title: Description of the pig production systems, biosecurity practices and herd health providers in two provinces with high swine density in the Philippines.
abstract: A cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2011 and March 2012 in two major pig producing provinces in the Philippines. Four hundred and seventy one pig farms slaughtering finisher pigs at government operated abattoirs participated in this study. The objectives of this study were to group: (a) smallholder (S) and commercial (C) production systems into patterns according to their herd health providers (HHPs), and obtain descriptive information about the grouped S and C production systems; and (b) identify key HHPs within each production system using social network analysis. On-farm veterinarians, private consultants, pharmaceutical company representatives, government veterinarians, livestock and agricultural technicians, and agricultural supply stores were found to be actively interacting with pig farmers. Four clusters were identified based on production system and their choice of HHPs. Differences in management and biosecurity practices were found between S and C clusters. Private HHPs provided a service to larger C and some larger S farms, and have little or no interaction with the other HHPs. Government HHPs provided herd health service mainly to S farms and small C farms. Agricultural supply stores were identified as a dominant solitary HHP and provided herd health services to the majority of farmers. Increased knowledge of the routine management and biosecurity practices of S and C farmers and the key HHPs that are likely to be associated with those practices would be of value as this information could be used to inform a risk-based approach to disease surveillance and control.
authors: School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Gatton 4343, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: j.alawneh@uq.edu.au.
authors: J I
authors: JI
authors: Alawneh
authors: Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, University of Queensland, St Lucia 4067, Queensland, Australia.
authors: T S
authors: TS
authors: Barnes
authors: School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Gatton 4343, Queensland, Australia.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Parke
authors: Department of Agriculture Region 3, RADDL, Pampanga, Philippines.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Lapuz
authors: Department of Agriculture Region 3, RADDL, Pampanga, Philippines.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: David
authors: Provincial Veterinary Office of Bulacan, Malolos City, Bulacan, Philippines.
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Basinang
authors: Provincial Veterinary Office of Pampanga, City of San Fernando, Pampanga, Philippines.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Baluyut
authors: Livestock Research Division PCAARRD-DOST, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Villar
authors: Animal Health Division, Bureau of Animal Industry, Quezon City, Philippines.
authors: E L
authors: EL
authors: Lopez
authors: School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Gatton 4343, Queensland, Australia.
authors: P J
authors: PJ
authors: Blackall
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D003625:Data Collection; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D010679:Philippines / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018634:Veterinarians
keywords: Biosecurity; Herd health; Pig; Risk-based disease control; Social network analysis; Swine