The provincial government of Negros Occidental will strengthen its support to backyard hog raisers this year by providing additional animal-raising technology and breeder stocks among others, Provincial Veterinarian Renante Decena, said yesterday.

Decena said 85 percent of the sow population in Negros Occidental are backyard raised, thus, additional technology and other forms of support is necessary for the raisers.

He said there is also an increased demand for pork products coming from nearby provinces especially with the depletion of the pig population due to the recent super typhoon.

The PVO is now collecting the offsprings of the animals, including sows.

They have distributed sows for free to different breeders' associations in Negros Occidental in the past, so they could also distribute them to their members, he added.

The La Castellana Teachers Cooperative is set to give 80 piglets to the PVO which will also be distributed to breeders in the towns of San Enrique and Murcia and in Kabankalan City.

Meanwhile, staff members from the provincial governments of Benguet, Pangasinan, Capiz, Iloilo, Antique, Aklan and Cebu will arrive in Negros Occidental next week, Decena said.

They will observe, and eventually adopt the animal industry development programs of the province, including free-range chicken, swine genetic improvement, pecking duck  and sheep raising technologies, Decena said.

He also said the staff members of these provinces will be taught on how to process fresh milk and how to make yogurt.*APN

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