How we manage 1,000 pigs on a modest farm

Uasin Gishu County is not your typical home of pigs. So when you visit a farm in Uasin Gishu County with hundreds of pigs and with a solid market, doing best practice, you want to learn more from this farm.

We are at a modest farm in Kapseret constituency that hosts more than 1,000 boars and gilts. It was started in 2017 with only 10 pigs but now it is a centre of excellence.

“I started small in my compound with only 10 pigs. Slowly, the number increased and the market became bigger. I bought boars from Farmer’s Choice to upgrade my breed,” says Albert Boss, the farm owner.

The starting capital was Sh300,000 but now the business is worth millions.

Though they now have a secure market with Farmers Choice and local butcheries, getting to where they are was not a walk in the park. Cultural barriers was a big issue at the onset.

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“At first, neighbours were sceptical and always insisted that I should stick to dairy cows like everybody else. There is a time they even reported me to the health department in the county saying I stop this dirty business. But I used the opportunity to educate them on pig rearing and with time, they realised it is a business like any other and has good money.”

In the community, pigs were believed to be dirty animals that should be shunned. But with time, locals embraced the venture. To secure a market, at the beginning, he had to sell the pigs at throw away prices, but with time, demand picked up and he secured a larger market.

Business has stabilised and things are getting better.

Clean pigsty

Now, the facility has become a learning centre where students studying agriculture in various institutions come to learn.

 “...we normally receive students studying agriculture from various institutions and a host of interested farmers. They come to learn how to wean, tail cutting and vaccination,” he says.

Eldoret Technical Training Institute is making good use of the farm to educate their students pursuing agriculture courses. Walking through around the farm, there is a lot to learn on how to manage a sounder of swine. Here everything is done to perfection. To keep disease at bay, pigs are housed in a clean environment.

The pigsty at the farm has been raised with pipes that act as outlets where urine flows freely while workers ensure constant hygiene.

“Cleanliness is key in pig rearing. At our farm, we ensure that they stay in a clean environment that even those who visit marvel. Most potential farmers have gone and set up their pigsty having seen how we do things here,” says Victor Rutto the farm manager.

Pig feeds

It is a common assumption that pigs consume a lot of feeds, but Rutto says moderation matters to achieve the required body weight ideal for the market.

“A mature pig can consume 2 kilos of food per every meal which morning and evening. We have our own feeding formula where we mix maize and soya. This is because commercial feeds are expensive and lack essential proteins for growth and development of the pigs,” said Rutto.

Now that price of maize has dropped they can comfortably buy a 90 kilo cheaply and use it as pig feed.

 “One pig can consume a bag within two months and they grow rapidly. They do not eat much. They consume little but consistently.”

Benefits of rearing pigs

Rutto says the intensity of furrowing among pigs and its rapid growth makes them fetch more money in a year.

“With pigs you make profits thrice a year compared to maize that one has to wait for long to harvest and sell.”

There rate of reproduction is also faster.

“One pig can give birth to 10 piglets for the first time and add in subsequent months. With a three months gestation period, by the end of the year, the pig would have given birth to more than 30 piglets. The cow on the other hand can give you only one calf per year,” he explains.

Pigs also have good market prices.

“A pig weighing 80 to 90 kilos can fetch Sh18, 000 and when you multiply it to the number of piglets it can make you richer by Sh180, 000 at a go. In a year you can get Sh600,000,” he points out.

Maturity

According to the farm manager, a pig takes six months to mature and they are ready for the market.

“After maturing, it is served and in three months it gives birth. They newborns suckle for three to four weeks and then they are weaned. The mother stays for five days and is then served again ready to bear piglets,” Rutto says.

What about disease control?

“We are always keen on pneumonia which targets day-old piglets. We have set up a heater where they stay and it has helped.”

Another hurdle the faced is water.

“Pigs drinks lots of water and it was a challenge at the start because we did not anticipate that. Food was a problem too especially those bought in shops. It was poor quality. We had to devise a way to come up with our own feeding formula.”

Market

Lucky for them, they have never had market issues because there is a huge demand for pork in the North Rift.  Mr Boss says the venture is profitable and requires little effort compared to other farming ventures. To get it right, it’s important to choose the right rearing system.

 “For us, we keep the pigs in an enclosed space. We chose to sub divide it based on their ages so that we can give them the attention they deserve and prevent injuries.  Salt is not required because it halts fattening,” says Mr Boss.