Do you want to rear a pig, hog or a swine? Rearing a pig is not a simple task, unless you are not in a big business. Having one or two for consumption of your house remains will be beautiful but for more than ten pigs, you need to know the tricks to feeding them and market for your products.
Breeds
There are various breeds of pigs; Berkshire, Duroc, Hampshire, Poland China, Spot Lindrance, Yorkshire, and Chester White. Though all these breeds require different rearing conditions, you need to know how their environment and marketability differs across board. There are more gains from raising a pig; collecting fertilizer, source of meat and possible cash after sale.
Materials
Pig raising requires a barn, a concrete structure where the pigs live and feed. You need to construct the barn with a sloping floor for easier cleaning and allow effective drainage. As you make the bed area to a maximum of five by five feet, you need to separate the feeding areas with an access door. Do not use wood or timber since, pigs tend to chew the wood.
Though raising pigs is stressful due to frequent tending, and care against diseases, you need to have the best breeds that suits climatical conditions in your region. Besides, it is wiser to keep your pigs located to one place other than transferring them now and then. Pigs get stressed easily and this can lead to death and higher susceptibility to diseases.
Buying
Now, go to the market and buy your preferred breed. Buy an immunized pig to avoid it succumbing to diseases more often, and prevent yourself from contracting a disease from the pigs. You need to evaluate the pig using the body structure and its structural soundness. Besides, know pig disease, and their symptoms to be able to recognize the sick pig before the conditions worsen and also before the sick pig infects the others.
Feeding
Pigs eat almost anything; leftovers, grains, fruits, vegetables among other foodstuffs. However, for proper raising of the pigs, you need to buy pig foods like grains. Corn, barley, oats and wheat contain much carbohydrate as compared to protein; hence they are best for rearing pigs. You need to feed the pigs regularly. The trough should have the dimensions of 2 by 12 by 4 feet for the fixing boards. Keep the trough in a V shape.
Waste removal
Since pigs consume lots of foods, they also produce much waste. Due to the slanting pen, the wastes slowly drop to the bin outside the pen and then, the bin is removed for disposal. The bin is preferably five by five feet wide and four feet deep. The wastes are better used as manure.
Pig rearing is fun, and a lucrative business. Pigs give birth to about twelve piglets and their maintenance is simple. All you need is to tend them daily, and wait for manure, good company and cash. You can do it yourself today, and realize your business potentials.