Liang, a third-generation pig farmer, was chosen as one of the 2007 Top Ten Outstanding Farmers in Taiwan. Starting from 1983, the award recognized exceptional achievements in agriculture, forestry, fishery and husbandry, according to the Council of Agriculture. Candidates apply through their local township government, fishermen's or farmers' associations. After an initial screening by a township official, applications go to the county government, which will send a list of their recommendations to the local COA office. At the final level, a review committee set up by the COA chooses the winners. Recipients are given a cash prize of about US$6,000.
Liang's award-winning pork results from utilizing every possible innovation to raise healthy and antibiotic-free livestock, from selecting the right species for breeding, making improvements on artificial insemination equipment to creating a more sanitary waste-control system.
The 41-year-old Liang oversees a modernized farm with more than 2,470 pigs. He lives next to his farm and spends more than 18 hours a day taking care of the pigs, Liang claimed. In addition, he established a brand name for his premium pork, Dr. Super, which sells US$25 per kilogram, three times more than the ordinary market price, Liang said.
The added value of his pork partially came from the crossbreeding of the red-haired Duroc pigs imported from Denmark and the indigenous species of black-haired Siyushih No.1 pigs bred by the Livestock Research Institute under the COA, he explained.
"Taiwanese people enjoy meat from the black-haired pigs," Liang said. "Duroc provides quality meat with less back fat, and Siyushih No.1 gives the needed black hair to meet the market's demand." Selecting the right species accounted for 30 percent of the added value, he said, while the remaining value came from the high production rate per sow.
Back in the old days, pig farmers like my dad depended on piglets from the breeding farm," Liang said. He admitted that he had a few serious arguments with his father about purchasing and raising his own breeders. The father preferred to buy piglets from other farmers, while the son wanted to build a vertically integrated operation to control every part of the process. He stressed that their disagreement had to do with their different styles of operation, not with a problem in their relationship. "It's not about being independent; rather, it's more related to quality control," Liang said.
Having his own piglets helped him initiate a "lot-in and lot-out" system, he explained, which basically kept all hogs of the same lot together in the same quarters. This would make it easier for Liang to isolate a particular lot if an outbreak of disease occurred, thus preventing the possibility of cross-infection.
These measures were necessary since he insisted that no antibiotics be added to the pigs' feed. Some antibiotics were so strong that they could remain in the meat even after being cooked, Liang said. In order to maintain an efficient operation, he carried out each task systematically. Liang's methods helped him reach a breeding rate of 95 percent, a 2007 COA report stated.
Like in many other kinds of farming in Taiwan, a common problem operators faced was a shortage of labor. For Liang, the only way to reach a solution was to improve the equipment he used in his one-hectare farm.
He designed a hand-operated feed cart in 1996 on which a container of feed could be elevated and tilted easily to fill the feeding tray, according to the COA report. His next invention was a feeding tray made out of plastic, which won him second prize at the 1997 Pig Farming Equipment Fair. This was followed by another honorable mention in 1998 at the same fair for his incubator box that housed newly born piglets.
In 2005, Liang came up with an ergonomically designed sperm-collection rack, which contributed to his success in inseminating his sows. His most recent invention in 2006 was an ear-tagging tool that can be operated with one hand. He also introduced a production-control scheme by planting a microchip on each hog for identification. The microchips use radio frequency identification technology and were made by the smart card division of TECO Electric and Machinery Co. Ltd.
A noticeable feature of his farm is that he has an eco-friendly waste management system. It recycles the urine and moisture within the manure into water that flushes the waste away, Liang explained. After this process was done, he would take the dehydrated manure and give it to nearby farmers as organic fertilizer, free of charge.
To make sure that his hogs know where they can leave their excrement, Liang created a dented chute that leads to the waste channel. "Pigs usually make a dent with their nose on the surface where they will excrete later," said Liang. "The design decreases the use of fresh water and minimizes the labor required to clean the quarters." He also stressed that to further guarantee sanitation, he set up video cameras throughout the facility so that he could monitor the situation inside the farm, and consumers could see the living conditions of his pigs on the farm's Web site.
Having a good living environment without feeding the best food to pigs will never produce top-quality pork, Liang said. "I added fish powder made with Alaskan cod into the feed," he said, explaining that this ingredient enhanced the flavor of the meat.
Far Eastern Geant, one of the largest wholesale retailers in Taiwan, planned to sell his pork in its 14 branches around the island, Liang said. He is not satisfied to stop there, however, as he hopes one day to become a supplier of the safest, cleanest and freshest pork to consumers. By doing this, Liang claimed, "people will never again have to endure cigarette ash or dead flies on their meat."
Liang attributed his success to the assistance and guidance of Liang Chien-ho--no relation--the founder of Prospect Breeder Pig Farm in Pingtung County. Prospect imported breeding pigs from the United States and Europe for resale to local farmers, Liang Hsin-lang stated in a 2007 Taoyuan County Government publication nominating him for the outstanding farmer award.
During a shopping trip at the Prospect farm in 2000, he had less than US$60 left in his pocket, which was not enough to buy the last pig he wanted, Liang Hsin-lang revealed in the TCG publication. Liang Chien-ho decided to take a gamble on the young man and sold him the pig on installment. Liang's generosity was crucial to giving him a boost in the pig-farming business, Liang Hsin-lang said. "The older man had taken his measure and judged me to be a real farmer," Liang added, meaning someone who was honest and hardworking.
Write to Alexander Chou at alexchou@mail.gio.gov.tw