pig farming in South Africa

pig farming in South Africa

This post is dedicated to giving an overview of the state of pig farming in South Africa. I have been a pig farmer for some time and I will tell you my experiences. Follow this link for a detailed guide on everything you need to know about pig farming. It covers everything from setting up a the farm to selling pork.

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Pig farming in South Africa

I have been farming pigs for two years. It started when I did calculations and noticed the profit potential. My aunty  had been farming pigs in her yard for more than 3 years and would sell the piglets each time a pig gave birth to make money. Aunt had been farming these pigs for the main purpose of slaughtering them and eat them when they are older. Which is what a lot of pig farmers do in South Africa. Pig farming in South Africa is comprised mostly of small scale farmers and a very few commercial farmers. I decided to buy 3 piglets to raise and sell later, they were all females.

The feeding costs were a bit high as I had to spend about R200 a month feeding them. I bought a ready made mixture from the store, it was 80 kg. I realised I could also feed the pigs with cabbage and other left overs found in the house. This made things easier for me. The most difficult part was setting up the shelter among other challenges of pig farming. It’ important to setup the shelter very well and make it a healthy living space for the pig and make it less inviting for diseases.

When I started this I had no clue about pig farming, I only had my aunt who knew how a pig is supposed to be kept. I went on to accumulate a lot of money over time as I sold the pigs at the butchery in Matatiele. The first farrow gave birth to 10 piglets, I had to sell 5 of them to better accommodate the remaining ones and buy feed for them. Eventually, I sold off the whole stock when I relocated to Johannesburg.

Conclusion

It was relatively easy for me to start my pig farming in South Africa, however I have to state that I was operating from a rural area and had free access to land and water. I couldn’t have done it in the city. But the barriers to entry are low, just buy one piglet for starters and grow from there. There is a high demand for pork in South Africa. Read the article linked in the first paragraph for a deeper research. Do you have any questions ? Feel free ask below in the comment section.

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