Feedstar Enterprises, bekerja sama dengan Pilmico Animal Nutrition Corporation (PANC), membuka fasilitas inseminasi buatan (IB) babi standar pertama yang canggih di Bohol pada 14 Januari 2020 lalu.
Fasilitas AI baru, Feedstar Genetic Material Processing Center (GMPC), di Kota Tagbilaran akan memberikan manfaat bagi lebih dari 30.000 peternak babi di provinsi tersebut dengan memberikan mereka akses ke materi genetik yang lebih baik dan berkualitas.
"Inseminasi buatan yang umum sering kali gagal memberikan hasil yang optimal karena penanganan dan penggunaan materi genetik yang tidak tepat - kesenjangan yang diatasi oleh fasilitas GMPC untuk Mitra kami di Bohol," catat pemimpin proyek, Pilmico Veterinary Services and Training Specialist, Dr.
"Ini akan membantu para petani di pekarangan rumah kita untuk memaksimalkan produksi mereka," tambah Dr.
IB adalah cara yang lebih mudah dan praktis untuk melakukan perbaikan genetik dalam produksi babi. Proses standarnya dimulai dengan pemilihan babi jantan, pengumpulan semen, evaluasi, pemrosesan dan penyimpanan; deteksi estrus; prosedur inseminasi; dan evaluasi kinerja pemuliaan.
Ariel Sotelo, seorang peternak babi, dan peternak selama 10 tahun, berbagi pendapatnya tentang fasilitas AI yang baru.
"Ini akan membantu karena ada 'standar' dan kita bisa lebih yakin bahwa sperma tersebut 100% hidup. Yang terpenting bagi peternak adalah hewan mereka hamil," ujarnya.
Dengan teknologi AI, satu koleksi semen murni dapat digunakan untuk mengawinkan rata-rata 10 ekor babi betina, tidak seperti pada perkawinan alami yang rasionya 1:1. Teknologi ini juga mencegah penyebaran penyakit di antara babi, menghindari stres transportasi dan kemungkinan cedera selama perkawinan alami, serta mengurangi ketidakcocokan fisik dan cacat pada ternak, di antara banyak hal lainnya.
"Membawa anak babi ke induk babi juga merupakan pengorbanan. Terkadang mereka bahkan tersesat, jadi itu lebih sulit dan menakutkan." kata Sotelo, yang dulu menyewakan babi hutannya untuk pembiakan alami pada tahun pertama bisnisnya. Saat ini, dengan senang hati dan puas menggunakan IB, Sotelo berharap melalui fasilitas yang baru saja dibuka, lebih banyak lagi peternak yang terdorong untuk menggunakan inseminasi buatan.
Hingga saat ini, Pilmico telah bermitra dengan delapan Agri Center dan dua lembaga pelatihan di seluruh negeri untuk mendirikan GMPC dan membekali para petani pekarangan dengan solusi total untuk mengoptimalkan produksi - yang secara terus menerus memajukan bisnis dan masyarakat.
Berikut adalah daftar Pusat Pemrosesan Bahan Genetik yang bekerja sama dengan Pilmico:
- Josehl's Farm Supply - Gonzaga, Lembah Cagayan
- Feedstar Enterprises - Kota Tagbilaran, Bohol
- Komersial Bian Yek Baru - Kota Dumaguete
- Tesda AI School - Biliran
- AY Mart - Maasin - Leyte Selatan
- Happy Enterprises & Res. Inc - Kota Butuan
- Lofer Family Mart - Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte
- Pemasaran Pagadian Ace - Kota Pagadian
- Cobus Global Prime Venture Corp - Zamboanga City
- Universitas Negeri Mindanao Tengah - Bukidnon
Pertanyaan yang Sering Diajukan
How does the GMPC initiative connect to Pilmico’s broader commitment to backyard hog farmers?
The GMPC initiative is a technical enablement program — it does not give farmers piglets or feed, but instead gives them access to higher-quality genetic material that improves the productivity of the animals they already raise. This approach respects the existing farming practice while upgrading its biological inputs. For Pilmico, enabling more productive swine production also expands the market for its feeds products — creating a commercial incentive that is fully aligned with the community development impact. It is a concrete example of advancing business and communities simultaneously through a shared technical infrastructure investment.
What is the Feedstar Genetic Material Processing Center (GMPC) and where is it located?
The Feedstar Genetic Material Processing Center is a standard swine artificial insemination (AI) facility opened on January 14, 2020 in Tagbilaran City, Bohol — a partnership between Feedstar Enterprises and Pilmico Animal Nutrition Corporation (PANC). It is described as the first standard swine AI facility with state-of-the-art equipment in Bohol. The facility provides over 30,000 backyard hog raisers across the province with access to improved and quality genetic materials — addressing a gap in the available tools for genetic improvement of local pig breeds.
Why is artificial insemination in swine considered superior to natural breeding for backyard farmers?
Bohol farmer Sotelo — who used to lease boars for natural breeding during his first year in business — described natural breeding as requiring sacrifice, with boars sometimes becoming uncontrollable and creating dangerous situations. Dr. Lemuel Espinazo, Pilmico Veterinary Services and Training Specialist, explained that common AI often fails to deliver optimal results due to improper handling and use of genetic material — a gap the GMPC facility specifically addresses. AI is recognized as an easier, safer, and more practical method to carry out genetic improvement in hog production, particularly for backyard scale operations.
What specific problem with conventional AI does the GMPC facility solve?
Dr. Espinazo’s explanation points to improper handling and use of genetic material as the primary reason conventional AI often underperforms. Standard AI requires precise temperature control, timing, and technical handling protocols that are difficult to maintain without proper equipment and training. The GMPC provides state-of-the-art equipment — including proper storage, quality testing tools, and trained technical support — that closes the gap between the theoretical benefits of AI and the actual results achievable on backyard farms with properly managed genetic material.
How does the GMPC partnership model work and what is Pilmico’s national network?
The GMPC operates through a partnership between a local agri-business (Feedstar Enterprises) and Pilmico, which provides the technical backing and veterinary expertise. By the time of the Bohol launch, Pilmico had already partnered with eight Agri Centers and two training institutes across the country to establish GMPCs. Confirmed locations in the national network include Josehl’s Farm Supply in Gonzaga, Cagayan Valley, Happy Enterprises in Butuan City, and Lofer Family Mart in Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte — confirming that the Bohol facility was part of a deliberate national expansion rather than a standalone project.
