Davao City—The Department of Agriculture (DA) distributed gilts, or young female pigs, to an association of raisers to increase hog supply in the Caraga region.
DA-Caraga Regional Director Abel James Monteagudo turned over 33 heads of gilts to the Caraga Swine Raisers Incorporated (Carsi). The gilts were worth P1.1 million and would serve as additional breeder stock or parent stock under the DA’s hog restocking program.
“We need to secure a steady supply of pork in the region and this response from the government is a good solution,” Monteagudo said.
Jekem Sanchez, DA’s livestock program coordinator, said the association would distribute the pigs to its members in Caraga provinces. This northeastern Mindanao region is composed of the two Agusan and two Surigao provinces, including the Dinagat Island province.
“This is DA’s initiative in the region to boost local pork supply even with the threat of African swine fever [ASF]. The region remains free at the moment and we are doing everything to stay free from the disease as we aim to increase our swine population in the region,” Sanchez said.
Carsi President Lodela Antonio said the DA intervention “would enable us to produce more quality hogs which we can extend to all our members.”
Carsi is an association of pig raisers all over Caraga with the objective of producing quality hogs and maintaining the sufficient supply of pork in the region.
Meanwhile in Davao del Norte, Panabo City Veterinarian John Ray Bautista said he expects the pig raisers in the ASF-hit barangay of Cagangohan to immediately report to the city government unusual pig mortalities in their farms.
Livestock personnel of the city recently culled some 222 pigs in Purok Mabolo, Cagangohan last month. Some 59 pig raisers were affected by the culling of pigs.
“Early reporting is the key to stop an outbreak,” Bautista said.
Bautista said the virus spread to a part of neighboring Barangay New Pandan.
“Someone fed swill to their pigs and spread the virus. Someone brought pork from Cagangohan and brought it somewhere else. The infected pig’s blood spread as it was stuck on their slippers,” Bautista added.
A pig infected with ASF exhibits fatigue, diarrhea, purple or blue patches in the skin and vomits blood. An infected pig could die in two to 10 days.
Bautista said some affected backyard raisers slaughtered their animals weakened by ASF and sold the carcasses. “This is dangerous for pig raisers who do not observe biosecurity protocols, such as putting foot bath in their farms or not feeding swill to their hogs.”