EVALUATION OF THE FARM MANAGEMENT PRACTICES OF BACKYARD RAISERS IN ASF POSITIVE AREA: THE CASE IN GLAN, SARANGANI PROVINCE

The study was conducted in Glan, Sarangani Province from September to December 2021. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Most of the backyard swine raisers in Glan, Sarangani Province are married, female, middle-aged adults. Also, the majority of them are poor, and the breed of swine the respondents raise is native pig. The farm management practices preventing ASF infection in Glan, Sarangani Province are divided into five categories, these are: feeding practices, housing practices, waste management, biosecurity practices, and healthcare management. The results show that backyard swine raisers in Glan, Sarangani Province, do not feed their pigs with swill, instead they give feeds to their pigs. In housing practices, most of the respondents have semi-concrete pens. While for the waste management, majority of the respondents have septic tank intended only for the manure of the pigs. On the other hand, the biosecurity practices, majority of the respondents use disinfectant to clean the pig pens. As for healthcare management, the majority dewormed and immunized their pigs. Additionally, the main problem encountered in raising swine by the respondents is the lack of money for financing their backyard farms.

The local government of Glan, Sarangani Province may conduct programs and seminars that will help educate the backyard swine raisers regarding the biosecurity practices that they may practice. Additionally, the government may provide credit assistance and establish a proper water source system for all the backyard swine raisers in Glan, Sarangani Province.

Consequently, most of the backyard swine raisers in Glan, Sarangani Province, raise a native pig because it is more tolerant to diseases, and the raisers do not feed the pigs with swill, they give the pigs feeds. Additionally, the raisers have septic tank intended for the manure of the pigs only, majority of the raisers are conscious of cleaning, and the health of the pigs are maintained to prevent it from acquiring the virus. Based from the result, the farm management practices of backyard swine raisers are not enough to totally prevent the African Swine Fever (ASF) Virus from spreading to other nearby areas.