Saturday (10/17/2020) at Wai-Wai, Lewa, Pameti Karata, 25 students, youth and farmers gathered for one day training with Multiplicator of Stube HEMAT in Sumba focusing on livestock, accompanied by Yahya Rohi Aba, S.Pd, as a facilitator talking about animal husbandry as a continuation of the Livestock Training phase 1, II, III and currently it was the fourth activity. There were 2 agendas carried out covering: (1) visiting and seeing the breeding process of sows, and (2) concocting pig food using local ingredients that is cheap, nutritious and healthy for the livestock.

Yahya Rohi Aba S,Pd., has a pig farm with 15 sows, 3 males and 50 piglets that are ready to be marketed because they are 1-2 months old, with the lowest price range of Rp 1,500,000 for 1 month and 2 weeks piglet. This farm is one example of a healthy farm in the midst of the pig virus outbreak that attacked Sumba. With the collaboration of 30% students and 70% pig breeders, participants learned many things: (a) learning how to maintain and care pigs, (b) learning how to choose superior seedlings both females and males, (c) how to mate and to care the post mating pigs, (d) how to care lambing pigs and special strategies to care for and keep piglets to be healthy and thrive.

Learning directly in the stables becomes one interesting thing after the introductory session and question and aswer. Yahya explained several important things such as the selection of superior breeds of seedlings both females and males, because to get a good brood, we must choose good and superior varieties/genes, such as durog, leandris, broiler or crossbreed varieties. Super males are an important factor because although the sow is not a super variety but the male is super, then all the piglets will be super. Many things are important lessons for the participants such as the process of mating pigs, understanding the period of pigs bring forth, and the care of nursing sows and piglets.

The last part is to concoct animal feed using local material. Animal feed is one of the main factors in the modern pig maintenance process in Sumba because most of the animal feed is imported from Java island so that it makes the price expensive. That’s why farmers must be able to use local materials to reduce the cost of feed that is around 65% of the price of the livestock. Animal feed materials are available enough in Sumba but because people think that the best and nutritious feed are sold, they bought at stores with very expensive price. Actually the local materials are available and ready to mix including corn, cassava, rice pulp, other tubers and tofu pulp.

Finally, it is expected that this activity opens new thoughts and new ways to raise pigs in Sumba.***