NARI to release kaukau ensiling technology for pig farmers

Caption: Michael Dom of NARI (left) explaining the kaukau ensiling technology to Agriculture Minister and guests at Bubia recently.

 

By SENIORL ANZU of NARI

 

Pig farmers in Papua New Guinea will know a new methodology for developing and preserving improved feed from sweet potato or kaukau which can be stored over longer periods before feeding pigs.

The methodology, known as ‘sweet potato silage for pig feed’, will be officially released to the PNG farming community on Wednesday (May 5) during the 2010 Agricultural Innovations Show organised by National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI) at its Sir Alkan Tololo Research Centre at Bubia outside Lae.

Other highlights of the occasion include a major stakeholder forum on preparing PNG for drought, launch of NARI’s national drought preparedness project and the display of a model resource centre which will be fully equipped with information and resources that will be made available to some 50 centres throughout drought-vulnerable regions of PNG.

The silage technology is a result of NARI’s research and development effort by its livestock programme to improve efficient use of feed by commercial pig growers.

Director for agriculture production systems improvement, Dr Sergie Bang, said kaukau silage developed though the technology could be stored for up to seven months with very simple equipment and relatively-low material costs.

Dr Bang said the technology also improved digestibility of feed, maintained good growth of pigs and potentially improved carcass quality and economic returns

He said the process of silage worked for kaukau in the trials conducted by NARI over the last few years, under both lowland and highland conditions.

“Fermentation acidity was measured at pH 4, which is an indication of high grade silage quality and when fed to pigs, kaukau silage has improved the digestibility of all feed nutrients,” he said.

“When silage was supplied as 50% of diet, digestibility was similar but the growth of pigs was expectedly lower than the sole grower ration.

“The kaukau mixed diet led to improved overall performance of pigs than those on traditional feeding options.”

Dr Bang said all materials needed for ensiling such as graters, bins and plastic sheets

could be easily obtained from agricultural stores in PNG.

The kaukau silage is made through ensiling techniques.

 Ensiling is a method of processing green and raw feed materials that enable their preservation and storage over many months.

Material that undergoes ensiling, known as silage, can provide a very-nutritious and highly-palatable meal for animals such as cattle, sheep, goats and pigs.

The technology has been proven for pig feed in PNG using kaukau tubers and vines at NARI Labu and was then promoted to villagers and smallholder farmers from communities in which pigs are culturally and economically-prominent.

 Feeding kaukau tubers and vine to pigs is a popular practice by pig farmers in PNG. Growing feed for pigs or providing for pigs from the family garden is a laborious daily chore.

 Kaukau tubers are also cooked before being fed to pigs.

Preparing silage means that cooking pig feed will not be an added task, usually for women.

It is hoped that the ensiling techniques will help save time and labour by enabling pigs to be fed from the preserved and stored feed.

Silage contains feed nutrients, carbohydrates and proteins, from ingredient materials, which have been partially broken down by fermentation processes and are readily digested and absorbed by animals.

Proper ensiling and careful storage enables feed to be kept in good quality for feeding long after the growing season of the crop.

Other food crops such as cassava, cassava leaf, banana and legumes as well as agro-industrial by-products such as copra meal, corn and wheat mill run and rice bran can also be used for ensiling.

Two contact farmers in the highlands and their surrounding farmers have become keen users of this technology, since the silage process and feeding was demonstrated to them. 

They are Albert Kirimpa of Kainantu and Akilo Purunu of Tambul.

Mr Purunu is a semi-commercial pig farmer on whose farm the on-farm feeding trial was concluded.

Members of the Highlands Pig Growers Association from other parts of the Highlands have requested for this technology.