Pig Farming, How to Start As a Beginner and Grow Your Farm
Pig farming in Nigeria is becoming a favorite livestock farming many young and old are going into these days.
Could it be as a result of recession in Nigeria (2016)? Or could it be as a result great opportunities in the business? Or, could it be a new dawn in pig farming in Nigeria?
To answer the above questions, I think, time will tell and clear these doubts in me.
Pig farming is one of the most profitable livestock ventures one could take. Everybody needs to eat meat and pork is one of widely used in all parts of the world so it’s nearly impossible to run out of clients or customers. As one might expect, pig farming means work but it is not too difficult.
It’s a livestock business that can give you satisfaction and a huge amount of money if you do it right.
Mulindwa C. highlights key factors that one should know about when rearing pigs to get the best of it. With pig production still low despite a rise in pork consumption, change in perception of piggery, better organization by farmers and value addition are major factors that will boost your pig production.
As a new person that want to starts rearing pigs, there are important things you should consider. Chosen the right breed, counting the cost, location of the farm in relation to market or buyers.
COUNT THE COST
To start pig farming, initial investment is directed towards the breed, housing, and feeds. “Expenditure is high in the first year. Feeding accounts for 60 to 70 per cent of the total cost,” he points out.
Before investing, one should take time to plan. He or she should know the product, market and resources required.
Do all you can to buy piglet from a trusted source because this will be a major determinant of how good the product shall be. To make a decision, farmers should base on the quality of piglets. Proper selection is partly ensured by counting the number of teats on a sow. This is an indicator of the number of piglets it can deliver.
CHOSEN THE RIGHT BREED
There are several breeds of piglet but the most common are Chester White, Choctaw, Cinta Senese Pig, Duroc, Gloucester Old Spot, Landrace and Large Black.
Other breeds are Basque Pig, Berkshire, Hereford, Hampshire, Vietnamese Potbelly, Guinea Hog, Gloucester Old Spot, Ibérico, Yorkshire, Kunekune, Tamworth, Mangalitsa, Meishan, Mulefoot, Ossabaw Island Hog and Pietrain
Sometimes, it is advised / better to buy or have cross-breeds because the different good traits of breeds are shared.
Most peoples go against Large Black breed due to Large Black inability to convert foods and it’s slow growth rate.
FARM LOCATION
it is important to locate your farm in a place where you can have access to market. This is very important because, bad location in terms of transportation could cost you much to sale and even the buyers to locate you.
REPRODUCTION
The ability to identify individual pigs on heat and the choice of keeping a boar on farm directly affects farm productivity. Poor management of pregnant sows and their piglets increases mortality hence losses.
The average breeding age is eight months. The gestation period for a sow is 114 days and on average, litter is 10 to 14 piglets. The weaning age for the piglets is two months. The sow then rests for 14 days before the next breeding.
FEEDING
The nutritional needs vary with age, weight, and stage of production. Three types of feeds are available with differing protein content. Though most people assume pigs need a lot to feed on, this is not true.
A pig on average eats two to three kilos a day. The feeds should include all nutritional requirements. The diet should include maize bran, fish meal, cassava, cotton-seed cake, pre-mixed vitamins and water.
When feeding, a farmer should consider the digestibility. For things like grass, leaves like potato vines and peels, and other leafy foods, it is best to sun dry for a day to get rid of toxins before they are fed to the pigs.
HOUSING
Housing pig is another important aspect in pig rearing. The housing should take into account good drainage and set aside feeding and watering areas. This is
Also, when planning for housing, consider setting aside pens (enclosures) for weaned piglets, pregnant sows nearing delivery, sows that have delivered, sick pigs and boars.
Methods of housing include structures with a concrete slanting floor or applying Indigenous Micro-Organism (IMO).
Using IMO would require digging about a metre deep in the floor area and fill it with saw dust, coffee husks or rice husks. Compared to concrete floors, IMO is cleaner, cheaper and environment friendly.
There is no need to adopt expensive plans when operating on a limited budget since this may affect feeding and health leading to poor productivity. Well-constructed temporary houses can fully accommodate the pigs.