Features
Mike Hunder: Avoid These Mistakes If You Want to Succeed in the Pig Farming Business
Another error to avoid at the beginning is not paying attention to the breeds of pigs you want to start with. This could lead to purchasing breeds that are at variance with your plan as a farmer.
MSMEsToday findings reveal that pork consumption in Nigeria will reach N261.35 billion in 2029. Nigeria is the largest producer and consumer of pork in Africa, yet, we depend on importation to meet our domestic demand for pork. Pig farming can be quite lucrative and there’s a ready market for it in Nigeria. However, certain mistakes could make pig farming your worst nightmare.
In sharing our journey and experiences in pig farming with you, let me tell you some mistakes you should avoid if you want to succeed in the pig farming business:
Inadequate fencing
Fencing your entire farm can be expensive, and many farmers tend to overlook it. However, the last thing you want to see, upon returning to your farm, is that some of your pigs are gone. Or worse, wandering animals invaded your farm, ate up your crops or feeds. It is necessary that you keep what you have protected. This means you should fence your land first before purchasing your animals.
Starting with a large number of pigs
Many people view starting off anything on a small scale as being mediocre. This isn’t always true. Starting with a large number of pigs without considering how to sustain them is a wrong move. If you start with 40 pigs, for instance, you will have up to four hundred pigs on your hands in less than six months. Then you have to feed them for another six months before you can make your first batch of sales. Do you have the resources to feed them? It breaks my heart when I receive calls and emails from new farmers who are looking for money to feed a large number of newly produced pigs. Unable to cope, many end up selling their new pigs prematurely, thereby incurring huge losses, and unable to recover from the loss. So, it’s good to start small. A small herd of 2-3 pigs can produce about 30 new pigs. When you make your first batch of sales, you can then begin to increase the numbers.
Not conducting proper research on the breeds of pigs
Another error to avoid at the beginning is not paying attention to the breeds of pigs you want to start with. This could lead to purchasing breeds that are at variaAnother error to avoid at the beginning is not paying attention to the breeds of pigs you want to start with. This could lead to purchasing breeds that are at variance with your plan as a farmer.nce with your plan as a farmer. Pig have their respective features. Some breeds are very good as mothers, some are not. Some grow faster and bigger within a short period than others. Some as better as pork than others. The question is, are you looking to produce weaners as breeders? Are you looking to produce table size pigs for slaughter? Or are you looking to do a combination of both? Farmers who failed to put the breeds of the pigs they want to rear turned out to be unhappy and stressed.
Failure to provide enough space for the pigs
Many new pig farmers are rearing pigs indoors and at high stock density levels. It is called factory faming. Before opting for this, you need the knowledge of floor space calculations to make it work. Pigs don’t have sweat glands to keep them cool, and when the space gets tight for your pigs, they can get very hot and suffer from a heat stroke. You definitely want to provide them with enough space and shade to give them some comfort when the weather gets hot.
Inadequate water supply
Another one of the mistakes is that water troughs are not well placed in pens. As a result, the pigs would keep stepping on them. Pigs love water and cannot survive without it. They need constant water supply to drink at anytime, especially through automatic water drinkers. This will help them grow much faster, bigger, and healthier.
Are you a pig farmer? Share your experiences and lessons with me.
***
