Pig production has come a long way in the world and in the tropics, as the years went by different breeds of pigs have been developed from pre existing ones. Today, there are scores of different breeds of pigs in the world. The business is a very lucrative one that is worth billions of dollars as we speak many are into it on small, medium and large scales. Pig meat is the most consumed meat in the world as at now. Pig farming is also called HOG farming, according to wikipedia pig farming is the raising and breeding of domestic pigs as livestock and is a branch of animal husbandry. Pigs are farmed principally for food i.e. pork (general name of the meat from domestic pig ), Bacon (salt-cured pork), Gammon (salt cured meat from the hind leg of a domestic pig). Other types of processed, cured pork are: Proscuitto, sausage etc. The branch of cooking devoted to prepare meat products from pig is called Charcuterie (wikipedia).
TERMS IN PIG FARMING
Boar: Mature male pig
Sow: Mature female pig that has given birth before
Gilt: Mature female pig yet to give birth
Farrow: The act of pigs giving birth
Piglets: Young pigs still nursed.
Barrow: Castrated male pig
Dry sow: A sow whose piglets have just been weaned.
HISTORY OF PIG FARMING
History of pig farming dates back to about 5000 BC, infact records have shown that pigs were first domesticated in mesopotamia around 13,000 BC. Large scale production of pigs commenced during the 20th century in many countries of the world, around this time improved breeds of pigs were developed to meet the increasing needs of farmers and their consumers. In Nigeria, during the early days of pig farming, the most popular breed of pigs were the West African Dwarf pigs (WAD), later we had the Large white pigs, landrace and Duroc Jersey, today there are well over half a dozen breeds of pigs in the Nigerian market.
POPULAR BREEDS OF PIG
LARGE WHITE: The large white breed of pig is one of the most sought after breeds of pigs in the country and even in the world. It is often called Yorkshire. It was first recognised in 1868, it is also the progenitor of the American Yorkshire. It has a big body, with erect ears and a slightly dished face. From its names, it is usually white in colour. The pig is very good for cross-breeding purposes.
LANDRACE: The Landrace pig, refers to any group of domestic pig, the original breed by this name was the danish landrace pig
The breed was derived from some local breeds of pigs native to Denmark. They are most notable for their very good mothering ability. Today there are various breeds of the Landrace pig, they include the American landrace pig, British Landrace pig, Dutch Landrace pig, Danish Landrace pig and such more.
DUROC JERSEY: The Duroc is a pig developed in the United states, it is an older breed of domestic pig and it formed the basis of many mixed commercial breeds. The pig is usually reddish-brown, golden-yellow in colour, it has medium length and is also muscular with its ears partially drooping. According to wikipedia, the breed is believed to be one of the red pig strains developed aroung 1800 in New England but originated from the Guinea coast of Africa. Some do believe the red colour came from the Berkshire pig from Britain. e.t.c.
WHEN BUYING YOUR PIGS
As you move to buy stocks for your farm, do the following:
- Gather as much knowledge as you can about the business and the breed you want to buy.
- Be prepared to get good breeds for your farm.
- When you get to the farm, ask about the age of the pig, weight and if possible request to see the parents (this will give you a clue of what to expect)
- Select only active pigs without blisters on their body, pigs free of nasal, buccal or ocular discharges, make sure the pigs are eating and drinking well.
- Select only pigs with clear shiny skin, if they are white, let their white be without injuries and any other form of scars, if they are brown or any other colour, make sure they are healthy.
Feeding your pigs the right feed and keeping them under the right atmosphere will do them alot of good and as such maximize your profit.
A good thing about pig farming is that with proper care you can get 100% return on your investments within 6 months, as a good breed can produce up to 15 piglets in one litter.
THE NOTES OF THIS POST WERE CULLED FROM OUR PIG PRODUCTION EBOOK, YOU CAN GET YOURS NOW FOR A TOKEN. WE ARE GIVING OUT THE EBOOK AT A DISCOUNT OF 1000 NAIRA.
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To your success. NiO Agro
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