Pig farming in Nigeria can be either a very profitable business or an impossible nightmare. The willingness, effort, and ability to reach and obtain the appropriate information distinguish the two.
Before you start a pig farm in Nigeria, you must first understand the industry and technical know-how, and socio-economic factors.
Here are the basic things you need to know or put in order to start a good pig farm or piggery business in Nigeria.
Breeding Site
The pig farm or breeding site is one of the most significant aspects of piggery. Pigs are raised on nearly all Nigerian farms.
However, owing to the religious stigma associated with pigs, it is still more common to see pigs wandering freely around villages in rural areas of southern Nigeria than in northern Nigeria.
There are currently two major piggery estates in Nigeria, which are located in Lagos and Ogun States. One is in Oke Aro, and the other is in Gberigbe, Ikorodu.
This isn’t to say you can’t have your own pig farm outside of this area. However, the advantage of these locations is that you can start little and rent a small room for as low as N3,000 and a big room for as little as N4,500.
However, if you are buying large farms, you might want to consider purchasing land in a rural environment. To start your farm, you could get land for as little as N300,000 per acre.
Build Standard Pens
Since pens are where you can breed your pigs, you must build them in such a way that they will accommodate all of your pigs while still allowing for potential expansion.
A well-equipped and spacious pen will help you save a lot of money that would otherwise be wasted on disease treatment.
A proper drainage system for your pig farming in Nigeria is needed to prevent stagnation of water around the pen, which could draw disease vectors.
Building a water pool where your pigs can play, swim, and cool off would be necessary to keep them from getting muddy. This idea is critical to their well-being.
Buy Good Breeds
After a feed, pig breeds are one of the most significant considerations in piggery. Under the same feeding and environmental conditions, certain breeds are considered to grow bigger and stronger than their counterparts. Local and foreign breeds, such as White Large, Duroc, Yorkshire, Landrace, Camborough, and others, are common in Nigeria.
Feeding
Feeding accounts for about 70% of the overall cost of production in piggeries. PKC (palm kernel cake), corn, cassava, cassava peel, cassava meal, rice shaft, spent grains, and waste is among the feeds.
Maintain a Standard and Healthy Environment
Pigs are tough creatures. Maintaining a clean and stable atmosphere for your pigs to breed and installing a regular drainage system to ensure the free flow of animal waste is one way to keep them healthy.
Experienced Workers should be Trained or Employed.
The attendants who work on the farm premises are another significant element in the piggery.
There is a need for training or experience in this area.
Make use of a Veterinarian Doctor’s Services.
Without the support of a veterinary doctor, it’s impossible to operate a prosperous pig farm.