A single pig gives birth to as much as 15 piglets at a time, making it one of the most reproducing mammal in the world. Baby pigs is known as shoat, farrow or piglet. Male pigs are referred to as the boar while females are sows. As a group they are called a herd or drove.
Despite the huge profitability of Piggery, many Nigerian 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 going to smile to the bank very soon.

1. 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.
Look for land in a rural area where you can get it cheaper. 1acre of land in a rural area will be from N200,000 x how many you want. Do your stuffs there and transport your goods to the town. Some butcher will even be coming to your farm to buy, saving you cost of transportation.
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.
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Standard Pig Pen for Big Farmers |
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.
3. 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.
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 the rope and you grow and anything go wrong at the initial stage, your risk will be minimal.
4. 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 doe not present much worries when it comes to feed.
5. Employ Workers — Employ 4 - 5 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.
6. Arrange for Feeding — Just like human being, Pigs eat a wide variety of foods, anything human can eat, they can eat. Like human being as well, they need balanced diet such as fibre, energy, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals to thrive. 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. Automatic drinkers are available but aren’t half as much fun for the pigs.
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Good Pig Feeding Trough |
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.
Hello Darlinton,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your knowledge with the rest of the world. Well done! Please, can you shed some light on the marketing aspect of this business? For those who are already into this business, kindly assist with ideas or tips from your experience doing this business.
Thank you.
There are markets where pig is sold all over the country. Get in touch with the market. I will write some articles on the marketing aspect.
Deletehow can one control the odour from the farm from reaching to communities and people around the farm. My name is pius A.
Delete@ Darlinton,
ReplyDeleteOk, i will see how i can locate these markets, also waiting for more articles from you on same subject.
Thanks a lot.
hi Darlynton i really appreciate your comment on how to start pig biz.but pls can u comment about types of breed that are good for rearing thanks
Deletethanks for sharing your experience with others, how best can one construct pig's feeding and drinker without them messing it up?
ReplyDeleteUse feed trough that is solidly build. The drinker can be replaced after use
DeleteGood day Mr Darlington, I'm new into peg farming and I will so much appreciate it if u can tell me the exact drugs and most diseases that affect this livestock. And secondly how long does it take for the pig to get to maturity?
DeleteThanks for sharing this with me. Please, what are d health challenges of this animal and how do you handle them? Also, how can I take care of odour on the farm?
ReplyDeletepls which breed of pig is the best,nd hw can i find a brewery grain waste suppliers
ReplyDeletepls which breed of pig is d best,nd how can i get in touch with supplier of brewery grain waste
ReplyDeleteHampshire, Berkshire, and Large Black are all very good breeds, suitable for rearing. Most breeds will make excellent pork. Don't get too particular about breed and get what you can find in your area. I really don't know where you can get the brewery for now but I'll update you when I find
Deleteyour write up is educative but you will not make 30 million naira from keeping 1000 pigs. you forgot to mention feeding cost which make up 70 percent of any livestock cost . management..drugs and vaccines. substrate that and the balance will be the profit. in this case just 8 million at most or less
ReplyDeleteTherefore, you are indirectly telling us that feeding and vaccine will take 22 million or more?
DeleteHonestly the article was ok but you left out the biggest headache in pig business which is the feeding. The young man was right. The only thing pigs do is to eat and eat non stop. It is not as profitable as you painted it to be. Feed takes most of the money. Well done good job you are doing here.
DeletePls give some useful contact of farms or any individual that could help train or educate prospective pig farmers. Response will be appreciated.
ReplyDeleteplease where can i purchase a piglet of large white yorkshire?
ReplyDeletePlease how much does the baby pigs cost each
ReplyDeleteThanks for your write up, pls do u have an idea of how much it will cost to construct a piggery on a 100x200 land? Just an average cost will do, and how much for a sow and a boar.. Thx alot
ReplyDeleteN200,000 wouldn't be a bad budget, it is important to work with what you have at hand, big or small.
Deletep/s tell me how to improve pig industry in nigeria
ReplyDeletep/s tell me how to improve pig industry in nigeria
ReplyDeleteDarlinton,wonderful work,pls kindly give guide at pig pen designer experts.
ReplyDeletepls where can we find the buyer?
ReplyDeletei started with poultry a year ago and added pigs four months ago. i want to stop the poultry and do only the piggery but i am nursing some fears that the piggery can't fetch me money like the poultry. the cost of poultry feed in Ghana is currently high, and the market for eggs was not good in 2013. i get the feed for the pigs at a very cheap price, and for others (left over of cabbage at the market) i do not buy at all. is it advisable to stop the poultry and concentrate all my efforts on the piggery?
ReplyDeleteOsei, you've already mentioned that you are afraid the pig may not yield you money like the poultry, meaning that you make more money from the poultry than the pig. So, why would you stop a business that make you more money to concentrate on the one that make less?
DeleteThere are always ups and downs in any business, some years may be very good while some may not be that too good, that shouldn't enough reason to pack up. My advice is that you should work hard to improve your production in 2014 instead of folding up. There will always be demands for foods and meats irrespective of the price changes.
Please how long does it take to rear a piglet to adulthood?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the posting. I have 4 acre of land and i plan for the land is for piggery. Like how much do you thing i might need to start the business. Like i said i wanna use all the land for pigerry.
ReplyDeletePrepare 2-4 million naira for your project. That will enable you construction decent pig pens
DeleteI want to start. Pig farming at oke _odan along idi roko. Road.....can I get pigs food around that area
ReplyDeleteof what benefit is the peletized feeds to the farmers and the animals?
ReplyDeletePlz how many pigs do you suggest I start with, if I have 400k at hand?? I plan to rent pens for now,, a pen is 30k per year. Thank you do much for these great n selfless job you doing.
ReplyDeleteDo u have big pen. Renting a pen will cost u much. Look for an empty land far from developing and rent. U will gain more
Deletehiii Darlinton please i want u to advise me on how to market pig because i just want to start the pig farming business but my consine is how to sell when they grow up is it that i will be selling them one by one or they will buy them in bulk or how can i sell pls advise on how to sell and who are the peaple buying them because i want to do it in lagos and ijebu ode. tks Lookman
ReplyDeleteD. Omeh
ReplyDeleteI am highly pleased to read this from my naija brother. please I am highly interested in starting a pig farm.Is already under construction, but I need complete training on pig farming. please where can I undergo such training. I am completely without any knowledge in this area.
Please Mr. Omeh, I have the intention of starting a piggery farm; not a very big one yet but about 10 pigs. it is under construction now but I need serious training on pig farming. I am completely a novice to it. Please where can I go for the training in Nigeria.
ReplyDeletethanks for this blog
I don't know of any seminar on Piggery but we will soon have a comprehensive eBook ready on Pig Farming. I'm working on it right now
DeleteThanks. We are waiting for it!
DeleteHow do you get the market To sell your pigs when fully grown. How do you get your buyers and are they in high demand?
ReplyDeleteYour write up was good.I just want to start the business how many pig do you think i can start with 400K. Pls i need your advice
ReplyDeleteyour write up was good.am new and want to know how many pig can i start
ReplyDeletewith 400k.
Thanks for your write up. I'm already into pig farming but there is a serious challenge in getting feeds.
ReplyDeleteI have about 400 animals at different stages of maturity but feeding them is so difficult.
Kindly help with suggestions for cheaper sources of feed.
Target market areas and go for the waste fruits and other things pigs can eat. Also u can learn how to formulate your own feed, that way it will be cheaper. Well done feeding 400 pigs is not easy. You can also consider selling off some stuck to recoup some money for their feed. Since u have the female they can always grow your stuck for u
DeleteAm working on my pen in Benue, and I want to start with 10 sows and 2 boars. Could that combination be ok? I have a vast land for the pen and I will love my pigs to moving freely in the fence. Pls advice me.
ReplyDeleteNice. Just make sure u keep the enviroment clean
DeleteTo whom it may concern you don't need millions of naira to set up a piggery business. I am well established in the piggery business and when i started it wasn't in million of naira but you can reap in million if you set your mind to it as you can see most people get turned off by smell but there is a location in Lagos that is mainly used for pig farmers which i happen to be a member
ReplyDeleteHi Please can you let us know this location in Lagos, there are people like me out there willing to learn
DeleteThankls
Please where is the location in Lagos that's mainly used for piggery?
DeleteThanks for your write up. Its enlightening. Grateful lets know once your e-book is out.
ReplyDeletepls how i control d odour from d pig farm jiboye 'ronbi ib.
ReplyDeletegood enlightment may god bless us all
ReplyDeleteThank you for the knowledge shared. Pls do you think pig biz wud b lucrative in warri and it's environs?
ReplyDeleteGods blessing to u Mr Darlinton , pls I will like to get more knowledge abt this business I can see dt farming is really changing peoples life and I will not like to be left out. pls I will like to knw when the ebook is coming out. keep up the good work.
ReplyDeletethanks
hello darlington apart from your book, can one come for trainig
ReplyDeleteHi all, maize is an important ingredient in feed formulation and so if any of you have land that can be cultivated go ahead and plant maize during the season usually the last two quarters of the year note that maize takes 90days from cultivation to harvest.
ReplyDeleteDarlynton good job you are doing here...
pls i would love to av d ebook stuff on ds self sustainning business.
ReplyDeleteHi Darlynton i really enjoy your incisive writeup about piggery biz thumbs up but could u pls shed more light on the type of breed that are good for rearing and diseases and how to contain and control them thanks
ReplyDeleteI will write other articles on that very soon, keep on the watch and follow me on Twitter to be reminded when it's posted
DeletePls Darlington I am based in osun and in possession of 2 acre of land. Though there is a agricultural academy here where you can learn more but your write up is highly educative. Thanks
ReplyDeleteThis is a great job. Well done and God bless you. There is no date in your write up, hence l am not sure of the fact that one can still get an acre of land to buy at the rate of 200k in 9ija. If yes, which part of 9ija please?
ReplyDeleteHow many piglet will you advice one to rear on an acre of land.
Thank you.
I will say tanx alot sir I rili dream of bein a big farmer nd I lk u work sir I jst want 2 knw if der is any oda media 1 can connect wit u lk socail media I will b glad
ReplyDeleteI found this write up interest considering the date am late to tap in. However, can I have an or direct contact whereby we can talk more and what my plans are. Philip Nwagwunor
ReplyDeleteYou have not yet answered the question on how to.market the piggs
ReplyDelete