HOW TO START A SUCCESSFUL PIG FARM IN GHANA.

Pig is not a popular domestic animal in West Africa, primarily because of religious taboos and sanitation problems.

The pig is thought of as a dirty animal, sleeping during the day in dirty, muddy water.

Being omnivores, it competes with humans for food, but it eats practically any edible thing that comes its way, and soiling its environment with excrement and unpleasant odour.

It is also known to be a secondary host for tapeworm, which may be transmitted to human beings.

Pigs are a hardy stock and are profitable to rear as they are prolific breeders and turn out meat over a reasonable period.

One sow can produce up to sixteen piglets at a time.

They can grow at a fast rate.

In Ghana and other tropical countries, fresh pork has always been the most important type of pig meat.

Why Choose Pig Farming?

• It provides meat (pork).
• It is processed into various forms such as ham, bacon, and sausages.
• Pigskin is used for soft leather.
• Pig manure for soil and fishponds.
• They provide bristles for brushes.
• They provide hormones for medicinal purposes.
• They provide Lard for cooking.

In Ghana, there are two exotic breeds in addition to the local ones. The two exotic breeds are;

European Breeds

The popular European breeds are as follows:

• Large white
• Berkshire
• Large black
• Landrace Tamworth
• Middle White.

American Breeds

The popular breeds are as follows:

• Poland China
• Duroc Jersay
• Hampshire
• Chester White.

Local Breeds in Ghana (West Africa)

Examples of the local breeds in West Africa are as follows:

• Ashanti Dwarf (from Ghana).
• Bakosi (from Cameroon).

Factors to be considered when selecting breeds for a crossbreeding programme

• The growth rate of the breed.
• The food conversion rate of the breed.
• The long body of the breed.
• The leanness and muscle of the breeds.

MANAGEMENT SYSTEM OF PIG REARING

There are three systems of rearing pigs, namely;

• extensive system,
• semi-intensive system,
• intensive system.

Pig farmers are moving away from the extensive to the semi-intensive or intensive system.

Extensive System

In the extensive system, the pigs are given freedom to move about and feed for themselves.

The pigs are rarely provided with shelter and medical treatment. Shelters are usually provided during farrowing.

Apart from the advantages of the system being less capital-intensive and the cost of production being low, the system has disadvantageous.

Advantages of an Extensive System

• The extensive system is relatively cheap in terms of housing and the absence of expensive equipment to maintain.
• There is practically no cost since the animals mostly get their feed from the pasture land.
• The pigs do a lot of exercise and are usually hardy and strong.

Disadvantages of an Extensive System:

• The pigs are exposed to pests and diseases
• There are many losses due to theft and attack by predators.
• The system needs plenty of land to operate, and it is therefore not possible to operate in areas where land is scarce.
• It is difficult to control the animals as they may destroy other people’s crops.
• The animals are exposed to poor environmental conditions, such as bad weather.
• The animals do not grow as rapidly as they do with the intensive system because of poor general sanitation and feeding.
• Indiscriminate mating can occur, leading to inbreeding.

Semi-Intensive System

For the semi-intensive system, an area for grazing is fenced in, and the pigs are rotated from one part to another.

They are provided with proper housing and feed.

Advantages of a Semi-Intensive System

• The system produces strong, healthy pigs.
• By eating forage crops, the animals get the necessary amount of vitamins and minerals.
• The overall costs of feeding and housing are less than those of the intensive system.
• The system provides an opportunity for animals to exercise.
• The spread of disease is a lesser problem than it is in intensively managed pigs.
• Since the pigs have enough space to move about, the incidence of cannibalism, like tail biting, is reduced.

Disadvantages of a Semi-Intensive System

• The system is labour-intensive as it requires many labourers to maintain the sty and paddocks or pasture.
• There is likely to be a high incidence of disease and worm infestation due to the improper management of the paddocks.

Intensive System

This is the developed type where the pigs are confined in elaborate housing units and provided with properly balanced diets.

Though it is more advantageous than the other two systems, it also has some disadvantages.

Advantages of an Intensive System

• A large number of animals are kept in a smaller area of land.
• The pigs are healthy as they are not exposed to pests and diseases or dirty surroundings.
• Since they are well fed, the animals usually grow faster.
• Proper records can be kept on the performance of each individual animal.

Disadvantages of an Intensive System

• It costs to put up buildings and equipment like automatic feeders.
• The cost of feeding under this system is somewhat expensive.
• Lack of exercise and as a result they are not hardly.
• It requires a lot of labour to maintain the pens under hygienic conditions regularly.
• Cannibalism involving tail-biting may be high if the needed attention is not given.

Housing or Sty for Pigs

• The house or pen for pigs is termed a sty.
• Proper housing for pigs requires that the house be constructed with materials strong enough to withstand the gnawing habits of the pig.
• It can be built with wood, bricks, or cement blocks.
• The floor should slope so that water drains off easily when washing or cleaning the sties and the animals. Thus, the house must have an efficient drainage system.
• Pigs are kept in concrete-floored, well-ventilated pens arranged in rows.
• Air should be allowed to circulate freely in the building, and the walls should be short and leave open the top, up to the roof, which should be wire-netting or a wooden slab.
• Any roofing material such as thatch, split bamboo, galvanised iron, aluminium or asbestos sheets can be used.
• There should be enough room provided for the pigs to move about freely and exercise.
• Each sty (pen) should be provided with separate troughs along one of the sides of the wall for feed and water.
• A dunging (faeces) area in the form of gutter well sloped is provided.
• The house is a designated breeding pen, farrowing pen, growers, and fatteners’ pen, depending on the type of pigs kept.

Feeding of Pigs

Pigs are omnivores and feed on virtually anything edible.

There is a wide range of food items and feeds on which the pig thrives.

The range covers;

• cereals (e.g. maize, rice),
• tubers,
• fruits (e.g. pawpaw, tomatoes),
• concentrate (e.g. marsh),
• roughage,
• fish and animal products,
• oil cakes and meals,
• leaves and grasses (e.g. elephant grass)
• human food wastes.

The type and quantity of food given to pigs will depend on whether they are breeders, piglets, growers or fatteners.

For example, the young piglets should be given creep feed (24% protein) from 3 weeks of age to promote the growth of the piglets.

Soon after piglets have been weaned, they shall be given weaner’s mash, which contains 20% protein, for about 13 weeks and should be at an average rate of 2kg per pig per day.

REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT

Mating to Birth

• When a sow comes on heat, it is taken to the boar
• Ensure that there is successful mating or copulation.
• The sow will remain on heat for 3 days, and repeated attempts may need to be made to get a successful cross.
• It is advisable to introduce the sow to the boar in the early morning or later afternoon, reducing heat stress on both animals.
• Gestation begins immediately after a successful fertilisation and will last for three months, three weeks and three days.
• The sow will farrow without assistance, but should be observed in case of difficulty.
• If difficulty occurs, it is best to seek advice from a veterinary officer.

After Farrowing (Birth)

• The pig keeper should assist the piglets to get free from the foetal mucus membrane.
• Any deformed, dead or very small and weak piglet should be removed, killed quickly and buried.
• The navel cord should be cut and painted with iodine to ensure that the risk of pathogen invasion is minimised.
• The needle teeth should be clipped on the first day; otherwise, they will injure the teats of their mother when milking and bite each other when fighting.
• An iron injection should be administered to each piglet within the first 4 days after delivery. This is to prevent anaemia since most piglets die from anaemia.
• When the temperature is below 30°C, an adequate heating system should be provided to keep the animals warm.
• It is necessary for each piglet to have its fair share of the colostrum in the milk for the first 5 to 6 days.
• From 4 to 5 weeks, the piglets should be given feed rich in protein (creep feed) in addition to the mother’s milk up to about 9 weeks, where the piglets are weaned.
• The gilts (female) and the young males may be kept together while fattening, but it is better to castrate the males young to prevent indiscriminate mating.

Types of Feed Supplement

There are three types of feed given to pigs from farrowing to maturity. These are;

• Creep feed (given when baring milk.)
• Grower feed. (Giving to pigs from weaning to the fattening stage)
• Finisher feed. (used to fatten pigs for the market)

Sanitation in Pig Production.

• Keep the sty and the surrounding compound clean.
• Wash pigs regularly to keep them clean.
• A footbath must be provided at the entrance of the pig house for those entering to disinfect their feet.
• Feeding troughs and drinkers have to be cleaned regularly.
• To avoid tsetse fly attack, it is necessary to fly-proof the pig house.
• In addition to sanitation measures, routine medication and vaccination at various stages of growth of the pigs must be strictly adhered to.

Common Diseases and Pests of Pigs and Their Control

The most popular diseases and pests that attack pigs include the following:

• Anaemia
• Scours
• Worm infestation
• Mastitis
• Trypanosomiasis
• Mange
• Prolapse
• Anthrax
• Skin rashes and boils
• Lice and Ticks
• Swine erysipelas
• Enteritis
• Food and mouth disease

Piglet anaemia

It is a nutritional disease caused by a lack of iron in the diet of piglets, particularly in the colostrum from the mother.

Affected piglets show rough hair and greyish coloured diarrhoea.

Wrinkled skin over the neck, shoulder and leg occurs when the disease is very severe.

The piglet may also look pale and dull, and the disease usually shows up 12 days after birth.

Prevention and control

• Give an iron injection to piglets 4 days after being farrowed.
• Provide fresh soil for piglets to chew three days after being farrowed.
• Prevent piglets from getting cold and make them dry.

Swine erysipelas

Swine erysipelas is caused by a soil-borne bacterium.

It leads to a rise in body temperature and low feed intake.

Affected pigs become listless but alert, and the light skin at the back and chest may peel off in milder cases.

When disease becomes chronic, the hocks, knees and ankles become swollen and they gradually lose their tail.

Prevention and control

• In endemic areas, vaccinate piglets before weaning age and sows before they become pregnant.
• All breeder pigs should be vaccinated annually.
• Isolate affected pigs very early to avoid the spread of disease in the herd.
• Disinfect and scrub pens regularly.
• Avoid grazing pigs on infected soil.
• Treat with recommended antibiotics.

Worm infestation

Roundworms and tapeworms attack pigs very often, and the worms are generally picked up in feed, faeces and from the pastures and move into the intestines.

Affected pigs look runty, weak and unthrifty.

Pigs become pot-bellied and stunt in growth.

Rough coat of hair and frequent diarrhoea.

Pigs may vomit and cough, and faeces contain roundworms and tapeworms and vomits occasionally contain worms.

Death may occur in severe cases.

Prevention and control

• Clean the farrowing pen with hot water and disinfect.
• Provide good nutrition.
• Prevent pigs from grazing on wet lands where worm eggs and larvae are likely to occur.
• Deworm at mid-pregnancy, weaning time and generally every three months.
• Separate piglets from sows as soon as they reach weaning age.
• Avoid overcrowding to reduce the worm load in the pen and on pasture.
• Practise rotational grazing with the young pigs leading.

Scours

This is an infectious disease caused by a bacterium.

The affected pigs discharge yellowish-white faeces and grow lean.

Inflammation of the intestines may also occur.

Prevention and control

• Treat with recommended antibiotics through feed or water.

Mastitis

• If the milk teeth of the piglets are not clipped, they grow hard and the piglets may injure the teat of the mother during milking.
• The teats swell up and develop lumps in the udder, hence the mother-sow cannot allow the piglets to suckle.
• Do not forget to clip the milk teeth, but if mastitis occurs, stop the piglets from suckling for a day and have the sow injected with the appropriate drugs, for which you have to consult the veterinary authorities.

Trypanosomiasis

• This disease is what is known as sleeping sickness in humans.
• It is caused by the bite of an infected tsetse fly, and therefore, to prevent this disease, fly-proof the pig house in tsetse fly-infected areas.
• The veterinary authorities can be approached to vaccinate pigs when they are attacked by the disease.

Mange

• Mange is an external disease caused by a small mite which burrows into the skin of the pig.
• To treat this disease, keep the pen clean and wash the pig often to avoid being attacked.
• When infested, wash the pig and spray it with recommended chemicals.

Prolapse

• Some piglets are found with a protruding anus, and other piglets go about biting at it with the result that the piglet may die.
• When found piglets with protruding anuses, they are operated upon, but the chances of survival cannot be assured.
• Some sows farrow, and after forcing out the placenta, this situation occurs.
• It is best to call in the veterinary staff to push in the anus.

Anthrax

• Anthrax is one of the deadliest diseases of pigs.
• It is associated with blood oozing from the mouth and nose, followed by sudden death.
• Bury the carcass covered with quicklime.
• Anyone handling the pig must wear gloves for protection.
• This disease can affect human beings and, therefore, care must be taken to avoid transmission or contamination.
• Cases of this disease must be reported to the veterinary authorities for appropriate action to be taken.

Skin Rashes and Boils

• Rashes, boils, and abscesses occur on pigs in one way or another.
• Rashes can be treated with healing oil or a mixture of an insecticide, while boils and abscesses can be treated by cutting them open, washing with disinfectant and applying sulphur powder.

Lice and Ticks

• External parasites such as lice and ticks attack pigs, remaining on the skin to cause irritation.
• Spray the pigs with appropriate insecticides.
• In all cases of disease, it is always advisable to seek advice from the veterinary staff.

Routine Maintenance

• New stock should be quarantined for at least two weeks before adding to the main pig sty.
• Check if all the pigs are healthy each morning.
• Check if the feed served the previous day has been consumed.
• Check if the animals are on heat and take the appropriate action.
• Sweep all the leftovers from feed and litter troughs, and remove the dung from the gutters.
• Scrub the floors, gutters and feed troughs every day using a hard brush or sponge.

Keeping of Records

The necessary records kept in pig production include:

• Operational Account
• Pig Stock Record
• Breeding Record
• Litter Record
• Individual Piglet Record
• Slaughter Record
• Feeding records
• Routine health records
• Labour records

Marketing pigs and their products

• Marketing of pigs is done by individual stockmen through private bargaining.
• Pigs are sold live as weaners, hogs for slaughter and breeding stock.
• Pig products such as pork, sausages, ham and bacon are sold in shops and marketplaces throughout the country.

Preservation

• Wrap the meat or cuts of pork in polythene materials and store in a deep freezer.
• Cure the cut pork in brine or salt solution.
• Smoke the cured meat to keep it from spoiling.

Breeds, Purpose of Production, and Characteristics and Features of Pigs

LARGE WHITE (YORKSHIRE)

• Large white is produced for its pork and bacon.
• They have white coats and skin colour with thin, long and erect ears covered with fine hair.
• They are large and long and have a long back with a tail set high.
• Large whites are prolific breeders.
• They have a wide neck over relatively short shoulders with long sides and at least 16 pairs of ribs.
• Flanks are thick and well set with broad and full hems.
• Legs are straight and well set.
• Long head with broad snout showing a slightly curved face.
• Good milker and mother with a large litter size of about 20 piglets.
• The skin is free from wrinkles to give a fine, long coat.

DUROC JERSEY

• Duroc Jersey is also produced for lard and pork.
• The coat and skin colour are all red.
• They have drooping ears.
• Duroc Jersey is are hardy and prolific breeder.
• They have a long snout.
• They are a medium-sized breed with a high growth rate.
• Duroc Jersey has high feed conversion.

LANDRACE

• They are mostly produced for
• Landraces’ coat and skin are all white with a straight snout long face.
• They have large drooping ears and long, smooth body sides.
• They have long legs and good lean meat.
• Landrace is a good, prolific breeder with an average litter size of 13 piglets.
• They are fast-growing with good early maturity slaughter.

BERKSHIRE

• Berkshire is produced for its pork.
• They are black in colour with white markings on the feet, face and the tip of the tail.
• They have long bodies.
• Berkshire has a shot-crooked snout.
• They have erect ears.
• They are meat type.

POLAND-CHINA

• Poland-China is produced for lard.
• Black skin colour but have clear white spots on face and feet.
• There are relatively small ears drooping over the eyes.
• This breed is a lard-type with excellent meat.

HAMPSHIRE

• Hampshire is a black breed with a white belt around the shoulder and legs.
• It has short legs and the ears are erect.
• The breed is noted for its foraging ability.
• The muscle and carcass are lean, therefore produce little lard.
• It is used in many crossbreeding programmes.

TAMWORTH

• The colour of the coat and skin is all red.
• They are varying hardy but slow growth rate.
• Tamworth has coarse hair.
• They have a long, narrow face and a snout.
• Their ears stand erect.
• They sows are good mothers and have large litters.
• They are good baconers.
• The breed is noted for its foraging ability.

ASHANTI DWARF

• They are small in size with a short, broad body frame.
• They have a long face with small ears.
• Ashanti dwarf hair is short and may be brown or black.
• They have a slow growth rate and are highly resistant to trypanosomiasis.
• They have a small litter size of about 12 piglets.

BAKOSI

• They have a small body size and are mostly black.
• They have a slow growth rate.
• Bakosi have a short face and snout.
• They have a small litter size.
• They are produced for pork.

---

Follow to join WhatsApp Channel

Telegram Channel