targus: @Excelsiorfarm, Thanks for your advise, the picture is not really clear, can you please explain what the mistake is so adequate consideration can be taken to make sure we guard against it. Thanks for your help in advance.

lagbaja: Below is a formula for planning your pig herd. N represents the number of farrowing you intend to achieve per week. It is applicable for continuos production. For example if you intend to sell 1000 pigs per annum, then you need to have about 20 pigs added to your herd per week. I.e 52weeks *2*10= 1040. To achieve 20 piglet addition, make sure 2 pigs ( 2 farrowings per week) gives birth per week with each birth producing and average of 10 piglets.

To apply the formula, N=2, 259*2+1= 519. Therefore, your herd size will be 519.

excelsiorfarm: bro try to include feeding cost for interested farmers,so they dont commit blunders, feeding those lots takes a rich man,i bet u know that

legba1:

Am sure u can see the sun reflection and d lil shade left for the pig to hide during the day. Lesson: ensure construction is done to face direction away from direct sunlight.

targus: Guys, Thanks for the contributions and comment, This is what the forum is for anyway, The way i went about building my Piggery pen will actually work out cheaper than most people and i believe in doing the INFRASTRUCTURE well and then the rest you can adapt as you go.
The few things bought out of the stuff used for building that Pen are Cement, Roofing Zinc and nail, the Wood is fell from my farm and sawn into plank.
The Sand and gravels are also from my farm and most of the people working except the master bricklayer are my farm boys .(currently have few working on my farm)
The construction of the farm is Model on Boyd Farm (Please google it,who has done a great Job in advising what and what to look out for, they have been a rock)
Each farrowing pen comes with its own drinking nipple and and the plumbing and drainage are well planned so that the drainage goes straight into our proposed BIODIGESTER Tank to be use for biogas.
Regarding feeding, my farm is located within 100miles of 3 major breweries. I have over 50 acres of my own Palm Plantation whereby the PKC will be use for feeding them. I have over 200 Acres of Plantain Plantation where by the stem is something they like eating as well and i have my own truck for bringing in the food thereby reducing the cost of Transportation.
Also, 5 Tonnes /Hr capacity MILL is been installed on the farm as well.
Regarding experience, Experience they say is the best teacher, thats why we are getting an experienced pig farmer to join us for the first 6 months to take us through the phase but on our own farm , at least taking us through 2 full cycle and impacting the knowledge into us.
Since we are getting pregnant farrow at different stages of pregnancy and some that are not pregnant, i think by the time we reach our Goal of having 100 Breeding Stock, things would have settled down.
In line of this, please chip in what i should be doing that i have not thought of and what i shouldn't be doing that i'm doing, all suggestion will be welcome. Thanks for your help and i hope this explain a few things.
Regards

ayodejy05: Advice to pig farmers, as a Farm manager and animal scientist, I recommend using tapolin material to roof your pens and never you buy your starting stock from the same place or farm. Make provision for shower system in all pens and deworm your pigs regularly (every month). You can visit www.livestocking.com for more

targus: Guys, Thanks for the contributions and comment, This is what the forum is for anyway, The way i went about building my Piggery pen will actually work out cheaper than most people and i believe in doing the INFRASTRUCTURE well and then the rest you can adapt as you go.

The few things bought out of the stuff used for building that Pen are Cement, Roofing Zinc and nail, the Wood is fell from my farm and sawn into plank.

The Sand and gravels are also from my farm and most of the people working except the master bricklayer are my farm boys .(currently have few working on my farm)

The construction of the farm is Model on Boyd Farm (Please google it,who has done a great Job in advising what and what to look out for, they have been a rock)

Each farrowing pen comes with its own drinking nipple and and the plumbing and drainage are well planned so that the drainage goes straight into our proposed BIODIGESTER Tank to be use for biogas.

Regarding feeding, my farm is located within 100miles of 3 major breweries. I have over 50 acres of my own Palm Plantation whereby the PKC will be use for feeding them. I have over 200 Acres of Plantain Plantation where by the stem is something they like eating as well and i have my own truck for bringing in the food thereby reducing the cost of Transportation.

Also, 5 Tonnes /Hr capacity MILL is been installed on the farm as well.

Regarding experience, Experience they say is the best teacher, thats why we are getting an experienced pig farmer to join us for the first 6 months to take us through the phase but on our own farm , at least taking us through 2 full cycle and impacting the knowledge into us.

Since we are getting pregnant farrow at different stages of pregnancy and some that are not pregnant, i think by the time we reach our Goal of having 100 Breeding Stock, things would have settled down.


In line of this, please chip in what i should be doing that i have not thought of and what i shouldn't be doing that i'm doing, all suggestion will be welcome. Thanks for your help and i hope this explain a few things.


Regards

lagbaja:

That was why I provided the formulas. Your herd size determines your annual cost of feed. The example I gave above will requre a daily feed cost as follows:

FCR=4 cost per kg of feed=N30, asssuming you feed your pigs the recommended 4% of body weight of a balanced ration per day.
Assume the average weight per pig = 30kg
total biomass ( total weight of herd)=519*30*4%*N30=N18,684

Annual cost will be N18,684*365=N6,819,660. This cost will help you produce 1000 pigs of 65kg sizes in 1 year. If you sell at N280 per kg, you revenue will be N18.2million Naira. Your gross profit will be about N11m.

In summary, the amount of funds you want to invest will help you to determind the size of your herd.

PURITYMYPRIDE: excelsifarm,my questions are:1.is it a must to castrate my pigs if i intend to by seven months.2.At what age should i castrate them?

PURITYMYPRIDE: excelsifarm,my questions are:1.is it a must to castrate my pigs if i intend to by seven months.2.At what age should i castrate them?

excelsiorfarm: with what u wrote, i dont think feeding will be much of a challenge, try to buy white pigs(not with spots), it has better value in terms of need, for d pregnant sows, the resultant piglets produce is dependent on d following, genetic makeup, breed, how they are fed on d farms u bought from ( when a sow is on heat & had been fed well(not overfed), the tendency to release more eggs for fertilisation is very high. When they produce, select few of d males with more weight at birth for your breeding stock, d rest u castrate for body weight, it is d female that is essential most for multiplication, there is great market in eastern Nigeria & neighboring countries, provided u can meet demand, GOD BLESS

targus:


@ExcelsiorFarm, Using the male from my farm as my breeding stock is not really ideal because that will actually cause inbreeding , my plan is to Always castrate male piglet from my farm, Fattening them up and sale them, Male we bought from reputable breeder like University of Ibadan.

targus:


@ExcelsiorFarm, Using the male from my farm as my breeding stock is not really ideal because that will actually cause inbreeding , my plan is to Always castrate male piglet from my farm, Fattening them up and sale them, Male we bought from reputable breeder like University of Ibadan.

targus: @Excesiorfarm, Guys, i must comment the way you guys are impacting your knowledge into newcomers like us, More grease, i'm sure myself and many people will be able to Rub minds and share ideas on this Forum. Nice One. Please keep it up. NB, Where is your farm located?.