By 2050 it is estimated that there will be an extra two billion people in the world. To feed them, we will need to make farming become more attractive, efficient and sustainable. This will enable animal farmers produce more meat, fish, milk and eggs while using fewer resources. By investing in agriculture, we are helping to kill hunger and safeguard the future of our food supplies.
Pig is a monogastric animal. At a time, pig rearing was not very popular in the country because it was considered to be a dirty animal and a secondary host for tapeworm which may be transmitted to humans. However, studies have shown that these problems occur when the free-range system of rearing is adopted in pig farming. Nowadays the intensive pig rearing is clean and attractive. Under the extensive system pigs are allowed to wander about and fend for themselves in dirty marshy areas eating any waste materials and rubbish they can find. They’re therefore exposed to and infested by endoparasites, which result in high mortality of the piglets. But, the modern intensive pig farming system on the other hand, the pigs are prevented from many disease and infestation because they are denied the freedom to go out and eat rubbish.
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.
One of the major achievements in pig production in the past decade has been the considerable improvement in sow reproductive performance. Indeed, in several countries it is not uncommon to wean 30-35 piglets per sow per year. This has been achieved through genetic selection for hyper prolificacy as well as a better understanding of the biology of the pig, including its nutrient requirements and development of appropriate feeding strategies.
The gestation period in pig is 115days; so they reproduce regularly to provide income for the farmer. The business requires patience. Anyone who wishes to go into pig farming must have passion for the business. Feeding pigs takes a period of seven months before they mature for selling. You need to start with the weaners and they go for about N7, 000 while pregnant pigs are sold for N40, 000. Those who don’t have good knowledge of the business can end up feeding their pigs for 11-months and get just 50kg. But if you really understand the nitty-gritty of piggery, at seven months after weaning, you can get 90kg to 120kg. Pigs are sold according to their weight. If a pig weighs 100kg that means it will be sold for N30, 000 at the rate of N300 per kilograms.
As the pig industry turns to prosperity, farmers are making steady progress. Pig farming can be a very lucrative source of income when your pigs are taken care of in high quality conditions, using only quality materials for its nutrition. In any phase of a pig’s life, proper nutrition will improve profit.
Despite the huge profitability of pig farming, many Nigerians are still overlooking this goldmine because of ignorance of how it really works. While some don’t just get the fact that it is a money spinner- many who engage in it do it as part time business but if you can engage in this business fully, you will make millions of naira profit.
Now, imagine for a year you are able to rear 200 pigs to maturity, you will be making N6m from the sales. If you stock higher like 1,000 pigs in year, you will be targeting of N30m. Also, the manure can be subsequently collected and turned into an important component of fertilizers. You can sell it out to another farmer and make some money out of your pigs’ waste!
Investors should embrace piggery for quick returns and produce surplus food in Nigeria; so as to bring about the diversification of the Nigerian economy rather than expending billions of dollars annually in importation of frozen fish and meat.
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