WHY PIG FARMING?
Today, pig farming is considered to be one of the most lucrative business ventures in Nigeria. People who are into pig farming can confirm that this is true. They will confirm that they have reaped quite attracting profits from pig farming.
Benefits of Pig Farming in Nigeria
• They are fast growing. They convert concentrate feed to meat twice as efficiently as ruminants.
• They have high fecundity and prolificacy and short generation interval.
• They have a quicker turn-over rate on investment as compared to other livestock animals.
• Pigs are highly prolific. A sow can give birth to a litter containing 7 to 18 piglets, about 2 – 3
times a year. The gestation period of a sow is 114 – 115 days (3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days).

What to consider before starting pig farming in Nigeria
• Secure a good location: you need to select a suitable location to be able to set up a pig farm, when selecting a site for establishing a pig farm, the following must be considered:
– The location must be far from residential areas because of the odour
– Must be close to good source of water to ensure adequate sanitation
– Close to market, so as to reduce cost of transportation and mortality.
• Selecting Your Breeding Stock: the selection of the right animals in terms of health, genetics and body conformation will be key to determine the success of the enterprise. Therefore at the onset, it is necessary to buy your foundation stock from a reputable breeder’s farm and also to consult a veterinarian.
• Housing: pig house must be well constructed for maximum performance of animals. The flooring must be concrete (neither too rough nor too smooth) to allow easy cleaning and minimize occurrence of parasite and diseases. Pig house should be provided with concrete feeders and water troughs.
• Feeding: it is advisable to feed your pigs twice a day (morning and evening). The age of your pig depends on the type of feed they will eat. Young pigs need succulent diet high in amino acid. After three months, young pigs could be put on adult feed that will have lower levels of protein. Aside from concentrates, you can offer your pigs other feedstuffs like grass, vegetables and kitchen waste.
• Marketing: The ability to market pigs at the right time is a major determining factor to the success of commercial pig production. Before venturing into pig farming, it should be ensured that there is a reliable market for the purchase and sell of the pig farm inputs and products at reasonable price.


SOME TERMINOLOGIES IN PIG PRODUCTION
AI – artificial insemination.
Barrow- male pig castrated before reaching sexual maturity.
Boar- male hog or pig with intact testicles.
Castrate- remove testicles by surgery.
Colostrum- first milk produced by the sow; it provides immunity to the baby pigs for the first few days.
Creep feeder- area accessible to small pigs but not their dams, in which a high protein supplement is provided.
Cull sow- full-grown female sold for slaughter.
Farrow- to give birth to pigs.
Flush feed– increase feed to stimulate ovulation in females.
Gestation period– pregnancy, lasting about 114 days in swine.
Gilt– young female that has not yet produced a litter.
Runt– small or weak pig in a litter.
Sow- female which has farrowed at least once.
Wallow- water-filled depression or container large enough for pigs to lay in to cool off during warm weather.
Weaning- removing young from their mother.
Pork: the meat of the pig
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