*Profitability in livestock farming often depends on doing many small things right, rather than making one big change** - *Yemi Adesina* *Part 2*


In the last article, as part of our preparation for our 2 Day Profitable Pig Farming, we thought it is important to shed more light on what profit means to us as a farmer, we reiterated that one of our primary goal as a farmer is to make profit.

We said that profit is a financial gain, the difference between the amount earned and the amount spent in buying, operating, or producing the pigs on our farm.

Furthermore, we said that that good profit also provides resources for expanding future operations, however, long term absence of profit may result in the extinction of our operation no matter how good our intention is. 

We concluded that , ultimately, there are two ways that a farmer can increase his or her profit margins, one is by reducing the farm cost and two by increasing sales either in volume or price. 

Today we are going to start by focussing on some of the ways that livestock farmers, especially pig farmers can cut his or her cost of production.

Farmer can minimise his direct costs, such as feed by:

• Negotiating lower prices with supplier especially the feed suppliers, this can be done by either buying directly from the source i.e. the producers factory or farmers, the closer you buy to the source the cheaper the ingredientsinstead of buying all your items from the middle men, we know that this is easier said than done but if feeding cost 70% of production, farmer need to pay attention, farmer has to be more strategic and do more to bring this cost down as much as possible, 

• As a proprietor, you should research and plan your feed purchase, know which area is noted for producing a particular ingredients which you need and try and buy as close as possible from the source, but please while doing this also factor the cost of transportation.

• The other way to reduce cost is to buy in bulk, if you are a big farm this will be a bit easy but even if you are a small farm , you should group together with other farmers to buy certain ingredients together in bulk.  

However, If you cannot reduce the buying cost, you should review your operational processes and systems so as to minimise wastage. Wastage is very common in livestock production more than many farmers would like us to admit and believe, and this starts from poor or faulty scale for measuring ingredienst from suppliers through to poor loading and off loading leading to leaking feed from busted bags on the way to the farm another is pouring of too much feed at a time for animal during feeding leading to soiling of feed, poor feeding method, all of which are eventually washed away the following morning with the dung.

Poor storage of feed also lead to spoilage of feed in the storage especially during the humid and raining season or allowing rodents to eat or soil feed in the storage.

Also allowing pilfering of feed by staff to be sold to another farm. 

Finally, not making full use of affordable and easily available feed ingredients on your farm and in the neighbourhood, for example, water cress, cassava leaves, cassava peels, tree fruits nearby.

Why don’t you make use of the plots or acres around your farm to plant easy to manage and maintain crops like plant sweet potatoes, cocoyam etc.

See our videos below on how to feed your pig for less part 1 and 2


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esdmuqOBbOY&t=191s



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AML2qTdDfU&t=16s

In our next 3 articles, we will be looking at how to review your supply chain,

We hope to see you all at our next profitable pig farming training in Ibadan Nigeria on the 1st & 2nd of June and in Sunyani, Ghana on the 8th and 9th June.

Where we will be looking closely at how to review your supply chain, make your processes more efficient and introducing complementary goods or services with higher profit margins

For more information please contact us on Deacon Seyi +2348060585352 or whatsapp[color=#000000][/color]
All the best as you feed our continent.

Yemi Adesina

I have listed out some live stock product that are profitable, they are as follows;

- Cattle farming
- Pig farming
- Poultry farming
- Goat farming
- Snail farming etc
https://www.ngbusiness.com.ng/livestock/