Philippine E-Journals

Comparative Performance of Small, Medium and Large Swine Commercial Farms

Renato S.A Vega | Elpidio M. Agbisit Jr. | Dyna D. Andam | Beatriz R. Garcia | Anne Valera | Arturo T. Calud | Edwin C. Villar

Discipline: Agricultural Economics

 

Abstract:

Twenty four commercial farms with three-year performance data were grouped into small (n=5; mean=133 sow level), medium (n=4; mean=331 sow level) and large (n=15; mean=1,295 sow level) farms to compare farm productivity and efficiency. Using General Linear Model, the effects of farm sizes, year, quarter, months nested within quarter, interactions of farm sizes by year and by quarter were determined. The desirable (preferably high values) parameters include average birth weight (ABW), average weaning weight (AWW), average 30-day weight (A30DW), adjusted 180-day weight (A180DW) and average daily gain (ADG). The undesirable (preferably low values) parameters include adjusted 90-kg age (A90KA), average age of regular slaughter hogs sold (AARSHS), farm efficiency, feed cost per kilo of live animals sold (FCKLAS), average unit price of total feeds cost (AUPTFC), average unit price of total animal sold (AUPTAS) and average unit price per kilogram regular slaughter hogs sold (AUPRSHS). Annually there was a significant increase in weaning weight, 180-day weight, ADG and AUPTFC. The medium commercial farms have significantly lower birth weight, weaning weight, 180-day weight and ADG relative to large and small farms. The A90KA, AARSH, FE, FCKLAS, AUPTAS and AUPRSHS were consistently higher (P<0.05) in medium farms. The low performance of medium farms maybe attributed to quality feed and overcrowding. Therefore, the medium farm is less efficient, productive and profitable than small and large. The medium farm having additional 11.25 PhP FCKLAS producing 450,000 kg pigs sold/yr becomes expensive by 5M pesos/year.