Best Guide To Commercial Pig Farming In Ghana

Have you been looking for a lucrative business opportunity ?
Are you interested in farming ? Do you like dealing with animals?
If you’ve answered ‘yes’ to all of these questions, then this article is exactly what you need!
We will tell you everything you need to know about pig farming in Ghana: the cost of the pig farm, supplies, directions and so much more.
Continue reading to learn more about pig production and how you can become a part of it.
Even though pork is the most consumed type of meat everywhere in the world, Ghana produces less than 5% of the world’s pork.
Pork production in the country is not as huge as it could have been.
Which is why it is a great spot to fill, as you will not have that much competition.
Usually, pigs (or their meat) are sold pretty fast in Ghana.
Most of the times, buyers book your piglets in advance, before they have even matured. Taking into account that pig feed and the general cost of pig farm upkeep is relatively low, you will be making a profit in no time!
Complete guide to commercial pig farming in
Ghana
If you are still not on pig farming, consider this:
☑ 38% of all the meat consumption in the world goes
to pork (according to the Food and Agriculture
Organisation of UN).
This means you can export your
pigs and/or their meat to any country of your choice,
and we guarantee you there is going to be a demand
for it.
☑ Pigs’ pregnancy lasts for only four months, and each
female pig (sow) can give birth to 6-12 baby pigs
(piglets) in each litter.
This gives you up to 12-24
piglets a year, if your sow gets pregnant twice.
Usually,
it takes about half a year for piglets to mature, but if
you work things right, you will have a recurring
stream of piglets coming your way.
☑ Pig production is relatively inexpensive. Pig feed does
not cost that much, and the farm upkeep will not
empty your wallet.
It is also one of the least expensive
farms to keep up when compared to other farm
animals.
At the same time, it will definitely bring in a
steady stream of revenue.
Are you in yet?
Then let’s get down to business! Here is a sample ‘pig
farming business plan’ to help you start your own pig
farm.
PIG FARMING BUSINESS PLAN
Location
Before you open up your farm, you
obviously need to choose a right place for it.
We
strongly advise you not to breed pigs in your own
backyard. Even though pigs are quite adorable, they
are very stinky and messy animals.
Both you and your
neighbours will not be too happy to live next to the
pigs.
Instead, consider looking for a piece of farmland.
All
you need is one plot of land, if you want to have a
small pig farm.
However, you can also think of the
future and purchase a piece of land that is larger than
you need.
That way, you can expand your farm, as the
business will bring in the first profits.
Housing
A pig house, a place where your pigs will
dwell, is called a pigpen. You definitely need one, as it
will protect your pigs from bad weather and various
diseases, as well as keep them all in one place.
Recommended materials for a pigpen are concrete or
iron, depending on your preference and budget.
When constructing your pen, do not forget about the
good drainage system.
Otherwise, the whole thing will
smell absolutely terrible. It should be cleaned regularly
to avoid excessive stink and contamination. Think also
about the water system for the pigs.
There should be a
water pool, which should be cleaned often, as they like
to swim in it, too.
☛ Piglets. If you have your farm all set up, the next
step is buying piglets. You can ask around the
neighbourhood if any other pig farmers have any pigs
for sale.
Alternatively, you can buy them on the
Internet now, how convenient!
You should buy both male and female pigs. Depending
on how big you want to start, you can buy from just
two pigs to 20 pigs.
Consider the size of your farm and
the scale of your production before deciding on the
amount.
Always check that the piglets are healthy; ask
for their vaccination history and take a look at the
conditions they have been kept in.
Professional assistance
Make acquaintance with
your local veterinarian, who will help your pigs stay
healthy and treat them in case they catch a disease.
The doctor should take care of regular vaccinations,
frequent visits and check-ups and give you
recommendations on how to take care of your pigs.
Feed and water
Pigs are great in a way that they
can eat practically anything. They do not really require
a special diet you need to stick to, so you can relax.
However, be sure you tend to their nutritional needs.
If
you want your pigs to grow and be healthy, you need
to give them protein, fibre, carbohydrates, as well as
various minerals and vitamins.
Clean water is also extremely important. As we have
mentioned before, pigs love to bathe in their water
basins, so you need to make sure you change that
water regularly.
You should also consider installing a
water system that will supply water straight to their
pens (think guinea pig cage on a much bigger scale).
Marketing
Find your buyers. Advertise your
product to people in your area, as well as cover the
other markets with the help of the Internet.
Decide
whether you want to sell live pigs, or if you can muster
the courage and slaughter them yourself.
However, pig
slaughter will also lead to more expenses. Therefore,
we recommend new farmers to just sell live pigs.
Here are the types of
pens you should consider:
♢ A breeding pen, where your mature pigs will mate.
It should not be too large; there should be just enough
space for a male and a female pig to coexist and
copulate.
♢ A farrowing pen, where your sows will give birth
and nurse their piglets. Make sure it is extra
comfortable for both the mother and her babies.
♢ A weaner pen, where young piglets spend the first
two months of their lives. In this pen, they first try
eating solid food, as they were only exposed to their
mother’s milk.
♢ A grower pen, where the adolescent pigs (2-9
months old) live their lives.
Try to make this space as
big as possible, so that your pigs have room to grow
and be comfortable.
Do not, we repeat, do not cut cost
on this pen. It is very important that the pigs are as
comfortable as possible while they are growing up.
♢ A finisher pen, where your mature pigs wait to be
taken to the next stage of pork production, whether on
your farm, or on someone else’s pork production plant.
Try to have enough money and space to accommodate
all of these pens, so that your pigs will grow big, happy
and healthy.
That is it for our pig farming guide for Ghana. We
hope our tips will help you start your own pig farm,
which will earn you large profits.
Take good care of
your pigs, and the farm will take care of you
(financially). Good luck!