ince the start of this project my idea and view of pig rearing has changed in a positive way. I have not only been introduced to improved ways of production but I’ve also learnt how to better manage and care for my drift so I can have a more economical business by reducing my expenditure and increasing my income.
One of the major ways in which this project has impacted my life in general and my farming life is that it has increased my knowledge of farming, which has made me realize that it does not have to be a hustle and bustle but it can be made easy and workable. This is so because of one main thing which is the use of artificial methods instead of copulation to get animals pregnant. Under normal circumstances, animals would have to be removed from their pens and taken to an area for breeding. That was very time consuming and stressing as mating can also be a strenuous process both on the male and female pig. However, with the introduction of Artificial Insemination this whole process has been made easier both on the animals and also on me.
I have always wanted to get good breeds of pigs but they were always far from my community thus making it difficult for them to come to my pen, or my pigs to go to them. However with this program through the United Way of Jamaica (UWJ) and the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), I was able to make selective breeding easier as I can get semen from a desired breed of pig and it can be easily transported to where I am and can be used for impregnating a large number of my pigs at a given time. Also on a normal basis, a boar would be able to do only a limited amount of natural breeding for the year but with this process, I can breed hundreds and even thousands of pigs for the year. Conception is not always a 100% guaranteed with natural mating, however I have found that with artificial insemination, the chances of conception is much higher.
With all of these facts and benefits received, I deem this project a success and I would like to extend my sincere gratitude and that of the other farmers who have benefitted. We can all say that through artificial insemination we have now gotten access to good breeds of pigs and are able to carry on with our pig production.
I must say thank you to United Way of Jamaica and Jamaica Agricultural Society for helping me to be a more successful farmer where this Pig Project is concerned. This project has helped me financially to school my children because my pigs currently grow at a more rapid rate than my former pigs thus resulting in quicker financial gains.
