๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ง๐, ๐๐๐๐: In a modest ceremony, the Director of the Department of Livestock inaugurated the new Native Pig and Turkey Farm in Ramtoktok, Thimphu. The event was attended by officials from the Thimphu Dzongkhag Livestock Sector, the National Nucleus Pig Breeding Centre, and the department’s head office. The farm was established with the fund support from EU-PISRAF.
๐๐๐๐ค๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ค๐๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ก๐ฎ๐ญ๐๐ง
Native pig farming, once prevalent in many rural communities in the past and persisting to the present day in few locations, has largely remained at a subsistence level and is at risk of extinction in specific regions. Despite the substantial advantages and potential for the development of native pig breeds, the program to promote these breeds received less emphasis with the increased import and introduction of exotic pig breeds into the country. In comparison to exotic breeds, native pig breeds demonstrate superior adaptability, require less intensive management, possess hardiness, and display resistance to diseases. Notably, a comprehensive on-farm breeding trial conducted in the past by the present management of National Nucleus Pig Breeding Centre indicated that, under optimal management conditions encompassing feeding, housing, and sanitation, the overall performance of indigenous pigs was reasonably comparable to that of exotic breeds.
The Native Farm at Wangchutaba was established in 2012 with two Sapha pigs brought from Gelephu to conserve and increase the Sapha population through breeding. Since then, Wangchutaba farm has actively bred and conserved the native pig breed Sapha. Subsequently, Sapha pigs were sourced from Samthang and Rukha villages of Athang Gewog in Wangdue Phodrang, as well as from Pema Gatshel (Mekuri), Dagana, Tashigang, and Samdrup Jongkhar dzongkhags for cross-breeding with the existing herd stock. The pigs are naturally bred and propagated at the centre, with the piglets distributed in the field.
The primary objectives of the farm are to establish a reliable and high-quality native pig genetic pool to facilitate effective selection and breeding, supporting conservation efforts suited to low-input farming practices. Additionally, the program aims to accelerate and maximize genetic improvement by adopting advanced technologies and software, producing superior breeding stock (piglets) at an affordable price. Furthermore, the program seeks to develop and disseminate breeding and conservation technologies and programs to farmers and private breeders, connecting their unique products to the mainstream market.
Therefore, there is a need to exert substantial effort to safeguard, promote, and sustainably utilize native pig resources by extending adequate policy support. Presently, sporadic conservation initiatives, both in situ and ex situ, are being pursued at farmers’ fields; however, these efforts need reinforcement. The establishment of a functional native pig nucleus farm at Ramtoktok is crucial to address the considerable decline in the native pig population in the country, ensuring a sustainable native pig genetic resources for both development and conservation purposes.
Similarly, turkey birds were first introduced in Bhutan in 2012 as an alternative to poultry farming, aimed at providing employment and generating income. With technical guidance from the Department of Livestock, the Turkey Breeding Farm in Wangchutaba, Thimphu, was established in July 2013, starting with 16 breeders from Thailand. The turkey breeding facilities were later promoted at Relangthang, Gakidling Gewog, Sarpang and maintained by the National Poultry Development Centre. Since then, two breeds of breeder turkey birds, American Bronze (AB) and Beltsville Small White (BSW) were reared and promoted in the field at farmerโs level as an additional breed choice. The additional turkey facility established at Ramtoktok, Thimphu will cater to supply poults to prospective famers in the west and west central Dzongkhags for promotion.
The key objectives of establishing the turkey farms include supplying poults to farmers under promotional programs and other interested famers, producing and selling turkey meat and eggs, replenishing future breeding stock, and promoting production and post-production turkey research.
