisers can save as much as 60 percent of feed cost.
Now, we know of at least two people who are giving up their jobs in Manila to pursue organic pig farming in Bataan and in Pangasinan. Although they have not attended the two-day seminar of Costales, they had toured the farm and observed the technique. And they have done their own research on the topic.
They are now familiar with the technique of Jess Domingo of Ifugao who can make as much as P5,000 net profit from a fattener raised the organic way for six months.
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AANI AGRI-BAZAAR – The first of the monthly three-day AANI Agri-Bazaar will start tomorrow and will end on Sunday, February 15, at the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City. This will be beside the AANI Livelihood B-6Center opposite the Philcoa Bldg.
There, you will find fresh farm produce like fruits and vegetables, culinary and medicinal herbs, ornamental plants, planting materials of exotic fruit trees, fertilizers and other farm supplies.
There will be wellness products, organic rice and more. There will also be lectures on timely topics. And free consultations may be had with experts available at the venue.
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DAIRY CONGRESS & EXPO – THE 18TH Dairy Congress & Expo will be held on April 28-30 at the Lima Park Hotel in Malvar, Batangas. This was announced by Juan P. Lozano, national chairman of the Dairy Confederation of the Philippines.
One highlight of the event will be the presentation of the state of the dairy industry in the Philippines by administrator
GRACE CENAS OF THE NATIONAL DAIRY AUTHORITY (NDA).
Another is a special session for newcomers or those who are interested to venture into dairying. Called Dairy 101, this will be conducted by experts from UP Los Baños.
Scheduled for discussions include Anti-Microbial Resistance by Dr. Marie Abenes of the Bureau of Animal Industry; Feeding for Optimum Peak and Persistency of Lactation by Dr. Daniel L. Aquino of the Philippine Carabao Center; and Importance of Mineral Supplementation by Dr. Arnel del Barrio of the PCC.
A feed and nutrition roundtable will also be conducted. Jose Tapay of Jetbest Farm of Lipa City will tackle ‘Why Feeds? Jesus Mateo, on the other hand, will take up Silage as an Alternative Source of Roughage. Then Amaia Goitia will take up “Genomic Revolution: The Study of DNA and Genetic Improvement.” Goitia is from Aberekin Genetics, Spain.
Another roundtable will be on “Factors to Consider in the Sustainability and Profitability of Dairying.” Nestor farmingNon of Oyibo’s Goat Dairy Farm will take the lead on Dairy Goat; Celestino delos Santos on Dairy Carabao; and Gemma Chavez on Dairy Cattle.
Another highlight of the Dairy Congress is a farm tour in the afternoon of April 30. The participants will visit the confederation’s showcase farms on forage development and calf rearing in Batangas
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