What are the reasons why smallholder household pig farming is not profitable?
Reasons why smallholder household pig farming is not profitable
(Agricultural Wealth Network) At present, because feed prices rise along with grain prices, the pig farming industry, which consumes large amounts of feed, is unprofitable for some, especially small-scale household pig farmers. The main reasons can be summed up as follows. If pig farming brings in little money, look for the reasons below:
Poor-quality piglets: Currently, more than half of rural areas still raise crossbred native pigs, and some pig farmers even use littermate breeding or parent-offspring breeding. These pigs are of poor quality, grow slowly, consume a lot of feed, and have a low lean meat percentage.
Not paying attention to nutrition: Most household pig farmers do not understand scientific feed formulation or the meaning of a complete feed, and feed whatever is available. As a result, the home-mixed feed is nutritionally incomplete or unbalanced, and the pigs grow slowly.
Unscientific feeding: (1) Feeding times and frequency are random, often showing extensive feeding practices such as feeding frequently when free, feeding less when busy, and skipping meals during the busy farming season. (2) Pelleted feed is mixed with water, which lowers the nutritional value of the feed. (3) Feeding raw feed cooked destroys the nutrients in the feed and increases costs for labor and fuel. (4) Suddenly changing feed causes stress reactions in pigs, leading to reduced appetite for a period and affecting growth.
Habit of free-range raising: Some farmers mistakenly believe that free-range raising is better for pig growth. In fact, free-range raising not only makes it hard for pigs to put on fat, but also makes them prone to infectious diseases, is bad for environmental hygiene, and prevents the accumulation of farmyard manure.
Pig housing is too crude: To save trouble, many pig farmers build simple pens in toilets, in front of or behind houses, or in narrow passages to raise pigs. The structure of these pens is extremely unscientific, providing neither cold protection in winter nor heat protection in summer. In some pig houses, the floor has standing water and urine for long periods, so the pigs are penned up as if sitting in a water prison, with a stench that fills the air, seriously affecting the pigs' healthy growth.
Raising mixed groups in the same pen: Raising large and small pigs together causes the pigs to bully the small, the strong to bully the weak, and bite each other. This not only harms the growth of small and weak pigs, but also makes it impossible to provide feed rationally according to the characteristics of pigs at different ages.
Not paying attention to disease prevention: At present, most farmers ignore the principle of "prevention is more important than treatment." They hold a mentality of leaving things to chance and do not even vaccinate against several major infectious pig diseases. As a result, pig diseases increase, and in some cases money is spent without curing the disease. Even if some chronic diseases do not cause pig death, they affect the pigs' absorption and utilization of feed, inhibit their growth and development, delay marketing, and increase feed consumption, with more loss than gain.
Not calling a veterinarian when sick: Some pig farmers are superstitious about metamizole and believe it is a cure-all for pig diseases. Instead of treating according to the condition, as soon as a pig's appetite drops and its body temperature rises, they immediately inject metamizole. This is harmful and not beneficial, because metamizole has relatively strong side effects and can easily cause allergic shock in pigs, a sharp drop in body temperature, and sudden death from respiratory and circulatory failure.
Neglecting deworming: Pigs often come into contact with the ground, and when fed green feed and raw feed, they are highly prone to infection with roundworms and other parasitic diseases. In mild cases, this causes poor development and stunted growth in pigs; in severe cases, it can cause pig death.
Marketing at will: Household pig farmers often neglect the optimal marketing time. They sell when they need money, and if they do not need money and have feed, they keep raising them, extending the time to market. The growth pattern of pigs is that growth accelerates after 50 kg, weight gain declines before 100 kg, and then growth slows or even stalls. Therefore, one must sell when it is time to sell.
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Poor-quality piglets: Currently, more than half of rural areas still raise crossbred native pigs, and some pig farmers even use littermate breeding or parent-offspring breeding. These pigs are of poor quality, grow slowly, consume a lot of feed, and have a low lean meat percentage.
Not paying attention to nutrition: Most household pig farmers do not understand scientific feed formulation or the meaning of a complete feed, and feed whatever is available. As a result, the home-mixed feed is nutritionally incomplete or unbalanced, and the pigs grow slowly.
Unscientific feeding: (1) Feeding times and frequency are random, often showing extensive feeding practices such as feeding frequently when free, feeding less when busy, and skipping meals during the busy farming season. (2) Pelleted feed is mixed with water, which lowers the nutritional value of the feed. (3) Feeding raw feed cooked destroys the nutrients in the feed and increases costs for labor and fuel. (4) Suddenly changing feed causes stress reactions in pigs, leading to reduced appetite for a period and affecting growth.
Habit of free-range raising: Some farmers mistakenly believe that free-range raising is better for pig growth. In fact, free-range raising not only makes it hard for pigs to put on fat, but also makes them prone to infectious diseases, is bad for environmental hygiene, and prevents the accumulation of farmyard manure.
Pig housing is too crude: To save trouble, many pig farmers build simple pens in toilets, in front of or behind houses, or in narrow passages to raise pigs. The structure of these pens is extremely unscientific, providing neither cold protection in winter nor heat protection in summer. In some pig houses, the floor has standing water and urine for long periods, so the pigs are penned up as if sitting in a water prison, with a stench that fills the air, seriously affecting the pigs' healthy growth.
Raising mixed groups in the same pen: Raising large and small pigs together causes the pigs to bully the small, the strong to bully the weak, and bite each other. This not only harms the growth of small and weak pigs, but also makes it impossible to provide feed rationally according to the characteristics of pigs at different ages.
Not paying attention to disease prevention: At present, most farmers ignore the principle of "prevention is more important than treatment." They hold a mentality of leaving things to chance and do not even vaccinate against several major infectious pig diseases. As a result, pig diseases increase, and in some cases money is spent without curing the disease. Even if some chronic diseases do not cause pig death, they affect the pigs' absorption and utilization of feed, inhibit their growth and development, delay marketing, and increase feed consumption, with more loss than gain.
Not calling a veterinarian when sick: Some pig farmers are superstitious about metamizole and believe it is a cure-all for pig diseases. Instead of treating according to the condition, as soon as a pig's appetite drops and its body temperature rises, they immediately inject metamizole. This is harmful and not beneficial, because metamizole has relatively strong side effects and can easily cause allergic shock in pigs, a sharp drop in body temperature, and sudden death from respiratory and circulatory failure.
Neglecting deworming: Pigs often come into contact with the ground, and when fed green feed and raw feed, they are highly prone to infection with roundworms and other parasitic diseases. In mild cases, this causes poor development and stunted growth in pigs; in severe cases, it can cause pig death.
Marketing at will: Household pig farmers often neglect the optimal marketing time. They sell when they need money, and if they do not need money and have feed, they keep raising them, extending the time to market. The growth pattern of pigs is that growth accelerates after 50 kg, weight gain declines before 100 kg, and then growth slows or even stalls. Therefore, one must sell when it is time to sell.
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Thanks for sharing, bumping this