SCIENTIFIC PIG FARMING FOR RURAL LIVELIHOODS & FOOD SECURITY IN INDIA-AN STEP IN DOUBLING THE FARMER’S INCOME

In India, majority of pigs are reared in traditional small-scale subsistence-driven production systems. Pigs in such low-input systems provide value-added output for farmers by consuming feed that would otherwise be lost. Smallholder farming systems improve livelihood and food security for the poorest people. In addition to providing protein for human consumption, pigs are often one of the main sources of cash income in rural areas and provide manure for cropping. Further it provides a financial safety umbrella in distress and playing a role in cultural traditions of communities. Pig production in particular promotes greater self-sufficiency and provides a greater food security to urban households and increases incomes. Among tribal communities in India, smallholder pig rearing provides for nutritional, financial benefits, as well as providing for conversion of household waste into fertilizer for agricultural crops.

Pigs convert inedible feeds, forages, certain grain by-products, damaged feeds and garbage into valuable nutritious meat. Pig is a highly prolific breeder which gives 10 – 12 piglets at a time and it grows faster with minimal inputs. With a small investment on building and equipments, proper feeding and sound disease control programmes the farmer can profitably utilize his time and labour in this subsidiary occupation. Rearing of pigs will be a suitable option for small and landless farmers, farm women and it can also be carried out as a part time work by the employed personals to get additional income

Pig farming constitutes the livelihood of rural poor belonging to the lowest socio-economic strata and they have no means to undertake scientific pig farming with improved foundation stock, proper housing, feeding and other management. In India pig rearing is very popular amongst the tribal backward and weaker section of the society, especially tribal dominated states like Jharkhand.. Moreover, pig farming fits very well with the integrated farming and also be complementary to intensive crop production programme. Jharkhand also has the tremendous potentiality of improvement of pig production through scientific management, as in Jharkhand the deficit is aggravated due to traditional ways of pig rearing like feeding of locally available feed stuff and scavenging, improper breeding, sizeable population of non – descript pigs and non-availability of good quality pig germplasm always remains matter of concern.

• Pig farming has been adopted by small and landless farmers, and in tribal areas.

• Production is small-scale, backyard, marketed-oriented enterprise.

• Pigs are mainly dependent on locally available feed resources/vegetations, crop residues and kitchen waste which are of low or no cost.

• It is low-external input activity relying mainly upon women’s labour for rearing

• There is lack of proper housing and shelter under low-input traditional system thus exposing pigs to adverse weather conditions like high temperatures and rain.

Most of pig sty are located in backyard of house and the unhygienic conditions of these building predispose pigs to diseases.

• Best breeding stock rarely goes to the market, resulting in the use of a foundation stock with poor breeding qualities.

• There is nonutilization of improved breeds from government farms and increased use of own stock and that of neighbors, which gives rise to inbreeding and consequently low productivity (Nath et al., 2013).

• A wide gap still exists between the need/demand and availability of pork. The major reason is that the pigs reared by the farmers are of the nondescript local breed, whose growth rate is claimed to be poor, and hence, their production is hardly adequate.

• Producers have inadequate knowledge about feeding, health care and breeding management

• The commercial pig production system in India is characterized by improved crossbred/ exotic breeds of pigs that are bred and reared under confinement

In comparison to other livestock species, pig rearing has higher potential to contribute to more economic gain for small, marginal farmers or rural poor belonging to the lowest socioeconomic strata due to its following advantages:

• Better feed conversion efficiency of pigs i.e. they attain more unit weight gain per kg of feed consumed as compared to other meat producing animals except broilers.

• Higher fecundity in pigs – Sows produce 6 – 12 piglets in each farrowing.

• Pigs reach sexual maturity at an early age. A sow can be bred as early as 8 – 9 months of age and can farrow twice in a year under optimal management conditions.

• Pigs have shorter generation interval as compared to other classes of livestock

• Offers quick returns since the market weight of 60-90 kg can be achieved in a period of 7-10 months.

• One of the few livestock animals where nearly all parts of the animal can be consumed by the farm family and/or sold • Converts damaged feeds which are either not edible or not very palatable to human beings into valuable nutritious meat.

• Apart from providing meat, it is also a source of bristles and manure

• Can survive and grow on wide variety of feed stuff viz. grains, vegetables, fruits, fodder, sugarcane, kitchen waste • Offers employment opportunities to seasonally employed rural farmers and supplement income to improve their living standards • Require little initial investment on building and gear.

• Pigs can be raised for their entire lifetime in enclosure as they do not contribute to loss of grazing lands (Mpofu and Makuza, 2003).

• Pig products range from primary commodities such as pork, to processed food products such as sausages and smoked hams to cooked salted ears, eaten as snack foods.

• Demand for pig’s fat in poultry feed, soap, paints and other chemical industries.

• The small scale pig sector has seemingly greater potential to reduce poverty

a. The pig has highest feed conversion efficiency i.e. they produce more live weight gain from a given weight of feed than any other class of meat producing animals excepts broilers.

b. The pig can utilize wide variety of feed stuffs viz. Grains, forages, damaged feeds and garbage and convert their into valuable nutritious meat. However, feeding of damaged grains, garbage and other unbalanced rations may result in lower feed efficiency.

c. They are prolific with shorter generation interval. A sow can be bred as early as 8-9 months of age and can farrow twice in a year. They produce 6-12 piglets in each farrowing.

d. Pig farming requires small investment on buildings and equipment’s.

e. Pigs are known for their meat yield, which in terms of dressing percentage ranges from 65-80 in comparison to other livestock species whose dressing yields may not exceed 65%.

f. Pork is most nutritious with high fat and low water content and has got better energy value than that of other meats. It is rich in vitamins like thiamin, Niacin and riboflavin.

g. Pig manure is widely used as fertilizer for agriculture farms and fishponds.

h. Pigs store fat rapidly for which there is an increasing demand from poultry feed, soap, paints and other chemical industries.

i. Pig farming provides quick returns since the marketable weight of fatteners can be achieved with in a period of 6-8 months.

j. There is good demand from domestic as well as export market for pig products such as pork, bacon, ham, sausages, lard etc.

Modern and well established scientific principles, practices and skills should be used to obtain maximum economic benefits from pig farming. Some of the major recommended practices are:

a. Housing management

• Construct shed on dry and properly raised ground. Avoid waterlogging, marshy and heavy rainfall areas.

• The sidewalls of the sheds should be 4-5 ft. high and remaining height should be fitted with GI pipes or wooden poles.

• The walls should be plastered to make them damp proof. The roof should be atleast 8-10 ft. high.

• The pig stys should be well ventilated.

• The floor should be pucca/hard, even, non-slippery, impervious, well sloped (3 cm per metre) and properly drained to remain dry and clean.

• A feed trough space of 6-12 inchas per pig should be provided.

• Provide adequate open for each animal i.e. double the covered area.

• Provide proper shade and cool drinking water in summer.

• Dispose of dung and urine properly.

• Individual pens for boars/lactating sows should be constructed. The dry sows/fatteners can be housed in-group pens.

• Give adequate space for the animals.

While selecting the site for pig farm, it must be near to town/city to avoid transportation cost of feed or other requirements and to avail marketing facilities. Housing is required for the animals to protect them from rain, wind, storm, and sunlight, cold and extreme climate. The pigsty may be constructed with locally available materials like wooden plunks, jungle post, bamboo and thatch grasses or the houses may be of brick wall, RCC post and with Corrugated Galvanized Iron/asbestos sheet roofing. Floor should be cemented for easy cleaning and hygienic point of view. Pig can be kept under two systems and indoor system. A combination of both may be followed. It is easy to manage animals in indoor system compared to open air system. However in open air system more areas needed for animals, that is limitation particularly in NE Region. Further in open air system, possibilities of contamination of diseases a re more than indoor system. Each animal of different categories requires a minimum floor space for housing.

Category Covered area/pig (Sq.ft) Open space/pig(Sq.ft)

Weaner 10-15 15-20

Grower 12-20 20-30

Dry Sow 20-30 30-50

Lactating Sow 70-100 70-100

Boar 35-50 50-70

1. Construct shed on dry and properly raised ground.

2. Avoid water – logging, marshy and heavy rainfall areas.

3. The side walls of the sheds should be 4 – 5 ft. high and remaining height should be fitted with GI pipes or wooden poles.

4. The walls should be plastered to make them damp proof.

5. The roof should be at least 8 – 10 ft. high.

6. The pig sty should be well ventilated.

7. The floor should be pakka/hard , even, non – slippery, impervious, well sloped (3 cm per metre) and properly drained to remain dry and clean.

8. A feed trough space of 6 – 12 inches per pig should be provided. The corners of feed troughs, drains and walls should be rounded for easy cleaning.

9. Provide adequate open space for each animal which should be double of covered area

10. Provide proper shade and cool drinking water during summer season.

Deep litter housing is a type of pig housing where the floor is filled with sawdust 2 – 3 feet in the both open and covered are a, which is well suited for high rainfall and high altitude area. The floor of the pen remains clean and dry due to the sawdust. The pig house also provides better micro – environment in summer and winter as well as better physiological adaptation. This model provide 2 – 3 times higher manure than that conventional concrete floor pigpen.

• Deep litter housing is well suited for high rainfall and high altitude area.

• The floor of the pen remains clean and dry due to the sawdust.

• The pig house also provides better micro – environment both summer and winter, better physiological adaptation.

• This model provide 2 – 3 times higher manure than that conventional concrete floor pigpen

• For commercial pig farming upgraded/cross bred exotic stock in good health should be selected.

• Select a female that will produce large survivable little and which can attain marketable weight at an age of six months or less. This can be done with the helf of pedigree records/Veterinarian/Banks technical officer.

• Identify the newly purchased animal by giving suitable identification mark (ear notching or tattooing)

• Vaccinate the newly purchased animal against diseases.

• Keep the newly purchased animal under observation for a period of about two weeks and then mix with the other animals.

• Purchase animals in two batches at the interval of three months.

• Follow judicious culling and replacement of animals in a herd. Cull the old animals after 10-12 farrowings.

The growth and mortality of pigs largely depend on their feeding regime. Pig is the most efficient animal in converting feed to meat. About 70 – 75 per cent of the total production cost of the pig farm is due to the feed cost. Generally farmers want to rear pigs with zero inputs like kitchen waste as well as vegetable waste mixed with rice polish/ wheat bran only. However, with this feed it is not possible to get desired body weight and other production norms. It is therefore, very much important to feed the animals with economical but balanced feed which will contain all the nutrient requirements for growth and to support the life. Generally two types of feeding are practiced. They are

1. Concentrated feed computed with different feed ingredients

2. Concentrated feed mixed with other locally available agro – industrial by – products, tuber crops like sweet potato, tapioca, colocasia, vegetables and kitchen waste etc .

Ingredients Weaner (18-20%) protein Growers (15-17%) Protein Gilt/sow/boar(14-16%)protein

12th Weeks to Market age 9-12 Months

Maize 55 58 60 15

Ground Nut Cake 17 15 8 30

Wheat Bran 20 20 25 20

Rice Polish – – – 10

Fish Meal/soya Meal 6 5 5 5

Mineral Mixture 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5

Salt 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5

Total 100 100 100 100

The poor and marginal farmers in the villages who can not afford to provide the above feed, can feed their pigs with sweat potato (6 0%), protein source, vitamins and minerals. Besides the above the pigs can also be maintained with vegetables waste and kitchen waste consisting of cooked rice, vegetables etc. and also with brewery waste and other feed waste. A good feed ration should contain the required nutrient in right proportion as per the need of body weight along with adequate drinking water.

Particulars Body Weight

Below 10 10-20 20-30 30-60 Above 60

Growth Stage Creep Grower Grower Developer Finisher

Required Protein level % 20 18 16 16 13

Conc.Feed required per day (Kg) 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5

The demands resulting from pregnancy and need for conserving nutrients for ensuing lactation are accelerated during the later stage of pregnancy. The increased needs are for proteins, vitamins and minerals. Mature sows gain 30 – 35 kg and gilts 40 – 45 kg during pregnancy. Feed should be so regulated that sows and gilts are never over fat or thin. Feed lightly with bulky laxative feed immediately before an d after farrowing. Bring the sow to full feeding in 10 days. Plenty of greens may be provided. Feed allowance may be calculated as 2.5 – 3 kg/100 kg body weight plus at the rate of 0.2 kg feed per piglet with the sow. Thus, a sow weighing 100 kg with 8 piglets should receive 4.6 kg feed per day. The piglets may be provided with special nourishing diet called creep feed separately.

The practice of self – feeding concentrates to young piglets in a separate enclosure away from their mother is known a s creep feeding. Creep feed should be given when piglets are two weeks old. Each active and healthy piglet may consume about 10 kg feed before reaching the age of 8 weeks and two – third of this consumed between 6 – 8 weeks.

When a sow dies or fails to produce milk or does not claim her pigs, the piglings should be promptly shifted to a foster mother. Some sows may refuse to suckle alien piglings. Care should be taken to simulate the conditions including the odour and body size of piglings when admitted to a foster mother or another suckling sow. Cow’s milk is the best substitute for sow’s milk for hand feeding if a lactating mother is not available. Buttermilk or sweet skim milk can also be used. Each pigling may consume 300 – 500 ml milk per day. Best results may be secured by feeding 5 – 6 times a day for the first few weeks and thereafter the frequency may gradually be reduced to 2 – 3 times. Any standard vitamin preparation two or three times the quantity used for infants may be administered to the piglings until they start taking feed. Injectable iron preparation (e.g. Imferon) may be given as usual. A 60 – Watt electric bulb may provide enough warmth for the piglings during the early days of life.

It is the method of increased feeding to sows and gilts before breeding to enhance litter size. A good grower ration fed to pigs for seven to ten days before breeding to increase ovulation rate in them. After breeding animals should be fed a limited but well balanced ration until the last six weeks of pregnancy and then full feeding should be resumed to avoid pregnancy complications.

• Protect the animals against common diseases.

• Consult the nearest veterinary aid centre for help if illness is suspected.

• In case of outbreak of contagious diseases, immediately segregate the sick and the healthy animals and take necessary disease control measures.

• Deworm the animals regularly.

• Examine the faeces of adult animals to detect eggs of internal parasites and treat the animals with suitable drugs.

• Wash the animals from time to time to promote sanitation.

• Strictly follow the recommended vaccine.

Sow is unable to supply the needed iron through the milk to the fast growing piglets. Piglets maintained in concrete floored rooms are commonly suffering with anaemia. Piglet anaemia can be prevented by injecting the piglets with iron dextron preparations or by smearing the pigs’ mammary gland with ferrous sulphate solutions. Skin diseases Skin infection is commonly occurring ailment which may be caused by several organisms like bacteria, lice, ticks, mites and fungi this results in thickening and crusting of the skin. Mange occurs

around the head, ears, legs and tail but will spread over the body if not treated. The lice feed on the skin and irritate the pig, which will scratch and can cause wounds, which become infected. Parasitic infestations can be treated by spraying of medicine or by dipping animal while treating animal pig house also should be sprayed with the same medicine.

• All pigs should be vaccinated against swine fever at the age of 2-4 weeks. Breeding pigs should be tested for brucellosis and leptospirosis. As a routine measure all young pigs at the time of weaning should be inoculated against swine fever.

• Animals purchased for the farm should be purchased from disease free herds. Newly purchased animals should be isolated from the other animals in the farm for a period of three to four weeks. No visitor allowed visiting the farm. Those stys or pig houses cleared of the animals are kept empty for three to four weeks for destruction of microorganisms causing the disease.

• Pigs are highly prolific in nature and two farrowings in a year should be planned by adopting optimal management conditions. For every 10 sows one boar must be maintained for maximum fertility.

• Breed the animals when it is in peak heat period. (i.e. 12 to 24 hours of heat).

• Give special attention to pregnant sows one week before farrowing by providing adequate space, feed, water etc. the sows as well as farrowing pens should be disinfected 3-4 days before the expected date of farrowing and the sows should be placed in the farrowing pen after bedding it properly.

• Take care of newborn piglets by providing guard rails.

• Treat/disinfect the navel cords with tincture of iodine as soon as it is cut with a sharp knife. Needle teeth should be clipped shortly after birth.

• Feed on month’s milk for first 6-8 weeks along with creep feed. Supplementation of Iron to prevent piglet anaemia is necessary.

• Protect the piglets against extreme weather conditions, particularly during the first two months.

• Vaccinate the piglets as per recommended vaccination schedule.

• The piglets meant for sale, as breeder stock must be reared properly.

• Male piglets not selected for breeding should be castrated preferably at the age of 3-4 weeks which will prevent the boar odour in the cooked meat thus it enables production of quality meat.

Indigenous pigs normally reared by farmers are bred indiscriminately without much choice of male. Moreover, during the process of scavenging, there is no control over breeding. Reproduction is the main component limiting the productive efficiency of pig industry. Successful reproduction is the outcome of a series of closely linked events. The gilt must grow rapidly to attain sexual maturity, initiate estrous cycle, ovulate and be mated by a fertile boar or inseminated with fertile semen. The female pig becomes sexually mature between 8 – 10 months depending on the breed and nutrition level. But the local pig attains maturity at 5 – 6 months. The length of the estrous cycle averages approximately 21days (18 – 24 days). Signs of heat are restlessness, loss of appetite, increased vocalization, frequent urination, red swollen vulva, riding other females, elevation of tail, arched back etc. If the female is in heat she will remain stand still when pressure i s applied on the loin region with the palms of both hands (standing reflex). It is always better to leave one or two estrous cycle in case of the gilt and breeding may be done during the third cycle depending on the physical condition of the gilt. The best time for AI of sow/gilt is 15 – 24 hours after the onset of estrus. She should be bred on the second day if she is still in standing heat. If the female does not conceive, it will repeat its heat symptoms after 21 days. Those who do not repeat are presumed to be pregnant which, however, needs to be confirmed/ diagnosed with the help of a veterinarian.

After breeding, the sow should be kept in dry clean and hygienic enclosure in comfortable place. It should be closely observed for estrus symptoms around 20 days after breeding to assure the non – return of estrus and expect the conception. Pregnant sow should be shifted to a clean farrowing house before 3 weeks of farrowing. Clean and dry bedding material preferably of dry paddy straw/hay has to be provided in the pen. The pregnant animal should be fed individually . In most of the cases no assistance is required during farrowing. New born piglets are active and within two minutes each piglet reaches a teat and attempt to suck milk. Sometimes respiration is delayed in newborn piglets. To stimulate the respiratory activity of the piglet the mucous should be removed from nose and mouth. The weaker piglets should be assisted to the teat so that they can suckle the first milk (colostrums). The placenta may be expelled during the phase of delivery as single mass after the birth of last piglet. Care should be taken to avoid crushing of newborn piglets during and after farrowing.

Other managemental practices

• Culling of animals: Unproductive with very less litter size or with very high interfarrowing period, repeat breeders, aged animals, unproductive b oars etc. are to be culled and sold out for meat purpose.

• Castration of piglets: Male piglets which are unwanted and not fit for breeding purpose are to be castrated just after weaning and may be kept in the farm as fattener animal which later on may be sold for meat purpose.

• Segregation of diseased animal: A separate house should be there to keep the animals suffering from contagious diseases.

• Record Keeping: The ultimate profit or loss in a farm can only be found out by keeping proper records in the farm which includes data sheet of individual animal, total stock of animals, feed register, expenditure statement etc.

Crossbreds

Under All India Coordinated Research Programme (AICRP) on Pigs, breeding programmes were developed to generate the following genotypes/genetic groups: • Improved indigenous pigs • Crossbreds having 50:50 inheritance from Landrace and indigenous pigs • Large White Yorkshire crossbreds having 50% indigenous inheritance • Crossbreds having 75% Large White and 25% indigenous inheritance • Landrace crossbreds having 25% indigenous inheritance • Hampshire crossbreds carrying 25% and 50% indigenous inheritance • Landrace X indigenous half-breds from reciprocal crosses Presently, AICRP centers on Pigs foolow a breeding plan to maintain crossbred animalks of 75% exotic inheritance. Mega Seed Project on Pig and AICRP on Pig implemented by the National Research Centre on Pig enable regular supply of good quality pig germplasm, location-specific research on pig nutrition and breeding throughout India

Characteristics –This strain of the pig breed has been developed by the scientist of BAU, KANKE RANCHI, which are best suited for the environment and topography of Forest and hilly tribal dominated areas particularly states like Jharkhand, Chhatisgarh, Odissa & WB. The Govt. of Jharkhand is encouraging this strain for farming to upgrade the existing non descript stock of pig .

Following are the special traits of this breed which suits for profitable pig farming in the areas.

• Black colour

• Lustrous skin

• Faster growth

• Ability to utilize agricultural biproducts and waste materials

• Low maintenance cost

• Better feed conversion efficiency

• Better reproductive performances

• Disease resistance

• Higher survivality

• Ecological adaptability

• Higher economic return.

COLOUR: It is black in colour. The pig breeders of Jharkhand and North-

Eastern Hill states including most of the states of the country have special

liking of block pigs. As result of this it is sold easily at comparatively higher

rates.

FASTER GROWTH: At one year of age, the new pig weights about 120-140 kg as against only 35-40 kg. for local pigs.

BETTER REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCES:

i) Its litter size at birth is 8-12 whereas, for local 4-6.

ii) “T&D” has significantly lower farrowing interval (180-200 days) than

that of local sows (210-230 days)

BETTER FEED CONVERSION EFFICIENCY: The new pig is much efficient converter of feed (3-3.5:1) than local pigs (4-5:1).

BETTER DISEASE RESISTANCE: It is highly resistant to skin diseases and very well adapted to village conditions.

BETTER ADAPTABILITY: Under village conditions the new breed performs better than the half-breeds of local with Large White Yorkshire, Hampshire and Landrace pigs.

ECONOMIC RETURN: It is about 6 to 7 times more remunerative than the local pigs.

There is no problem of marketing of pigs due to its black lusturous skin, faster growth rate, better reproductive performances, excellent feed conversion efficiency and adapted well at field conditions at farmers door. “T&D” pig is about 6 to 7 times more remunerative than local pigs under field conditions of management.

It has a significant role in socio-economic upliftment of tribal and down

trodden people of the country in general and Jharkhand in particular since

pig farming is very popular among tribals and some weaker section of the

society. But now a days its popularity is increasing day by day and now large

number of well to do entrepreneurs have also started pig farming. It this way, now it is taking a shape of pig industry with a bright future.

The pollution of town/city can also be minimized by utilizing hotel/kitchen wastes which is greet problem for their disposal by hostel owner. The pigs can easily be utilized hotel wastes and converted it into valuable nutritious biological protein

Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India provides incentives in terms of capital subsidy for ensuring the viability of the pig breeding, rearing and related activities (Table 1). Goal of scheme is to encourage commercial pig rearing by farmers/ labourers to improve production performances of native breed through cross breeding by using selected animals of high performing breeds. Producer companies, partnership firms, corporations, NGOs, SHGs, JLGs, cooperatives and individual entrepreneurs are eligible for scheme.

Pigs are potential source of animal proteins and avenues for additional income and employment that can improve the livelihood in a sustainable manner. Presently, our pig production system has many lacunae namely absence of sufficient number of breeder farmers, tendency of the pig grower to raise pig to marketable age on negligible inputs and lesser preference of the consumers for pork from the local pigs etc. Absence of sufficient number of breeder farmers throughout the country is also a major constraint leading to lesser availability of quality pigs for fattener farmers and market. Therefore, genetic improvement of indigenous pigs must be undertaken on priority for production of superior germplasm. Selective breeding and crossbreeding has to be expanded for improving production and productivity. There is need for strengthening the pork marketing mechanisms at the local level to the marketing channels, and integrate production programme with slaughterhouses to ensure better sustainability. Given its prospects, piggery has the potential to have a positive impact on the livelihood of millions of resource poor, under-privileged, landless and marginal farmers.

Profitability can be increased by producing better quality pig i.e pig having faster growth and better conversion ability. This reduces production cost as less feed and time is required to grow such pigs. Pig having better disease resistance will perform better as less expence on medicine. By sale of products It is not economical to sale live pig but to get more returns if pork is sold there will be more profit. Profit can be increased to many folds if it is convetred to products like sausages

The marketable products of the piggery farming include the piglets as breeding stock, piglets as fatteners, marketable fatteners and culls. The marketing avenues for the above products are like satellite fattening farms/breeding cum rearing farms and pork consumption centres. In order to promote the consumption of pork it should be supplied to the consumers in an attractive form. Therefore availability of either slaughtering facilities or bacon factories are to be ensured to convert the fatteners into wholesome pork and their products. The sale of piglets at 2-3 months of age yield quick returns and enables the pig farmer to concentrate their efforts on maximizing the productivity of breeder stock. The other marketing strategy can be rearing of piglets upto marketing age for their sale as fatteners. Based on the market demand appropriate marketing strategy must be adopted in consultation with the local animal husbandry department officials

Reference-On Request