Pigs are one of the most common animals to raise on a farm. They have a lot of benefits and can produce a lot of profit for those wanting to start their own animal farm business. Pigs have a lot of parts that can be sold for meat. Almost all of their body parts can be cooked into different types of delicacies. Pork is one of the most basic staples of meat available on the market. So learning how to raise pigs may be a good business decision in the long run.
Raising pigs entails learning about what kind of food they eat and how often they need to eat it. It also includes knowing what the advantages and disadvantages are to raising pigs. Since being fully informed of all the possible scenarios of raising pigs by yourself should be considered. Getting into the business of raising pigs can both be an exciting challenge and a fulfilling experience.
1. Pig farming for beginners
Getting down to the basics is an important step to any farming business, since you should always start from here. Knowing the basics will set the foundation to your pig-raising activities. It will hopefully prepare you for any problems you might encounter along the road to raising your pigs.
To begin with pig farming for beginners. The first step is to look at all the pig species that are available in your area. Pigs come in all kinds of species, and they each have different characteristics that may be attributed to each species. Some adapt better to changes in climate, while others produce more meat.
The barn that houses the pigs should also be considered as well. Since this is where the pigs will be staying most of their life in the farm. Barns or huts should be able to prevent heat from getting inside the barn. The atmosphere inside should be made of material that is resistant to humidity and heat, like concrete. The pigs should also have enough room to move around and to grow. There should also be a pool for them to take their baths in.
Feeding
For feeding the pigs, you have to make sure that there are enough grass and soil in the area. Pigs thrive in environments where they can move around freely and eat things such as these, but they shouldn’t be able to move around too far. As long as they are secure, then giving them the benefit of moving around is better. The best type of feed for pigs are lettuce, corn and other vegetables, since they are omnivores. It is not advisable to feed them with table scraps or meat. The amount of meat that they need per day is at around six to ten kilograms.
Water is also very vital. The number of liters pigs need per day once they grow the size of an adult pig is twenty to fifty liters of fresh water. They are also sensitive to too much exposure outside, and can end up having sunburns, which is why it is advisable not to leave them out in the sun for too long.
Read my other post on piglet feeding guide.
2. How to raise a pig in your backyard
You might ask whether pigs can be raised in your own backyard if you are not ready to own a farm dedicated to raising pigs. Thus, you might be wondering how to raise a pig in your backyard. Raising a pig in your own backyard can be possible given the right set of tools, space and mindset. You can start by putting up hog panel fences and wire fences in the are that you want to keep the pigs in. Also, make sure that you have enough space for the number of adult pigs that you eventually want to own.
If they are to grow in your backyard, also make sure that they have adequate shelter there. They need shade every once in awhile, and you cannot leave them out in the open for most of the time. Don’t forget to feed them also, and to provide them with a lot of water. Pigs need a lot of food to grow to the size worth selling, which is why it is important that you keep track of the amount of food that you are feeding them.
3. How to rear pigs
Learning how to rear pigs is similar to asking how to raise pigs properly. For rearing pigs, you can either allow them to grow free-range, or without limitations as much as compared to other pigs that are limited to pig pens and fences. Different factors have to be considered, such as the amount of space you have, the amount of time it takes for all your pigs to mature, and also the number of pigs that you plan on keeping and allowing to grow to certain sizes.
Rearing pigs can be a fulfilling experience, since it takes a lot of practice and knowledge to be able to allow pigs to grow healthily. Pigs are calm creatures and are relatively harmless, and if you want to be able to profit the most of the meat that they produce, then learning about how to rear pigs would be an important step in the process.
Conclusion
Pigs can grow to very large sizes which makes them a good choice to sell when it comes meat. Pork is one of the most common staples in any food market around the world, and they are always consumed by most people. Selling pigs for meat can be a profitable experience, but it takes knowledge and patience to learn how to raise pigs. Raising pigs entails learning about the type of food they eat and how often, the amounts needed from time to time.
Adult pigs can eat more than less mature pigs, which accounts for the exponential growth in size of pigs towards maturity. Almost all parts of a pig can be used for sale, which is why a lot of people might be interested in starting their own pig business even from their own backyard. Today, it is more possible to have your own growing farm from the confines of your own home since information about pig farming is now more readily available.
Read my other post on best livestock for hobby farm.
