Determinants of Voluntary Vaccination Against Endemic Infectious Pig Diseases in the Philippines

Smallholder pig farmers’ decision to adopt a vaccination strategy can be effective in managing threats associated with endemic infectious diseases in pig production. However, there is a significant knowledge gap regarding farmers’ voluntary use of vaccines to reduce the burden of endemic pig diseases. This indicates that a better understanding of farmers’ decisions to adopt disease management strategies is necessary. To determine the prevalence of voluntary veterinary vaccine use among smallholder pig farmers, we administered a survey using a multiple price list approach paired with a structured questionnaire to 141 pig raisers in Pampanga, Philippines. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors associated with level of voluntary vaccine use. Results show a moderate voluntary uptake of veterinary vaccines among smallholder pig raisers at 51.7%, with 41.8% using one type of veterinary vaccine and 9.9% using two types. This estimate is higher than figures reported in other countries, suggesting that smallholder pig farmers value the benefits derived from vaccination despite limited government support. The study also demonstrates that risk preference affects farmers’ decisions to use veterinary vaccines. Risk preference should be taken into consideration in developing strategies to deliver knowledge and support about animal vaccines. For instance, risk seeking farmers may require targeted support to adopt more than one veterinary vaccine strategy. It is evident that smallholder pig farmers need considerable guidance and support to choose effective strategies for managing production diseases, thereby enabling their continued participation in the swine sector.