• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.1334-1340
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• 2009

Sufficient food supply for all humans was, is, and will remain one of the main priorities for mankind. The choice between food from crops or animals is related to philosophical, religious and ethical, but also cultural and economical, values. However, the concept of sustainable agriculture takes into account the organization of food supply through future generations. Not only quantity, but also quality is important, especially in relation to food safety and the method of production. Specifically, the aspect of animal welfare is becoming increasingly important with the focus on stewardship and stockmanship, i.e. responsibility of humans for their animals. In the future, implications for sustainability in animal production may be of more concern to stewardship paired by stockmanship, responsibility, consciousness and morality. The moral as a basic concept of sustainable agriculture is to maintain continuous development in harmony with nature to meet requirements in the world for living creatures including human beings to live in and steward. The objective of this paper is to discuss the above issues from different viewpoints on sustainable food supply, increasing food consumption and environmental protection.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.428-434
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• 2015

A stockperson has a significant influence on the productivity and welfare of his animals depending on his stockmanship competence. In this study, stockmanship competence (SC) is defined as the capacity of the stockperson to ensure the welfare of his animals by providing his animals' needs. The study was conducted to evaluate the SC of backyard goat raisers and examine its relationship to goat productivity and economic profitability. There were 101 respondents for this study who have all undertaken farmer livestock school on integrated goat management (FLS-IGM). Interview was conducted in Region I, Philippines on September 3 to 30, 2012 and March 4 to 17, 2013. Data on SC, goat productivity and farmer's income were gathered. Questions regarding SC were formulated based on the Philippine Recommendations for Goat Production and from other scientific literature. Housing, feeding, breeding and health and husbandry management were the indicators used in computing stockmanship competence index score (SCIS). Pearson correlation using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) was carried out to analyse the relationship between SCIS, productivity and income. Based from the results of the study, a majority of the respondents raised native and upgraded goats. The computed mean SCIS before and after undergoing FLS-IGM were 38.52% and 75.81% respectively, a percentage difference of 65.23%. Both index scores resulted in significant differences in productivity and income. The median mature weight and mortality rate of goats before FLS-IGM was 14 kg and 30% respectively. After FLS-IGM, median mature weight was 19 kg and mortality rate decreased from 30% to 11.11%. Likewise, fewer goat diseases were observed by farmers who were able to undergo FLS-IGM. With regard to income, there was a 127.34% difference on the median net income derived by farmers. Result implies that improved SC could lead not only to increased productivity and income of backyard goat raisers but also to better animal welfare.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.9
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• pp.1326-1330
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• 2001

This study analyzed the lowest production cost and the greatest profit to be obtained from marketing hogs to determine the optimal operation scale for family-owned farrow-to-finish farms. Data were collected from 39 farrow-to-finish farms with 500 to 5,000 inventories for two consecutive years, and treated with GLM and quadratic regression models using the REG procedure. Analysis results indicated that farms capable of marketing 2,933 and 3,286 hogs annually had the lowest production cost and the greatest profit, respectively. Further analysis attributed the lowest production cost or the highest return in farms with an optimal scale of 3,000 to a higher survival rate of the herd, as well as lower expenses in veterinary medicine, labor, utilities and fuel, transportation, and depreciation. A similar feed conversion efficiency was observed for all the farms studied. Obviously, the cost efficiencies were associated with the economy of the operation scale of hog production until it reached 3,000 hogs marketed annually for a family-run unit. Beyond the optimal scale of 3,000 hogs, good stockmanship was more difficult to maintain and the herd management deteriorated as increasing mortality confirms. It is conclude that, unless advanced management is applied, the operation scale should not expand beyond 3,000 hogs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.440-452
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• 2007

The low feed intake immediately after weaning is responsible for villous atrophy and reduced growth rate in newly-weaned pigs. Overcoming this drawback will produce beneficial results for swine producers, and this warrants an understanding of the factors affecting the feed intake in newly-weaned pigs. In fact, a plethora of factors exert influences on feed intake in newly-weaned pigs, and these factors encompass health status, creep feeding, weaning age, mixing of litters, environment, dietary nutrient level and balance, palatability of ingredients, forms of diet presentation, water supply and quality, and stockmanship. Due to the complexity of the factors that affect the feed intake of weaned pigs, a comprehensive approach should be adopted to overcome the low feed intake problem right after weaning. It warrants mention that it is almost impossible to completely restore the feed intake just after weaning to pre-weaning level in terms of energy intake through dietary means which are available for being practiced economically and/or technically in current swine production. However, a refined dietary regime will certainly alleviate the low feed intake problem in the immediate postweaning period.