TITLE:
Assessment of Pig Disease Prevention of Smallholder Farmers and Village Animal Health Workers in Rural and Peri-Urban Cambodia
AUTHORS:
Bunna Chea, Kroesna Kang, Jessie Vipham, Lisa Tokach, Mike Tokach
KEYWORDS:
Biosecurity, Knowledge, Practices, Pig Smallholder Farmers, Village Animal Health Workers
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Animal Sciences,
Vol.10 No.3,
July
24,
2020
ABSTRACT: Biosecurity measures are essential for protecting pig health, however, these practices are not always utilized by smallholder farmers in Cambodia. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and practices, in terms of pig biosecurity measures, of individual stakeholders involved in pig production in rural and peri-urban households in Cambodia. A survey tool was developed and administered using Kobotoolbox, an online electronic survey tool. Surveys were conducted in the provinces of Kampong Thom, Siem Reap, and Battambang during December 2017 to September 2018. There were 225 pig farmers, 43 village animal health workers (VAHWs), 3-district veterinarians (DVs), and 81 feed store owners enrolled in the study. Results showed that several biosecurity guidelines are not followed or well understood by farmers. Specific concerning practices included using natural boars, sharing pig equipment (e.g. scales), feeding kitchen waste, managing other livestock, handling manure, and not restricting access by visitors (VAHWs or DVs, boar owners, pig buyers, neighbors, and meat sellers). Thus, education of pig smallholder farmers and VAHWs on pig biosecurity is needed for improving pig health and production, economic value, and livelihood of smallholder farmers in Cambodia.