By: Multiplicator of Stube HEMAT in Sumba

On Saturday (20/03/2021), located in Prai Paha village, Nggaha Ori Angu district, a visit and discussion to share experiences were held with farmers whose pigs have survived for more than a year during the outbreak of pig disease. The latest information is that there are only 20% of the remaining pigs from the total population in East Sumba. Together with two farmers as resource persons, namely Yohanes Rada Muri and Benjamin Tonga Retang, who still carry out semi-traditional livestock practices and currently have 14 healthy cattle and 12 pigs in cages, this discussion and visit were attended by 29 participants consisting of farmers, youth church, and students.

Some of the steps taken to survive from the virus are as follow:

1. Besides the pigpen must be clean to make it free from flies and mosquitoes, the pen must be isolated and not everyone is allowed to enter it. Their livestock does not contact with the world outside the pen (similar with Corona in humans)
2. Vitamin injections for livestock are done every 2 months by self-injection done by the owner.
3. Animal feed is taken from the surrounding environment, such as pau, corn, cassava, etc. Avoid leftover food related to pork at all.
4. Those who take care or provide food to the livestock are owners or people who are not related to pigs or pork from outside, and pigs are not allowed to come out of the cage, and cannot have contact with other animals such as dogs or chickens.

Even though these two farmers managed to survive, they remained watchful for fear that their livestock would be exposed to the virus. The pigs in their pens were piglets from crossbreeding in which the male is from the location. From this visit, the participants took the initiative to quarantine their areas by limiting the entry and exit of pigs from other places so that the pigs could survive from the virus. ***