Characterized by their small, hardy black builds with long, straight hair, erect ears, and straight back, Benguet native pig that has been part of livelihood of individuals’ backyard farms in Cordillera region, will continue to be developed and bred through a project.
In 2014, the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) funded an R&D Program, “Conservation, Improvement, and Profitable Utilization of the Philippine Native Pigs,” wherein Benguet State University (BSU) was one of the participating study stations. The program aimed to uplift rural livelihoods by refining native pig breeds while preserving their unique genetic traits and natural resilience.
To continue the preservation and development of the native pigs in the region, BSU through the leadership of Dr. Mary Arnel D. Garcia, implements the project, “Enhancing Productivity and Sustainability of Benguet Native Pig Production,” to promote the production of the province’s native pigs through allocation of sustainable sources of stocks with improved and consistent performance.
The existing native pig project, on Animal Genetics Resources, served as the source of initial stocks for the studies on the development and breeding of true-to-type native pigs in the region. Furthermore, the breeding of the Benguet native pig serves as a means to support families who have been impacted by calamities in identified communities.
Now in its second year, the project has accomplished all of its year 1 targets, from analysis of DNA samples of Benguet native pig breeders to identification of breeding protocols of Benguet native pigs.
For the next years, the project aims to improve productivity and production efficiency of Benguet Native Pig through artificial insemination, molecular selection techniques, enhanced biosecurity and healthcare management, establish genotyped nucleus herd, develop feeding and management guide for production, evaluate farmer-level production performance, and promote the pigs through seminars, trainings, and exhibits.