Pig Farming In Nigeria: How To Start A Pig Farm

Pig farming in Nigeria is  especially lucrative because of the huge demand for pork and the high fecundity of these animals. A single sow can farrow up to 15 piglets at a time giving the pig farmer so much returns on his investment. Considering how fast pigs breed, it would not take long before you have more than a hundred pigs on your farm.

When people who are not well  informed about pig farming are struggling to get 60kg at 9-10 months, with good knowledge of pig feed formulation and compounding, you can achieve 80-100Kg live weight within just 7months of rearing pigs.

Baby pig: shoat, farrow or piglet

Male pig: boar

Female pig: sows

Group of pigs: herd or drove

Pig gestation period: 3months 3weeks 3days

Time to maturity: seven months

Make Money Rearing Pigs

LAND: This is one of the most expensive cost you will incur in pig rearing. It is important that you get cheap farmlands away from residential areas if you can going to start commercial piggery business. Choose a site where lush pasture is available so that your pigs can graze in the fields.

PEN: Building or constructing a pig farm is not complete without an effective design for your pig pens. The walls of the pens should be made of hardwood or mud bricks plastered with cement. This is because of the gnawing nature of pigs. A cooling bath should be included in the pen to start pigs can roll in it to lower their body temperature when ambient temperature rises in the day. There should be adequate drainage so that water does not stagnate and the floor should be not be too smooth to prevent slippage that can injure your pigs.

BUY PIGS: When starting a pig farm, ensure you buy your starting stock from reliable farms. The pig must be healthy with up to date vaccination history. Start small so that you can learn along the way as you start the business of rearing pigs. It is recommended that you start your farm with weaners. You can buy weaner pigs at the rate of #6,000 - #7,000 per one. A pregnant sow on the other hand goes for between #30,000-#50,000. It is important that when going into

piggery, you choose the most reproductive and fast growing species.

Get Good Farmhands

Employ the services of good attendants who will help manage you farm if you have more than 10 pigs. At a ratio of 15-20 pigs to one attendant, they will be in charge of cleaning the pig house every morning, serving feed and water as well as carrying out other management practices. It is important that you are present most times so that you can monitor your workers efficiently.

Pig Feed And Feeding

Pigs eat a wide range of feed. Common ingredients used in pig feed include PKC, GNC, Fish Meal, Maize, Toxin Binder etc. Whatever you are giving to your pigs, make sure it is well balance. Use tested feed formulas if you preparing/compounding your own feed from feed mills.

There is need to supply your pigs fresh drinking water. In as much as pigs will dirty there water frequently, it is your duty to see to it that drinkers are cleaned as often as they are dirtied and clean water replaced.

Piggery Pen House Construction Design

Pig Farming Business Plan/Feasibility Study

Pig Marketing

There is a very huge market available for pig meat. Pork is sold in the local market and also in international ones. You can sell pigs to dealers who visit pig farms to buy pigs using their live weight. Live pigs are sold according to their body weight. Currently, a kilogramme goes for 250-260 Naira.

Rearing pigs in Nigeria is a great business opportunity for the uneducated, youth who are looking for job, smart investors etc.  Develop yourself through studying related materials and going for training and seminar on pig farming.