Research Note: Field Trial on the Effects of Homemade Probiotics and Sweet Potato Silage Supplementation on Sows Productivity and Profitability in the Marginal Upland Area in Inopacan, Leyte

Abstract

This study is part of the big CHED-Phernet program on “Enhancing Farm Productivity and Environmental Quality in Climate Change Vulnerable Marginal Uplands of Eastern Visayas. An incomplete randomized block design was used in control field trial was conducted from May 2013 to December 2013 involving 9 sows in Guinsangaan, Linao, and Marao Inopacan, Leyte. Homemade liquid probiotics and sweet potato silage were given to the treatment group. The sows performance on the average littersize born/Average littersize at weaning for T₀ (commercial feeds) was 9.33/6.33 hds., while T₁ (commercial feeds + 20 ml HMP) was 11.0/10.33 hds, and T₂ (commercial feeds + 20 ml HMP + crop-silage by-products @ 0.10% BW on DM basis) 9.67/8.67 hds, and the average weaning weight for T₀ = 8.61 kg, T₁= 9.23 kgs, and T₂ = 8.35 kgs, respectively. However, the total number of weaned piglets for each treatment resulted to a significant profitability (given the price per weanling equivalent to Php 2,000 per head) of the treatment assigned to sows productivity performance based on these results T₀ = 19 hds (Php 38,000.00), T₁ = 31 hds (Php 62,000.00), and T₂ = 26 hds (Php 48,000.00). The introduction of crop-silage plus HMP technology increases the productivity of the sows and likewise, increases the profitability in terms of peso income after weaning the piglets of marginal upland area pig raisers.