I want to start pig and I have save up to 700k, I have land to start already. My question is will the money be enough to start up including constructing the pen, buying of the pig and feeding.Mature advice only.

I mean to say pig farming

no

Juliusmomoh2:
no

How much do you suggest I can start with

Papichulli:
I want to start pig and I have save up to 700k, I have land to start already. My question is will the money be enough to start up including constructing the pen, buying of the pig and feeding.Mature advice only.

1) Walk into your bank and put that money in a fixed deposit account and be rolling it over monthly till you're ready to start. Negotiate the highest possible interest they can offer.

2) Look for a pig farmer who is making profits nearest to you. Tell him you want to learn work for 3 months. Give him an offer he can't refuse, such as working for free. Work harder and smarter than his existing staff. Be trustworthy. Offer to bring him new customers and learn the marketing (+production) aspects. Understand the risks and document on a daily diary. Research online too.

By the end of 3 months, you can start, but keep some of the money as cushion for unknowns. You see, caring for animals can be very risky. Be prayerful. Continue to maintain very good relationship with your mentor. Don't take away his customers. The world is big enough for all of us.


Good luck.

easypee:




1) Walk into your bank and put that money in a fixed deposit account and be rolling it over monthly till you're ready to start. Negotiate the highest possible interest they can offer.

2) Look for a pig farmer who is making profits nearest to you. Tell him you want to learn work for 3 months. Give him an offer he can't refuse, such as working for free. Work harder and smarter than his existing staff. Be trustworthy. Offer to bring him new customers and learn the marketing (+production) aspects. Understand the risks and document on a daily diary. Research online too.

By the end of 3 months, you can start, but keep some of the money as cushion for unknowns. You see, caring for animals can be very risky. Be prayerful. Continue to maintain very good relationship with your mentor. Don't take away his customers. The world is big enough for all of us.


Good luck.

Thank you very much though I studied Ecotourism and Wildlife at FUTA and I did my project on "EFFECT OF HOUSING SYSTEM ON PERFORMANCE OF GRASSHOPPER" in my project and out of 12 grasscutter I raised none was lost but I believe I still have a lot to learn concerning pig farming.Im happy for this advice

Papichulli:


Thank you very much though I studied Ecotourism and Wildlife at FUTA and I did my project on "EFFECT OF HOUSING SYSTEM ON PERFORMANCE OF GRASSHOPPER" in my project and out of 12 grasscutter I raised none was lost but I believe I still have a lot to learn concerning pig farming.Im happy for this advice

Is Grasscutter not a better deal? If you know A to Z of it, why not focus on grasscutter, stabilize it, and then expand into piggery later.

You can do piggery, but the idea of enrolling as an apprentice I frown against because you will be easily discouraged. There arent too many good people around. The idea is good, but in reality, it is a pit one can fall in and you spend the whole saving of yours trying to get out. Most owners are terrible. When you have money, and you want to do something, you dont go the route of serving one useless master in the name of getting knowledge or protecting your capital..one just has to be smart around it. I know this is what you are trying to do, and you will get it right.

I just feel you should focus on grasscutter if you know the A to Z. When you know you are balanced financially, you can dive into piggery.

Attit:

Is Grasscutter not a better deal? If you know A to Z of it, why not focus on grasscutter, stabilize it, and then expand into piggery later.

You can do piggery, but the idea of enrolling as an apprentice I frown against because you will be easily discouraged. There arent too many good people around. The idea is good, but in reality, it is a pit one can fall in and you spend the whole saving of yours trying to get out. Most owners are terrible. When you have money, and you want to do something, you dont go the route of serving one useless master in the name of getting knowledge or protecting your capital..one just has to be smart around it. I know this is what you are trying to do, and you will get it right.

I just feel you should focus on grasscutter if you know the A to Z. When you know you are balanced financially, you can dive into piggery.

This is another angle. Yes, he can start with what he knows. And I think too the grasscutters farming would require far less capital and they do yield good returns. Rearing them would also give him time to learn the pig farming before putting money into it.

OP, also note that security is or should be topmost of your planning:

QUESTIONS: Is the land fenced? Is it in residential area and surrounded by other houses or isolated? Is it in the bush? These are what will affect the cost of securing your investment to maturity.

Whether you seek a good mentor or staff to work with, it takes the grace of God to get the right person. It is getting more and more difficult in Nigeria to get honest people, though they are there.

Whatever you decide on, please ensure you take concrete steps to avoid losses. Any animal you decide on, make sure you know, calculate, and keep their feeding, medication, etc money on ground first before you bring in the animal.


Remain blessed.

If you don't know any farmer, approach the owner of any Vet shop that sells animal feed (chicken, fish, pig, grasscutters, etc) and ask him the medication he would recommend you get to raise your grasscutters or pigs from start till maturity. From there you can discuss feeding to get a general estimate. He would be happy to answer your questions as a starter to encourage your custom in future.

Where is your location?

I actually know a pig farmer I spoke with him today and he said I can start tomorrow thanks at all I really appreciate a lot

easypee:
If you don't know any farmer, approach the owner of any Vet shop that sells animal feed (chicken, fish, pig, grasscutters, etc) and ask him the medication he would recommend you get to raise your grasscutters or pigs from start till maturity. From there you can discuss feeding to get a general estimate. He would be happy to answer your questions as a starter to encourage your custom in future.

Where is your location?

Ondo state actually, I was giving 4 Acres for free with document having finished with my degree I had to start something and it is not in residential area.

Papichulli:

Ondo state actually, I was giving 4 Acres for free with document having finished with my degree I had to start something and it is not in residential area.

The Lord is on your side then. I had a similar experience years ago from the community - 5 plots given free plus the one I bought, all with documents.

Outside residential area, you will establish your own security of the land starting with block fencing before you put in any animal. You can do 3-4 block couches round the land first, then later start carrying it up as profits come in. prepare the land for farming crops now.

You can do the grasscutter cages where you live and rare them there while working with the pig farmer.

easypee:



The Lord is on your side then. I had a similar experience years ago from the community - 5 plots given free plus the one I bought, all with documents.

Outside residential area, you will establish your own security of the land starting with block fencing before you put in any animal. You can do 3-4 block couches round the land first, then later start carrying it up as profits come in. prepare the land for farming crops now.

You can do the grasscutter cages where you live and rare them there while working with the pig farmer.

Yes I started the training yesterday.

easypee:




This is another angle. Yes, he can start with what he knows. And I think too the grasscutters farming would require far less capital and they do yield good returns. Rearing them would also give him time to learn the pig farming before putting money into it.

OP, also note that security is or should be topmost of your planning:

QUESTIONS: Is the land fenced? Is it in residential area and surrounded by other houses or isolated? Is it in the bush? These are what will affect the cost of securing your investment to maturity.

Whether you seek a good mentor or staff to work with, it takes the grace of God to get the right person. It is getting more and more difficult in Nigeria to get honest people, though they are there.

Whatever you decide on, please ensure you take concrete steps to avoid losses. Any animal you decide on, make sure you know, calculate, and keep their feeding, medication, etc money on ground first before you bring in the animal.


Remain blessed.

Bro I need to ask you one last question I went to meet one of my prof today to tell him my idea on the pig farming but he said I should go into it because it's not lucrative as people think but on my mind I think he is trying to discourage me he I should rather go for ruminant animal I'm just confused I really want to know if truly the marketing isn't as lucrative as people are saying.But I'm thinking he doesn't want me to learn under him

Papichulli:
Bro I need to ask you one last question I went to meet one of my prof today to tell him my idea on the pig farming but he said I should go into it because it's not lucrative as people think but on my mind I think he is trying to discourage me he I should rather go for ruminant animal I'm just confused I really want to know if truly the marketing isn't as lucrative as people are saying.But I'm thinking he doesn't want me to learn under him

Please feel free, we're sharing knowledge.

I always seek God's face before I venture into anything, and I want to believe it's the spirit of God that led you up to this stage. If not, go to Him.

I'm also assuming that your prof is different from the mentor you have started working with who runs a pig farm. If all the above are correct, then I'll proceed.

You see, street is different from classroom. It's a reason I said look for pig farmer doing it and making profits and learn from him/her. Money makes money when invested wisely. Tell me, which ruminant will give you the yield that a single pig would give? You're talking about animal that can conveniently breed twice a year. Each pregnancy can give you double figures. A well fed sow can easily give birth to minimum 10 piglets, even far more depending on the breed and feeding regime. Plus, to feed pig is not that expensive when you medicate them rightly. That's for later discussion.

A real pig farmer with good financial startup base will not sell the first year; rather would concentrate on multiplication and selecting the best for future reproduction.

MARKETING:
Anything you're producing, marketing is the key. The market is there, go and look for it - even if it's outside your state. If the Fulani herdsmen whose village settlement is right behind my farmland have now evolved and gone digital with phones and all, regularly entering Abuja to go look for and negotiate with buyers and deliver to their doorsteps, then what are talking about?

Your market is the world. If you locate pig marketer who'll be coming to buy regularly at wholesale price sell; if mega supermarket want slaughtered model for them and sell; if the retauranter, etc want 1 per 2 weeks sell; if you can open a small frozen shop too to sell frozen meat, chicken, etc, add it. Look wide, don't limit yourself. Don't touch that money till you're set to go, and start step by step.

With the farmer you're currently working with, you will learn a lot. Don't worry.

Papichulli:
Bro I need to ask you one last question I went to meet one of my prof today to tell him my idea on the pig farming but he said I should go into it because it's not lucrative as people think but on my mind I think he is trying to discourage me he I should rather go for ruminant animal I'm just confused I really want to know if truly the marketing isn't as lucrative as people are saying.But I'm thinking he doesn't want me to learn under him

Your prof is right, ruminant is a better business in Nigeria. He is not discouraging you but stating the fact.

I also agree with easypee. That ruminant is more profitable doesnt mean pig isnt good. I cant do pig myself cos it is very close to human, even closer than dog. Pigs are far more intelligent than dogs. Recently, scientists have started producing genetic modified pigs so as to harvest their organs for human transplant. So, for me, I cant even near pig.

Take goats for example, it is cheaper to maintain and can yield good profit. If I am going to settle for animal, its cattle and its dairy. Just learn artificial insemination, and start crossing Nigerian breeds with foreign. Also, you can cross goats too. Imagine having a goat of 200kg. That's bigger than some cows. You cant sell pigs the way you sell ruminants.

Sit down and allow God direct you like how easypee has said. But the fact you have got a pig farmer is a plus which I may consider and tell you to go for it.

You dont need anyone to tell you what to do. Sit down and learn how to do feasibility study. You must know costing. Know how to ask questions so you can bring out your business plan. Otherwise, you will just be asking blind people. If you know how to do costing, all you need to do is do that of sheep, goats, cattle, pigs, and know which to go for and then check who is available to teach you.

I talked about grasscutter, but you kept silent. It is not about just doing. Oga, go and do what you know first and stabilize your finance. Then after, use the money to make real research. Now you want to gamble based on what people tell you here. What is difficult or bad in focusing on grasscutter now to stabilize your finance. That's risk management for you. Since you have money you cannot afford to lose, go on with what you know and forget about big profit. Except there is something behind your reason for not doing grasscutter.

But generally speaking ruminants are better. Your professor is on point.

I'm so sorry my reply is slow, I don't always have data but I'm in love with pig farming and my mentor is doing well infact he started two years ago and he already has 100 plus pigs in total. I can do goat or ram farm alone that I will add that to it later on.

Grasscutter is not lucrative here the one I used for my project was a month old and I bought it from Ibadan for #25k each and I used 6 because I can't find any live grasscutter here in all Ondo state because there are some joint that buy from the hunters and big men always went there for entertainment with palm wine .I asked them how much the bigger one is sold they told me #10000 only apart from feeding it will be a loss. But I can start later on.

Papichulli:
Grasscutter is not lucrative here the one I used for my project was a month old and I bought it from Ibadan for #25k each and I used 6 because I can't find any live grasscutter here in all Ondo state because there are some joint that buy from the hunters and big men always went there for entertainment with palm wine .I asked them how much the bigger one is sold they told me #10000 only apart from feeding it will be a loss. But I can start later on.

Brother if you start any livestock business, farmers sell breeders so expensive. As soon as they know you are a farmer, they increase the price cos they know you want to start a business. So, you need to also pretend you are not a farmer and find a way to still pick the best. You dont rely on the farmer to pick for you cos as soon as you tell him you are a farmers that's wahala. Go and ask rabbit farmers. Lol. The same rabbit they sell to consumers at X naira, they sell to farmers at 3X naira. I guess you bought what they call breeders stock from ibadsn, but the truth is that there is nothing special there. They just want to use it make more money. If you have to pick not matured ones, so be it.

I can see you do not know costing and this is affecting you seriously. This is a big challenge for many farmers. See, even in vegetables, people make bad decision cos they cant reason well. I am not insulting you or the people, but this is a fact.

It is ok. Stay with the pig farmer. Then, try to see how you can also pick little ones from him to start with. Make a deal with with him. If you can get semen from his males if you can learn artificial insemination, it will be nice. Or drive your females to his males when you start. Or you buy little females from him when they are young and let them grow there in his pens. When they reach maturity age, cross them on his farm. Tou are still attending to his owns too. A week before the first female you have gives birth, move all your female pigs to your own pen and continue your business there..You don't tell him right away but after you have really helped him, push it to him. If he doesnt accept, just find a way to discharge him...such person is a user also. Get what you can get from him, and leave if he is not ready to help you too. Move on. Until you stay a month with him you won't know if he is playing you or really sincere to help you. I have seen evil people at work. Be smart. Dont let anyone use you in the name of training you. And you also should not be the devil he will decide not to help other newbies. The issue is 2 ways.

Grasscutter at N10,000 is profitable. All you need is to sit down and strategize well. You need to put down your cost of production on table (costing matters) and then, look at ways to reduce them. One of the strategy is bulk purchase...what can I buy in bulk that makes sense and reduce the cost of production? Also, you know expensive inputs after costing. Can I substitute cheaper items without having a drastic negative result? On a scale of 1 to 10, what is the negative impact if I use cheaper options? Again, are there inputs I should cut of finally and forget about including them in the feed or medication? What will be the impact? On scale of 1 to 10 also. How safe is it for consumption?

The above are ways of reasoning. These are pilots I do. It is not about knowing how to just do it the exact way someone else do it, but fine tuning it. Making is cheaper and productive at the same time. It is called maximizing your profit. These are things I do and people look at me with amazing eyes as if I have a special brain. Nope, it is deligency and dedication.

I dont know about you, but if I were you, this will be what I will be doing now as I combine it with learning A to Z pig business. Even after learning this pig business, you still need to sit down and fine tune it also. Else, you will just do copy and paste of what the farmer you are learning from does, which is terrible as far as I am concerned.

I dont want to sound like no matter what you say I find fault. I need to check out of your thread. I have written enough for everyone to tap from.


Goodluck bro!

Attit:


Brother if you start any livestock business, farmers sell breeders so expensive. As soon as they know you are a farmer, they increase the price cos they know you want to start a business. So, you need to also pretend you are not a farmer and find a way to still pick the best. You dont rely on the farmer to pick for you cos as soon as you tell him you are a farmers that's wahala. Go and ask rabbit farmers. Lol. The same rabbit they sell to consumers at X naira, they sell to farmers at 3X naira. I guess you bought what they call breeders stock from ibadsn, but the truth is that there is nothing special there. They just want to use it make more money. If you have to pick not matured ones, so be it.

I can see you do not know costing and this is affecting you seriously. This is a big challenge for many farmers. See, even in vegetables, people make bad decision cos they cant reason well. I am not insulting you or the people, but this is a fact.

It is ok. Stay with the pig farmer. Then, try to see how you can also pick little ones from him to start with. Make a deal with with him. If you can get semen from his males if you can learn artificial insemination, it will be nice. Or drive your females to his males when you start. Or you buy little females from him when they are young and let them grow there in his pens. When they reach maturity age, cross them on his farm. Tou are still attending to his owns too. A week before the first female you have gives birth, move all your female pigs to your own pen and continue your business there..You don't tell him right away but after you have really helped him, push it to him. If he doesnt accept, just find a way to discharge him...such person is a user also. Get what you can get from him, and leave if he is not ready to help you too. Move on. Until you stay a month with him you won't know if he is playing you or really sincere to help you. I have seen evil people at work. Be smart. Dont let anyone use you in the name of training you. And you also should not be the devil he will decide not to help other newbies. The issue is 2 ways.

Grasscutter at N10,000 is profitable. All you need is to sit down and strategize well. You need to put down your cost of production on table (costing matters) and then, look at ways to reduce them. One of the strategy is bulk purchase...what can I buy in bulk that makes sense and reduce the cost of production? Also, you know expensive inputs after costing. Can I substitute cheaper items without having a drastic negative result? On a scale of 1 to 10, what is the negative impact if I use cheaper options? Again, are there inputs I should cut of finally and forget about including them in the feed or medication? What will be the impact? On scale of 1 to 10 also. How safe is it for consumption?

The above are ways of reasoning. These are pilots I do. It is not about knowing how to just do it the exact way someone else do it, but fine tuning it. Making is cheaper and productive at the same time. It is called maximizing your profit. These are things I do and people look at me with amazing eyes as if I have a special brain. Nope, it is deligency and dedication.

I dont know about you, but if I were you, this will be what I will be doing now as I combine it with learning A to Z pig business. Even after learning this pig business, you still need to sit down and fine tune it also. Else, you will just do copy and paste of what the farmer you are learning from does, which is terrible as far as I am concerned.

I dont want to sound like no matter what you say I find fault. I need to check out of your thread. I have written enough for everyone to tap from.


Goodluck bro!

Thanks

Papichulli:

Ondo state actually, I was giving 4 Acres for free with document having finished with my degree I had to start something and it is not in residential area.

Mind sharing how you got the land for free? Even if it's for lease, i don't mind. I'm a FUTA alumni too.

Raychee:


Mind sharing how you got the land for free? Even if it's for lease, i don't mind. I'm a FUTA alumni too.

Are you into commercial crop farming?

easypee:



Are you into commercial crop farming?

About to. But securing land is setting me back a little. The land i currently have access to is too small for what i intend on doing. Just half a plot.

Raychee:


About to. But securing land is setting me back a little. The land i currently have access to is too small for what i intend on doing. Just half a plot.

Okay. God will help you.

Where are you based - I mean where you have your land?

I see from your profile you're looking at Lagos/Ogun/Ondo. To get sizeable land for farming, it may have to be remote sites, probably far from cities. Will you relocate, or you'll setup, leave for people to manage for you and return to base?

Lagos (even Ikorodu) may be out. You may get bigger lands in villages for lease cheaply.

As FUTA alumni maybe you want to look at Ondo, plus their land is richer of the 3 states. Whatever you want to decide on pray and get clear guide exactly where to go first.

Wish you all the best.

easypee:




Okay. God will help you.

Where are you based - I mean where you have your land?

I see from your profile you're looking at Lagos/Ogun/Ondo. To get sizeable land for farming, it may have to be remote sites, probably far from cities. Will you relocate, or you'll setup, leave for people to manage for you and return to base?

Lagos (even Ikorodu) may be out. You may get bigger lands in villages for lease cheaply.

As FUTA alumni maybe you want to look at Ondo, plus their land is richer of the 3 states. Whatever you want to decide on pray and get clear guide exactly where to go first.

Wish you all the best.

Actually I'm doing it in Ondo since I'm from there.

Papichulli:

Actually I'm doing it in Ondo since I'm from there.

Ok, great. You keep at it, you'll be fine.

A nice lady (@Raychee) did comment on here. I hope she gets it right.

easypee:
A nice lady (@Raychee) did comment on here. I hope she gets it right.

Thank you for your response. Lol

easypee:
A nice lady (@Raychee) did comment on here. I hope she gets it right.

Btw, do you mind if i contact you?

Raychee:


Btw, do you mind if i contact you?

Not at all my friend. Please go ahead. Send a DM here. I'll send you my e mail address and phone. Check your DM.