Traditional pig farming practices and productivity in the Jayawijaya region, Papua Province, Indonesia

Abstract

The objective of the current survey was to provide an update on pig farming practices in the Jayawijaya region, Papua Province, Indonesia. A structured semi-close-ended questionnaire was used to interview 367 farmers across the Jayawijaya region. Results showed that farms, on average, comprised of 8.8 pigs (CI 8.5-9.1). The average litter size was 6.0 (CI 5.7-6.3) piglets, the farrowing frequency was once a year, and the annual mortality rate was 50.2% (CI 48.4-51.9). On average, 43.4% farms (CI 36.4-50.7) allowed pigs to roam freely during daylight hours. Farmers used pigs for their own consumption (62.4%, CI 57.4-67.4), as a gift (56.6%, CI 51.5-61.7), or for sale (50.7%, CI 45.6-55.8). Veterinary services were used intensively by just 11.7% of farmers (CI 8.2-16.5). Furthermore, 34.2% (CI 29.3-39) of farmers would sell sick pigs, and 63.1% (CI 58.2-68.1) would slaughter and consume them. It was also recorded that 68.6% of farmers (CI 63.7-73.4) would eat sick pigs that had died naturally. These findings suggest that traditional pig farms in Jayawijaya are of low productivity. Moreover, the free roaming of pigs and the sale and consumption of sick pigs have the potential to allow pathogens to circulate between pig and human populations.