Pig farming also known as piggery is another aspect of farming in Kenya that is making smart investors and entrepreneurs huge money on daily basis. If you are into this pig farming, you sure wouldn’t lack money through out the year. The reason is because Pig meet is in high demand in Kenya and sells very very fast in the market. Another reason is that Pig reproduce in large number and grows very fast.
A single pig gives birth to as much as 15 piglets at a time, making it one of the most reproducing livestock in the world. Baby pigs is known as shoat, farrow or piglet. Male pig is referred to as the boar while female is sows. As a group they are called a herd or drove.
A Healthy Piglet
Despite the huge profitability of Piggery, many Kenyan are still overlooking this goldmine because of ignorance of how it works. While some don’t just get the fact that it is a big business – many who engage in it do it as part time business but if you can engage in this business fully, you are sure of huge return.
A fully grown Pig goes for as high as ksh9000 and more depending on the weight. Now Imagine for a year you are able to rear hundred to maturity, you will be making ksh900,000 from the sales. Considering how fast pigs reproduces, it wouldn’t be a very much big deal to come up with 100 pigs in a year. Then, how do you go about setting up your pig farm? Below are the important guides
Secure A Breeding Ground
Depending on how you plan to feed your pigs, a plot of land may just be okay for small scale starting but if you can acquire a large farm land (from 5 acres) that will be better so that your pig can graze in the open and retire to the pen where they’d continue feeding and playing. Land is your biggest investment in this business. Once you have it, you’re half way done.
It is good to raise pigs in pasture by leaving them occasionally to root around in the fields where they can find plants to eat, and that can only be achieved when you have large enough farm land (Pasture Ground) to cater for this. As they mature, you take care so that they do not wander away.
Build Standard Pens
Big pen is important if you don’t want your pigs to injure themselves. A good and specious pen is also important to keep the pigs healthy and free from diseases and contamination. Proper drainage is needed too to avoid water becoming stagnant in your pen which could attract insects and other harmful pets to harm your pigs.
To avoid your pigs getting overly dirty, you need to build a water pool where they can play, swim as pigs likes swimming, and cool themselves which is important to their well being. Changing the water and refilling the pool as frequently as possible will ensure that they are clean all the time. If you are keeping them outdoor, shelter should be build for them.
Buy Healthy Piglets
To ensure healthy farm, you need to make sure the piglets you are about to start your farm with are health. Buy from trusted source and make sure the ones you are buying has history of vaccination.
Standard Pig Pen for Big Farmers
Buy as much as you wants to start with but don’t start with too many. It is advisable to start with small number and increase gradually. This way, you will be able to learn much and adjust accordingly, at a minimal risk.
Talk To Veterinary Doctor – You need the services of vet doctors for regular check up and vaccination as well as feeding and nutrition advice. Pigs generally eats what human being eat and does not present much worries when it comes to feed.
Employ Workers
Employ 3 – 4 persons if your pigs are up to 100. If you are starting on a smaller scale, you may need lesser number of worker 1 – 2 workers who will be assisting in the cleaning of the pigs and the pens, feeding the pigs and making sure they are well behaved and other things necessary.
Feeding Is Important For Pig Farming
Pigs eat a wide variety of foods. Like human being as well, they need balanced diet such as fibre, energy, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals to thrive. Here I would recommend high quality Pig Feeds and Pellets from Menengai Afya Feeds for good returns.Feed will take the major chunk of your spending in the farm.
Pigs, like all animals, must have constant access to clean fresh drinking water. As well as tipping the trough to make a wallow, pigs will also stand in the water trough and wash their dirty faces in it, so it needs to be checked regularly, cleaned out and refilled. Galvanised troughs are robust and easy to clean, and not too easy for the pigs to tip over.
Put all these in place and you are as good as having started your business. There is nothing a good as being in business you are sure of profit; Pig farming is one of such business. All you need to do is to feed and take care of them. Do that proper and watch them multiply in three fold.
