How Profitable is Pig Farming?
While most people consider most forms of Animal husbandry as very involving, pig farming in particular can be a very profitable and lucrative affair. When you consider that pork is the most widely consumed meat in the world, it’s not hard to see why. Pigs can be farmed for their meat like bacon or gammon or they can be skinned. Generally due to their low upkeep costs, pigs can be raised very easily on a small farm or homestead.
One of the first and most important things to consider is the type of breed, housing and feed you will be providing for your hog (the biggest cost will be the feed which can be up to 65% of your total cost). These shall all be dependent on whether you want to rear pigs to produce piglets, pork or processed meats. The ideal situation would be to start small with at least two pigs and graduating from there as you pig farming skills develop.
The best value to be had from pigs is from their cured and smoked meat which fetch considerably higher prices than unprocessed pork. This obviously requires some patience and good storage facilities to ensure high meat quality but it’s definitely worth the wait. Good housing is also essential to ensure healthy pigs. Waste from the pig pens has to be carefully managed to ensure young piglets grow in conducive environments. Pig manure can be used on the farm as an organic fertilizer for other cash crops.
What Are The Best Breeds for Pig Meat?
The best breeds are those that tend to be lean-meat producers and these include, Duroc-Jersey, Berkshire, Hampshire, Tam-Worth and Poland-China. Cross-breeds are usually preferred because they have the potential to offer the best of both worlds from different breeds.
