Putting livestock farmers in the driver’s seat
At the New Zealand camp behind Henderson area there is a potential pig breeder farmer called Chris Susa.
Mr. Susa involved in small-scale pig farming and currently has three breeding sows and a working boar.
Lately, officers from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) through its livestock and veterinary services department visited the farmer on request and
provided hands on practical training for Mr. Susa and his family members.
The livestock team were on a regular animal Health services for piggery farmers in and around Honiara suburb at that time of the visit.
Deputy Director for Livestock Hearley Atupule said during the farm visit his officers were able to teach the farmer’s wife and children on basic iron injection procedure, piglet handling and animal welfare.
“We gave the farmer (Susa) and his family an opportunity to do hands on practical about iron injection in a right way under the supervision of our livestock officers. We also provided them practical on teeth clipping procedures in piglets to avoid piercing (biting) the sow’s teats, as the four main teeth of the piglet are removed.
“Other new pig management skills and knowledge acquired by the farmer during the day include tail docking, which is a vital husbandry method which are done to piglets soon after birth to avoid biting of tail by other piglets which can lead to inflection,” Mr. Atupule said.
He said the demonstrations provided by his officers are well received with great appreciation from the farmer, Susa.
The Deputy Director said that this is not the first time they had provided such training to livestock farmers in Honiara and on the outskirt but it is their continuous service support to livestock farmers in the country to guarantee they have knowledge on general animal husbandry.
The livestock team included; Hearley Atupule, Deputy Director Small Livestock; Max Lazarus, Principle Livestock Officer Research and Joe Keniratoa from Research Department.
Source: MAL Media
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