ABSTRACT:

Study was conducted to understand the traditional feeding practices of pigs in the four Koshi hilldistricts of Nepal. A total of 44 pig keeping farmers were randomly selected and interviewed. A structured questionnaire was prepared to find out feeding management practices, type of feed and estimated quantity of feed provided to the pigs. Fifty nine percent respondent farmers stall fed their pigs throughout the year, whereas, 41 per cent scavenge the pigs during the dry winter. Average daily dry matter supplied to pigs was 2.21 kg, ranging from1.29 to 5.08 kg. However, 52 per cent of the respondent farmers fed below this average value. Crop by-products, green vegetables, and weeds, and brewery residues were the major portion of the pig diet contributing 72, 17.5 and 10.5 per cent of the daily ration of pigs, respectively. Shortage of green vegetables and weeds during the dry season may cause poor growth and maintenance of pigs, as vegetables and weeds supply are an important contribution of the pig diet .Surplus production of local vegetables including pumpkin (Cucurbita sp.), eskush(Schium edule), colocasia (Colocasia esculanta) are important for feeding pigs during the dry season.