PIG FARMING FOR DOUBLILING THE INCOME OF FARMERS OF INDIA
Prof. (Dr) Hemant Birade,
Dept. of Veterinary Gynecology and Obstetrics, Apollo College of Veterinary Medicine,Jaipur-302031 (Rajasthan).
(Retired Associate Dean, PGIVAS,Akola (Maharashtra)
Email –hemantbirade@yahoo.co.in Mob.+91-7021128274.
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Abstract
In past, pig farming was neglected in India. Even pig is neglected species by Indian scientists. Yet, exotic pigs are better feed converter than cattle & other animals. The five pillars of pig farming i.e. Genetics, Nutrition, Reproduction, Environment & health and Marketing of pigs in India is discussed on scientific basis. Detection of estrus, feeding of lactating sows & different operations of piglets are emphasized. The pig farming is a very lucrative business in the India. It also provides manure to the farmers. Definitely, it helps the farmers to double their income.
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Key Words…. Pig farming in India; Pillers of pig farming; Pig housing, marketing of pigs, Feeding of Lactating Sows.
India tops in milk production & third in egg production in the world. However, in meat or pork production is lower in the world list. In India attention has not been given for meat production. And pork production has been neglected. In India the total pork production is 394 thousand metric tons (2018) & total pig population 9.06 million (Current 20thlivestock Census). Pig rearing was neglected occupation in most parts of India, however it is a important occupation of tribals in north-eastern part of India. It has largely remained under nomadic system of rearing (Scavenging) with the weaker sections of the society both as a source of income & a choice of meat for consumption. The bulk of the pig population in India is indigenous type with low growth rate & productivity.
Pigs are highly social & intelligent animals. With around one billion of this species alive at any time. The domestic pig is among the most populous large mammals in the world. Pigs are omnivorous & can consume a wide range of food. Pigs are biologically similar to humans & are frequently used for human medical research e.g., recently pig kidney transplanted in human being in the U.S.A.
Importance of Pigs for Human beings:
*Pigs grow fast & is a prolific breeder.
*Among meat animals, pigs have a higher feed conversion ratio than cattle, favorable ratio often tends to make pork affordable relative to beef.
*The dressing return is quite high.
* With a small investment the farmer can profitably utilize his time & labor.
* The feces is used as a manure.
Why Pig Farming In India?
*Increasing human population.
*Pigs are the cheaper source of protein. Hence, to fulfill the requirement of balanced food for human population.
*Due to heavy use of Synthetic Fertilizers for crop production. The soil is becoming unfertile. Hence use of pig feces as organic fertilizer will improve the fertility of soil.
Pigs are farmed in many countries, though the main consuming countries are in Asia, meaning there is a significant international & even intercontinental trade in live & slaughtered pigs. Despite having the world’s largest herd, China is a net importer of pigs & has been increasing its imports during its economic development. The largest exporter of pigs is the United States, European Union & Canada. India has got great opportunity to export the live pigs to China.
As such in India the pig rearing was not considered as a lucrative business. Due to filthy management by downtrodden community. However, due to high prolificacy, easy to management, good returns, opening of selling gates in North-Eastern region of India & export opportunity, many educated farmers have been attracted towards this business.
Piggery Farming Fate depends upon Five Pillars………Such as
1) Genetics.
2) Pig Nutrition.
3) Management and Reproduction.
4) Environment & Health
5) Market.
For to make Pig production profitable, then these five pillars should be sound & ideal. These pillars are interdependent. Suppose farmers have a very good genetics pig. Yet, if he provides unbalanced food. Then definitely this farm will collapse. Similarly, if farmer brings good genetic pigs, provides balanced feed. But if the housing is not good then also this will collapse. In this pig farming system farmer should be very careful about the balancing above pillars, then & then only pig farmer will run his business profitable.
I)Genetics: Indigenous pigs are very resistant against diseases but are very poor producers. They weigh hardly 30 to 40 kg in a year. This poor productivity may be due to Indian farmers are not taking proper care of pigs. They are keeping these animals on the Gods grace. However, Government of India is giving lot of importance to recognize these Indigenous breeds. In India, there are few recognized breeds such as, Ghoongroo, Niang Megha, Agonda Goan, Tenyivo, Nicobari Doom & Zovawk etc.
However, most of the commercial pig farmers are keeping Large White Yorkshire & Landrace. In Indian climatic conditions, these animals achieve body weight 100 kg by 8 to 9 months of age.
- II) Pig Nutrition:
*Nearly 80% of the maintenance expenditure goes for feeding .Therefore farmers should avoid the feed wastage to save the cost. In this photo, the entrepreneur feeding the hotel wastage.
*Good feed is necessary for growth, body maintenance, the production of meat & milk.
You can use locally available feeds that are less expensive, but can be nutritionally complete when properly prepared. Infact pigs can be fed well, using only kitchen scraps from a family’s household when pig farm is small & it’s a subsidiary occupation. The nutritional needs of pigs can be divided into six categories or classes. These are water, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins & minerals.
Presently in India few farmers are feeding to their breeding stock, balanced prepared rations from grains, fruits & vegetables from market. However, as the selling price of live pigs is @Rs.200/kg live body weight. Hence, to the fattening stock, most of the farmers are feeding hotel waste, by products like dried Cashew, Apple waste, Rice polish, Fruit waste like Pine apple fruit waste & vegetables which are damaged during transportation after proper cleaning. Similarly, wherever there is more production of Lucerne grass (@2.5kg/day/adult pig) & Azolla etc. also feeding.
During Corona Pandemic, many farmers could not get hotel waste, therefore they have shifted to feeding of self prepared balanced ration by using ingredients like Maize, Soyabean cake, Wheat bran, Rice bran, Mineral mixture & Salt etc.
In some parts of India, wherever available farmers are also using Distillery waste for fatteners feeding.
As per the guidelines of Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations farmers are not feeding any meat products; which includes pies, sausage rolls, bacon & cheese rolls, pizza, salami & other delicatessen meals & table scrap without proper cooking & screening. As well as any fish products & bones. Similarly, the excreta (droppings) of any mammal or birds.
Feeding of lactating sow is very important as she is feeding the piglets. Therefore mother sow should be fed with certain objectives—–
1)Manufacture milk for piglets (Feeding of Lactating Sows).
2)Similarly, Sow should not loose body weight. Then she will come in heat immediately after weaning.
For lactating sow the balanced feed should be calculated as follows——–e.g. if she has 10 piglets. Her diet should contain 03 kg concentrate as maintenance ration & for piglets @0.25kg/piglet. Fo10piglets, it will be 2.5kg.Total ration (3kg maintenance + 10 piglets
Allowance 2.5kg) = 5.5kg. When farmers are using hotel waste, then they provide it, ad-libitum.
After weaning of the piglets— the sow usually comes in estrus within 3 to 7 days. After weaning, from first day, you should watch for heat symptoms. The sow should be mated as soon as you watched the heat symptoms.
Creep Feed: Creep feed is the baby piglets first & most important dry food. It contains 20% protein. Creep feed is highly fortified with milk products & is available in small, chewable, highly palatable pellets for easy digestion.
III)Management & Reproduction.
Pig Housing: 
*It’s very important pillar of pig framing, expenditure can be controlled skillfully by farmers & cost of production can be reduced.
*The pig building should be away from drinking water wells & from residences minimum 10 meters away.
*Small investment on building & equipment is sufficient. Pigs don’t need five star hotels facilities but only protection from sun, wind & rain.
*If the pig farmer feels comfortable when he stays inside farm for 2 to 3 hours, then that pig shed will be comfortable to pigs also. We have to construct comfortable houses to pigs.
*The pig building needs to be divided into different pens for each phase of the production cycle.
*The pig house should have –sufficient light, good ventilation & sound flooring. Proper drainage should be provided for maintenance of hygiene The floor should be sloping away to facilitate cleaning with water.
*Water nipples may be provided for drinking of water. Older pigs will consume 11 to 19 liters of water/day.
*If possible wallowing pond may be provided.
*Space requirement for pigs 2.0 Square meter per pig. It differs as & stage of production & reproduction. For lactating sows the space requirement is 4 to 6 Square meter.
*Breeding male, pregnant sow & farrowed sows should be kept separately.
*Our country climate is not very cold like western countries but in some parts, it’s very cold in winter season. Hypothermia occurs in piglets aged 0 to 7days.
*Hypothermia in piglets is managed by reduction in draughts (Cold winds), provision of dry bedding & additional heating.
*Pig building’s should be 500 meters away from the banks of river.
*Before construction –one should take “No Objection Certificate” from the respective local authority e.g. Gram Panchayat etc.
* Please, See the Photos of low-cost.
Operations with PIGLETS:
Teeth Trimming: It is usually necessary to trim the piglets’ teeth to prevent them from biting the udder. The piglets are born with needle sharp teeth which may injure the sow’s udder & prevent the sow from letting the piglets suckle. Up to third day the piglet upper & lower jaw canine teeth, only points should be trimmed without injuring the tongue.
Piglet Anaemia: For prevention of anaemia piglets are given iron injections on third & eleventh day.
PUBERTY:
*In India, normally puberty appears in gilts (Female)approximately at 200 to 240 days of age in commercial imported breeds i.e. Large White Yorkshire & Landrace etc., with an approximate body weight of 70 to 100kg.Diverse factors can have a stimulating or inhibiting effect on the puberty arrival.
*Heat Detection: One of important task of farm management.
External Signs:
*Red/Dark Pink, swollen vulva & enlarged clitoris.
*Nervous, restless behavior.
*Erect ears.
*Frequent urination.
*Gets attracted towards persons working in the farm.
*Characteristics grunts & growls.
*Decreased appetite
*Vaginal mucus discharge
*Jumping on other females.
*If you press on the back of female pig, then it stands still i.e. back reflex.
* Breeding of female either naturally with Boar or Artificial Insemination.
In order to insure success in “Artificial Insemination”(A.I). one of the most important factors is the detection of heat. In India yet the “A.I.” is not very popular. This might be due to low litter size. For A.I. The farmers are also trained at National Research Centre on Pigs, Gauhati & I.C.A.R., Old Goa etc.
- Environment & Health:
There are very limited health problems observed in India. This might be due to health problems may not have been reported to veterinarians.
However, presently most of the farmers are carrying out the Vaccination of Classical Swine fever, Foot &Mouth Disease & haemorrhagic Septicemia. The Foot & Mouth disease vaccine is provided free of cost by government of India.
The other common problem of health, we have to treat as per the monogastric animals, as pig is monogastric animal.
V)Marketing: This is the key point for farmers, here they think, they are inferior. The purchasers are coming to your door. In Maharashtra purchaser are coming to the farmers door & purchasing. But they are paying less rate i.e., purchasing @ Rs.190/kg live weight. Recently, from Maharashtra one farmer took pigs to North-eastern market for selling i.e., Dimapur, where he got rate Rs.250/ kg live weight. Market is available but we have to produce good pigs whose dressing percentage will be more than 70%.
From the discussion with farmers who are feeding their pigs with balanced nutritious feed, it is observed that they are earning net profit Rs. 21,000/– per female per year. This is minimum profit. The profit will not be less than this, if your management remains ideal. Therefore, if a farmer keeps 10 females & two males. Then yearly he will earn Rs.two lakhs from subsidiary business.
Again we have to think of exporting to other countries. Presently,0ur country,
surplus in grain production. So we can do the value addition of grains by converting it into pork. In the world China is biggest importer of pork. Those who want to enter in this business, first they should take training from recognized government institute & work on any pig farm, minimum for 15days. Then they should purchase three months old ten castrated males & grow them up to 100kg body weight & sell. Possibility of mortality at this stage is minimum. By this way, the farmer can sell pigs after five months. He will earn little profit but great experience. In future, he will not fail.
-Reference Books, Apps & Websites—
1)Farmer’s Hand Book on Pig Production (For Small Holders at Village Level), GCP/NEP/065/EC, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations,2009.
2)National Research Centre on Pig, Gauhati (India) Website & Swine App.
3)IVRI, Pig Farming App & Pig Ration App.
