| Back to programme |
|
This paper describes the feeding and management systems of smallholder pig production systems in Lao PDR and discusses the main constraints of these systems. It also presents the results of a survey of 30 pig producers who have started to use the forage legume Stylosanthes guiananesis CIAT 184 (Stylo 184) as a supplement to the existing feed resources. The main benefits of including Stylo 184 in the diet of village pigs were significant labour savings for women, and improved growth rates of growing pigs.
Labour requirements were reduced from 195 minutes per day to 90-145 minutes per day for households that used Stylo 184, which benefited mainly women. The main reason for the reduction in labour was that Stylo 184 replaced natural green feed which took a long time to collect, that it was readily available near the pig pens, and that it did not require cooking before feeding. Household reported that the average time needed to grow a piglet from weaning to sale weight of approximately 65kg was 18 months before the use of Stylo 184. Since using Stylo 184, this period was reduced to 8.7 months indicating an increase in the daily growth rate from 107 to 207 g/day. While this is still a relatively low daily growth rate, the improvement represents a very significant livelihood benefit to households.
Stylo 184 is a broadly adapted forage legume which grows well in most situations but is only of moderate quality when compared to other legumes. Farmers are managing quality by cutting Stylo 184 when still very young (some farmers reported cutting it every 15 days during the wet season) and thus leafy and of high quality. The adoption of Stylo 184 demonstrates the need for high-protein supplementary feeds in village situations and the opportunity for the introduction other legumes. Apart from quality considerations a new legume will need to fit well into the existing farming system. CIAT has recently started a 3-year research project (funded by ACIAR from May 2006 to December 2008) to investigate the reasons for the beneficial effect of Stylo 184 and to evaluate other legumes for use in smallholder pig production systems.