Herd dynamics reflect constraints for pig production and farmer attitudes in smallholder systems in Lao PDR

A field intervention and 17 months’ monitoring of pig herd dynamics in seven villages in Northern Laos was conducted. The collected data show for the first time herd dynamics based on quantitative data. They show that dynamics follow a regular cyclic pattern based on the general farm management appr...

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Main Authors: Tiemann, Tassilo T., Phengvilaysouk, Ammaly, Keonouchanh, Soukanh
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation 2018
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/97892
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author Tiemann, Tassilo T.
Phengvilaysouk, Ammaly
Keonouchanh, Soukanh
author_browse Keonouchanh, Soukanh
Phengvilaysouk, Ammaly
Tiemann, Tassilo T.
author_facet Tiemann, Tassilo T.
Phengvilaysouk, Ammaly
Keonouchanh, Soukanh
author_sort Tiemann, Tassilo T.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description A field intervention and 17 months’ monitoring of pig herd dynamics in seven villages in Northern Laos was conducted. The collected data show for the first time herd dynamics based on quantitative data. They show that dynamics follow a regular cyclic pattern based on the general farm management approach applied by farmers, which lacks a specific pig management focus. Interventions aimed at improving animal management and nutrition were far less successful than envisioned but revealed major conflicts in perception between implementers and farmers. Farmers did not shift their focus to pig production as major income-generating activity as envisioned by implementers. Nevertheless, despite only partially improved systems, farrowing and animal growth rates were increased among committed farmers, whereas death rates have decreased. However, our quantitative data show a significant number of constraints reflected in the way how animals enter, pass through and leave smallholder production systems. Disease and disease prevention, as well as animal feeding are the two dominant hindrances to improved production. Both these obstacles are rather related to a lack of focus on animal production and therefore animal requirements than to an inherent lack of understanding. To increase interest though, poor income opportunities due to lacking market opportunities will have to be tackled. However, even with an incomplete transition from a traditional to an improved system, overall production increased by 600% in committed farmers with an about equivalent increase in income from this activity, showing that current systems leave massive scope for improvement if perceptions and other external obstacles such as access to inputs and markets can be overcome.
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spelling CGSpace978922025-12-08T10:29:22Z Herd dynamics reflect constraints for pig production and farmer attitudes in smallholder systems in Lao PDR Tiemann, Tassilo T. Phengvilaysouk, Ammaly Keonouchanh, Soukanh feed crops animal husbandry ganadería animal production producción animal population dynamics dinámica de poblaciones A field intervention and 17 months’ monitoring of pig herd dynamics in seven villages in Northern Laos was conducted. The collected data show for the first time herd dynamics based on quantitative data. They show that dynamics follow a regular cyclic pattern based on the general farm management approach applied by farmers, which lacks a specific pig management focus. Interventions aimed at improving animal management and nutrition were far less successful than envisioned but revealed major conflicts in perception between implementers and farmers. Farmers did not shift their focus to pig production as major income-generating activity as envisioned by implementers. Nevertheless, despite only partially improved systems, farrowing and animal growth rates were increased among committed farmers, whereas death rates have decreased. However, our quantitative data show a significant number of constraints reflected in the way how animals enter, pass through and leave smallholder production systems. Disease and disease prevention, as well as animal feeding are the two dominant hindrances to improved production. Both these obstacles are rather related to a lack of focus on animal production and therefore animal requirements than to an inherent lack of understanding. To increase interest though, poor income opportunities due to lacking market opportunities will have to be tackled. However, even with an incomplete transition from a traditional to an improved system, overall production increased by 600% in committed farmers with an about equivalent increase in income from this activity, showing that current systems leave massive scope for improvement if perceptions and other external obstacles such as access to inputs and markets can be overcome. 2018 2018-11-08T15:27:31Z 2018-11-08T15:27:31Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/97892 en Open Access Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation Tiemann, Tassilo T.; Phengvilaysouk, Ammaly; Keonouchanh, Soukanh. (2018). Herd dynamics reflect constraints for pig production and farmer attitudes in smallholder systems in Lao PDR. Animal Production Science, 58: 2158-2166.
spellingShingle feed crops
animal husbandry
ganadería
animal production
producción animal
population dynamics
dinámica de poblaciones
Tiemann, Tassilo T.
Phengvilaysouk, Ammaly
Keonouchanh, Soukanh
Herd dynamics reflect constraints for pig production and farmer attitudes in smallholder systems in Lao PDR
title Herd dynamics reflect constraints for pig production and farmer attitudes in smallholder systems in Lao PDR
title_full Herd dynamics reflect constraints for pig production and farmer attitudes in smallholder systems in Lao PDR
title_fullStr Herd dynamics reflect constraints for pig production and farmer attitudes in smallholder systems in Lao PDR
title_full_unstemmed Herd dynamics reflect constraints for pig production and farmer attitudes in smallholder systems in Lao PDR
title_short Herd dynamics reflect constraints for pig production and farmer attitudes in smallholder systems in Lao PDR
title_sort herd dynamics reflect constraints for pig production and farmer attitudes in smallholder systems in lao pdr
topic feed crops
animal husbandry
ganadería
animal production
producción animal
population dynamics
dinámica de poblaciones
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/97892
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AT phengvilaysoukammaly herddynamicsreflectconstraintsforpigproductionandfarmerattitudesinsmallholdersystemsinlaopdr
AT keonouchanhsoukanh herddynamicsreflectconstraintsforpigproductionandfarmerattitudesinsmallholdersystemsinlaopdr