PIG FARMING: A PROMISING AGRI-BUSINESS IN INDIA

As per 20^th livestock census, India’s pig population is 9.06 million which amounts to about 2% of the country’s entire livestock. The total pigs in the country have decreased by 12.03% over the previous census. Highest share of country’s pig population was found in Assam (2.1 million) followed by Jharkhand (1.28 million), Meghalaya (0.71 million) and West Bengal (0.54 million). In India commercial pig farming for meat production is one of the best and profitable businesses. There are numerous pig breeds are available throughout the world but for pig farming we can choose the local breeds which are easily available and adopted in our area. A few years back, pig farming had a bad picture in the social order (only socially back warded down-trodden class Indian people have used to raise pigs since the time immemorial and they were not respectable people). At present the scenario has changed tremendously and commercial pig farming in India is no more confined to lower class masses. Now-a-days people are conscious about the economic value of pigs like other domestic stock animals.

 In India pig farming is considered as a business of illiterate, poorest of the poor and down trodden community person’s enterprise; in some parts of Maharashtra the Adivasi’s (Tribals) consume the meat of pigs. In our country pig meat is not preferred, though the pork (pig meat) is cherished by all the Western Country people & it is a delicacy for them. The pig physiology is the most similar to human body physiology & that’s why bad effects of alcohol & other medicines are studied on pigs before they are used on human beings. Similarly, in the world more research is going on to develop the pig breeds which will be having similar weight & size of heart, kidneys etc. Pig’s heart, liver and kidney can be transplanted in human beings. In human burn cases, on damaged skin, pig’s skin is transplanted. There is a great demand for pig skin. Pig’s photo is also seen over the share market advertisement picture, as a piggy bank. This might be due to pigs are high prolific, in a year they deliver twice and at each delivery 8 to 12 piglets. At the time of birth the weight of piglet is on an average 800-1200 gms (Average 1 kg) but at the age of 12 months, they weigh 100 kg. In the world there is hardly any business which grows 100 times. And that is why pig photo is displayed on share- market’s logo. The pig is next to broiler in feed conversion efficiency. They pigs dressing percentage is high 80-85%. The pigs are considered as low cost protein factories for human beings. The importances of pigs have been identified by the whole world. But in our country the pig farming is in the hands of poorest of poor, illiterate, downtrodden community & tribals. Pig rearing is an important means of livelihood for the tribal population in the North-Eastern Region of India and is associated with socio-cultural fabric of the region. Pig farming has been identified as one the key areas for poverty reduction and agri-business venture. Increasing demand, short generation interval, high feed conversion efficiency, and large litter size, makes pig farming an attractive option for investment and profitability. Unlike other livestock sectors, the pig sector is neither well-developed nor suitably organized in India. The major share of pigs is held by smallholders in India. Several households in North Eastern India rear one to two pigs under the backyard farming system for earning their livelihood and source of dietary protein (Mahak et al. 2020). To bridge demand-supply gap, for pigs and pork, which is almost 50%, the commercial pig farms are on steady increase in the North-Eastern Region of India.

Pig production in North-East India

 In the states of North-East India, almost every household has a small piggery farm. There is a huge demand for pigs because people of this state prefer pork as compare other meats. Majority of the pigs in this hilly region are reared in intensive production system and fed with homemade cooked feed (kitchen waste and locally available plants). Pig rearing under a low-input production system in the Nagaland State of India where nonconventional feed resources contribute majority of the feedstuffs offered to the animals. Small land holders in Nagaland are adopting more profitable and less labour intensive backyard pig production to increase cash returns and accumulate capital in banks. In Mizoram and Sikkim, it has been observed that crossbred pigs were preferred for better growth performance, higher weight gain, larger litter size and greater back fat thickness.

Indigenous breeds of pigs in India

There are several indigenous breeds of pigs in our country. Some of them are listed below:

1. Ghungroo – Pigs of this breed are found along Indo-Nepal border, Jaipalguri and Cooch Behar in West Bengal and North Animals are mostly black coloured with typical Bull dog face appearance.
2. Jovaka – Pigs of this breed is found in Mizoram and Manipur. Animals have small, compact body with long legs and weigh around 40 -50 kg at
3. Ankamali – This breed inhabits states of Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Typical characteristics of this breed include black to brown coat colour, small, body with long legs and mature body weight of 40 to 50 kg.
4. Desi – It is found in all states of Animals have brown to black coat colour, small, compact body with long legs and weigh around 40 to 80 kg at maturity.

Exotic breeds of pigs 

1. Large white Yorkshire – It is mostly used exotic breed in India. White coat colour with occasional black pigmented spots, erect ears, snout of medium length and dished face are unique characteristics of this Mature body weight ranges from 300 to 500 kg.
2. Middle White Yorkshire – Typical characteristics of this breed include white coat colour, long muscular neck and long back with a mature body ranging from 270 to 360 kg.
3. Landrace –This breed is typically white coloured with black skin spots. They have a long body, large drooping ears and long snout. Mature body weight ranges from 250-350 kg
4. Berkshire – Black coloured with white patches on feet, snout and Small head, face depressed in middle and saucer shaped body with flexible ribs are typical characteristics of this breed. Mature body weight ranges from 280-350 kg.
5. Hampshire – Animals are black with white strip across forelegs to Typical characteristics include small and erect ears, small and compact body. Sows have good mothering ability.

How to Start Pig Farming in India

 To start commercial pig farming you must have proper knowledge regarding pig farming. For successful pig farming you have to go through some step-by-step process.

Selection of suitable land

Choosing a suitable land or place is very important and foremost step in start pig farming. Following points keep in mind while selecting the land:

• Ensure availability of sufficient amount of clean and refreshing water in your selected field.
• Select a calm and noise free area.
• Attempt to select or purchase land in rural region. Because land and labour are easily set up in rural areas within very cheap rate.
• Consider the facility of making a browsing place for your pigs.
• A suitable market near your farm area will be very helpful. You will be able to trade your wares and buy necessary commodities, vaccines and

• A good shipping system with the market will be very
• While selecting land considers the status of veterinary services in your chosen

Selection of pig breed

 After choosing a desirable land, it’s time to buy some highly productive pig breeds. In our country most of the pig farmers are raising low productive small sized pigs. As a result they are not getting desired production. For commercial pig farming should be rare highly meat productive pig breeds.

 Housing of pig

 For successful pig farming a better housing and all necessary equipment are very important. Housing not only provides protection but also hold them safe from inclement weather, leeches and various cases of pig diseases. There must be proper ventilation system. Make proper facility for keeping the boar, farrowing, weaner and dry sow separated from each other.

Feeding of pigs

 Feed alone represents more than 75% of total cost of production in pig farming. Development, production and animal health depend on feeding high quality and nutritious feed. Therefore, select most economical ingredients for preparing pig feed. The basic components of pig feed are oat, grains, corn, wheat, rice, sorghum and other millets. You can add just about protein supplements like oil cakes, fish meal and meat meal. Add all types of mineral and vitamin supplements. Keep the different aged pigs separately and feed them according to their age and weight. Along with feeding nutritious food, constantly serve them a sufficient amount of clean and refreshing water. Many farmers are unable to support costly feeding ingredients due to high cost of feed ingredients. Therefore, you can use unconventional feeds in order to reduce the feed cost. The alternatibe feeds for pig are colocasia, steamed flakeed rice byproduct, water hyacinth, bakery byproducts, suger beet, sweet potato, banana tree, tea waste, crab meal, snail meal, hatchery byproduct meal etc. The unconventional feeds can be used which are available in large quantities at cheaper rate, however presence of one or other anti- nutritional factors like tannin, gossypol, oxalic acid, phytic acid reduce the productivity of animals by hampering digestibility of nutrients. Food demand varies according to the age and body weight of pigs.

Breeding of pigs

 Breeding processes are very gentle and uncomplicated. Generally, both male and female pigs become suitable for breeding within their 8 months of age. The heat period of female pig length for 2 to 3 days. First day during the heat period of gilts is the best time to breed and second day is best for sow. A sow become suitable for breeding again after 2 to 10 days of weaning. The gestation period of pigs is not more than 115 days. A sow can give birth of piglets twice a year and about 8 to 12 piglets each time.

Moost common diseases in pigs

• Infecteous diseases:    Tuberculosis, anthrax, dysentery, swine plague
• Contagious diseases: Hog cholera, foot and mouth disease etc.

• Parasitic diseases: Ascaris, Tapeworm
• Skin disease: Examithama, hair loss
• Diseases of reproductive Organs: Metritis, Brucellosis
• Diseases of digestive Tracts: Stomatitis, Diarrhoea, Dysentery, constipation
• Miscellaneous Diseases: Rheumatism, Crippling, Ricket

Diseases could be prevented by segregation, quarantine, personal hygiene, keeping the grazing place free of parasites, vaccination and medication for cure.

Anaemia in piglets

 Anaemia is a common nutritional disease in piglets. Suckling pigs are highly susceptible for iron deficiency. Piglets kept in confinement to concrete stalls are more susceptible due to their non accesssibility to greens or soil. This condition can be prevented and cured by supplying iron either orally or by injection. Oral administration consists of spraying or swabbing the sow’s udder with a saturated solution of ferrous sulphate (0.5 kg of ferrous sulphate in 10 liters of hot water). This solution must be applied daily from birth until the piglets start eating creep feed. Intra muscular injection of iron dextran compounds at 4^th and 14^th day after birth is the more efficient method of preventing anaemia.

Economics of Pig Farming:

This economics is based on hotel waste feeding of pigs. Hotel waste feeding is also followed in some parts of U.S.A. where it is known as garbage feeding.

Farmers Economics: Suppose a farmer keeps 10 females & one male unit. In this economics non recurrent expenditure is not considered. Similarly body weight gains at the age of 6 to 8 months are considered towards lower side. The female pig delivers piglet two times a year, ideally & on an average gives birth to 16 piglets (On an average 8 piglet at each delivery).The piglets within 8 months gain weight 50 kg(50 kg to 80 kg). At the end of year i.e. (Gestation Period 114 days + Growth period 240 days=354 Days) farmer gets 8 pigs × 50 kg live weight= from one female pig i.e. 400 kg live weighing pigs. If we consider live weight price @Rs.70/kg. then from one female at end of one year we get 400 ×Rs.70= Rs.28,000/- income. Even if we subtract transportation cost of feed (Hotel waste) medicine charges, electricity charges & labor charges as Rs.10,000/per female & her young ones then income generated one female is Rs.18,000/ .Farmer also sells two trolleys of manure @Rs.4000/per trolley. We will not include this in our income because 1 to 2% mortality also occurs. Then at end of year from 10 females & one male pigs unit, farmer can generate Rs.1,80,000/–. Within the next 6 months next batch of piglets is ready for the sale & farmer gets same income i.e. Rs.1,80,000/-

 Current Status of the Piggery Sector in India
The total pig population of India is 9.06 million as per the 20th Livestock Census, 2019, of which nearly 90% is from rural areas and about 10% from urban areas. The total pig population has decreased by 12% over the previous livestock census (2012). Pigs contribute 1.7% of total livestock in India. Out of the total pig population, 79% is indigenous/nondescript animals, and 21% is exotic/cross-bred animals. With regard to pig production in India, Assam is the highest pig producer with 2.10 million pigs followed by Jharkhand (1.28 million), Meghalaya (0.71million) and West Bengal (0.54million). The remaining major contributors are Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Nagaland, Bihar, Karnataka and Mizoram. About 47% of the pig population in the country is concentrated in the rural areas of North-Eastern States India exported 894.04 MT of pig products worth Rs. 18.06 crores during the year 2020-21 (APEDA 2021).The annual meat production in India is 8.6 MT in 2019-20. Pigs contribute nearly 5% to the total meat production in India. Pork production has shown a positive growth at 5.98% during 2019-20. It is reported that value addition of meat is limited and less than 2% of total meat is only processed into products for trade in India as compared to more than 60% in developed countries (Thomas et al. 2021).

 MAJOR CHALLENGES IN THE PIGGERY SECTOR

Pig farming in the country also faces some major challenges, which are to be tackled in an appropriate way for overall development of the sub-sector. Specific challenges can be listed under different heads, such as challenges specific to backyard piggery, challenges specific to commercial farms, challenges related to value chains, and challenges specific to lack of scientific knowledge. The generic and specific challenges in piggery value chain are listed in Figure 1. Non-availability of superior germplasm in farmer’s field is one of the major bottlenecks that limit pig production. Traditionally, farmers are rearing indigenous or nondescript pigs with relatively lower growth rate and productivity as compared to exotic or crossbred germplasm. Few animals are maintained besides the sheds made of locally available materials and fed with kitchen, vegetable waste, tubers such as colocasia and rice beer waste (jugli) in a low input system. Most the farmers procure piglets and grew for a period until achievement of marketable age and sell in local market or to butchers.   Therefore, reduced number of breeder farmers limits production of superior germplasm in the field conditions. The linkage between production units also needs to be strengthened to promote exchange of germplasm to reduce inbreeding.

It has been observed that the difficulties of maintain boars and limited resources for maintaining several animals, restricts development of breeder farmers. Here, the artificial insemination (AI) technology can contribute to the production of a large number of quality germplasm in a low cost and effective manner, without actually maintaining a boar. Most of the states have a pig breeding policy to promote appropriate breeds suitable for the agro-climatic conditions.

Feed alone costs for 60-70% of pig rearing costs, and hence, high cost of quality feed is another major concern of pig producers. In commercial piggeries where farmers use concentrated feeds for obtaining early market weight for finisher pigs, the cost of feed plays an important role in determining market price of the animals.

Figure 1: Generic and specific challenges in the piggery sector

In recent years, emergence of various pig diseases pose a major threat for pig farming as they are capable of wiping out the entire herd causing severe financial losses. The incidences of African Swine Fever (ASF), Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS)and re-emergence of Classical Swine Fever (CSF) are some of the major viral diseases of pigs.  Lack of vaccines for ASF, PRRS and inadequate veterinary services are major concern. Pig-borne zoonosis is another important challenge which demands special attention from farmers.

As pig farms are often blamed for spreading bad odour in the environment, proper cleaning and management of waste is of utmost concern. Integration with fish farming, vermicomposting, biogas production, are some of the solutions for proper waste management in pig farms.

In recent years, the global warming and impending climate change is also posing threats to pig farming. Increase in ambient temperature leading to reduction in feed intake, growth rate, reproductive failure and increased susceptibility to various diseases. The awareness on management of pigs during among the farmers in summer and winter also form the part of EAS programmes.

FACTORS AND THEIR ROLE IN THE PIG OR PORK VALUE CHAIN

The pig sector in India has different value chains where the number of actors and the role performed by them vary (Figures 2 and 3). The pork industry in North East India is mostly unorganized, where smallholders sell their pigs to middlemen at their doorsteps, and later reaches the unorganized markets, where no regular sale records are maintained. In Assam around 81% of pigs are sold to traders and butchers-cum-pork retailers who visit villages for procuring animals (Deka et al. 2019). Several pork retail outlets in rural as well as urban areas of Assam can been seen in local markets, where the fresh meat is cut and distributed to the consumers with limited hygienic practices. Due to the high demand for pork and very few established value chain actors, several entrepreneurs have emerged to bridge this demand-supply gap.

Commercial pig farming in India is really a profitable business and the social scenario of pig farming business has shifted greatly. But there is need for strengthening the pork marketing mechanisms at the local level to the marketing channels and integrate production programme with slaughter houses to ensure better sustainability. Piggery has the potential to have a positive impact on the livelihood of millions of resource poor, under-privileged, landless and marginal farmers.

Compiled  & Shared by- Team, LITD (Livestock Institute of Training & Development)

 Image-Courtesy-Google

 Reference-On Request.

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