STRENGTH AND SHORTCOMINGS OF THE PIG SECTOR IN INDIA
Dr. Gunjan Sharma1,
Dr. Richa Tiwari2
1BVSc & AH, MVSc in Animal Nutrition, Dr. G.C. Negi College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, CSKHPKV, Palampur, HP, India.
2BVSc & AH, MVSc in Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.
E-mail id- richatiwarivet@gmail.com, Contact no.- 8872935989
Introduction:-
Pig farming is an industry that rears, raises, and breeds swine. Among the different livestock species, swine farming is the most plausible emanation for meat production and these pigs are considerably efficient feed converters after the broiler. Raising and rearing swine has conventionally been the mainstream occupation for the socially backward downtrodden class of the Indian population since time long past. At the moment plot has changed stupendously and commercial hog farming in India is no more restricted to lower class societies only. Nowadays, people are cognizant of the economic values of pigs like other domestic animals. And higher caste, educated people have also started commercial pig farming business in a modern and scientific manner. Swine farming is one of the best and money-making business options for people globally. There is various high meat producing swine breeds available globally. Some of these breeds are highly suitable for commercial meat production according to the Indian climate and weather. Pigs form a very important component of the Indian livestock sector. Pigs not only provide them with better nutritional support but also provide an important source of livelihood. As a cheap source of healthy animal protein pigs can meet the requirement for the weaker section of the society. Pig farming fortifies employment opportunities to seasonally employed rural farmers and supplementary income to improve their lifestyle. The pig has the highest feed conversion efficiency. The pig can utilize a large variety of feedstuffs. They are prolific with shorter generation interval. Pig farming requires a small investment in buildings and equipment. Pigs are known for their meat yield and high dressing percentage that ranges from 65-80% in comparison to other livestock species whose dressing yields may not exceed 65%. Pork (pig meat) is very nutritious and has high fat and low water content. Pig manure is widely used as fertilizer for agriculture farms and fishponds. Pig farming provides quick returns because the marketable weight of fatteners can be attained within a span of 6-8 months. All these mileages further increase the value of swine. Almost all pig breeds can be a food option. Different parts of the pig can be used for making various preparations like sausage, bacon, gammon, ham trotters, chitterlings, etc. Now Increase in the consumption of pork due to increasing urbanization in India and more liking of the pig meat by the society has increased the demand for pig farming. Despite its importance, the small-scale pig farms are dealing with several issues like poor technological back up including rearing with non-descriptive pigs, unbalanced nutrition, poor management, and lack of knowledge about production and marketing systems.
Reasons why we need more pig farms:-
- Feed conversion efficiency:-
Feed efficiency in swine is calculated through feed consumed per unit of weight gain. It is generally calculated as a Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) which is measured as the feed intake over a period divided by the average daily weight gain (ADG). Feed efficiency represents the cumulative efficiency with which the pig utilizes dietary nutrients. The pig can convert inedible feeds, forages, certain grain by-products that are obtained from mills, meat by-products, damaged feeds, and food waste into valuable nutritious meat. Typically, one 70kg pig fed on an ad-libitum basis, approximately 34% of daily energy intake is directed to maintenance (Patience,2012). As a result, minimizing maintenance costs to improve nutrient availability directed toward weight gain can improve feed efficiency. FCR is more in pigs as compared to other livestock species.
- Prolific breeder and short generation interval:-
Pig grows fast, matures quickly, and is a prolific breeder, farrowing two times in a year and farrows 10-12 piglets at a time. It has a shorter generation interval, i.e., first breeding occurs at 8- months of age which is far better than other livestock species.
3.Carcass yield:-
Pigs are highly popular for their meat yield, which in terms of dressing percentage ranges from 65-80%.In comparison to other livestock species whose dressing percentage may not exceed 65%.
- Small investments:-
Very few inputs are needed to sustain pig farming. Pigs are cheaper to rear as compared to other livestock species or poultry because they can eat almost every food that humans can eat and if in any case, you have to purchase feed for them then the cost of feed is very much lesser than those of poultry or other animals. For exotic pig breeds, you can make feed with available foodstuffs around you or even kitchen wastes can also be used in this regard. All this is not possible in the case of poultry and fishes farming. Also, this sector does not require large investments and any special technical skills that are required in other sectors. With a small investment in construction and equipment, proper eating, and sound disease control program, we can fetch enough profits from pig farming. - Demand:-
Pig fat has a vigorous demand in poultry feed, paints, soap, and various chemical industries and this demand is increasing day by day. There is a fair demand from domestic as well as an export market for pig products like pork, bacon, ham, sausage, etc. In the next ten years, it is assumed that the total consumption of meat in India will become double from its present usage. As the per capita income of individuals increases, the public tend to lavish on ameliorating their lifestyle and food consumption practices. Hence, Pork consumption is expected to increase in India in the upcoming years. - Manure and soil fertility:-
Pig manure is a valuable fertilizer that can contribute to enhancing agricultural productivity. It can also be used as a source of bio-fuel. Methane produced from collected pig manure can be sufficient to fulfill the demand for household cooking purposes. It can also be incorporated into aquaculture. Hence, pig manure is widely used as fertilizer for agricultural farms to maintain soil fertility. - Utilize waste products efficiently:-
Due to high FCR pig can utilize a wide variety of food products efficiently. Table garbage, bakery waste, hotel, and kitchen waste, and unmarketable fruits and vegetable can be offered to pigs. The quality of pigs to feed on leftovers and by-products make them worthy of landless production systems in peri-urban areas where the producer can be linked to larger markets. - Products obtained and nutrient richness:-
The main commodity that is drawn from the pig industry is pork. Pork is rich in thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, etc. Swine farming increases the availability of high-value animal protein; minerals, vitamins, and trace elements in the diet of the rural population and can therefore bestow remarkably to a more balanced diet. At the household level, pig production provides access to animal protein for farm families, contributing to an improved diet for family members. Pork with its beneficial components like essential amino acids, vitamins, and iron, facilitates balanced nutrition which is especially important for young children in food-insecure regions. On-farm processing of pork can produce products with improved storage characteristics, enabling meat consumption throughout the year regardless of when slaughter occurs. Besides pork, other pig industry by-products are also valuable for many purposes. For instance, sausage and casings from hog intestine, collagen from bone is used in the food processing and cosmetic industry, hairs are used for brushes, etc. Pork processing can lead to the production of a great variety of products achieving the demand for specific consumption practices. - Flexibility:-
The pig industry is flexible and farmers can increase the size of his farm as profit increases. There is no need for a permanent housing area for the rearing of pigs, in most parts pigs are reared in temporary housing. And this type of system can be expanded easily with an increase in the level of production. - Employment:-
Pig farming employs rural youth and women and this business can be started with low input. Pig enterprise provides quick returns since the marketable weight of fattening pigs can be achieved in 6-8 months. A functioning small-scale pig sector in rural and remote areas has appeared as a boon for rural development. These quick returns improve the living standards of the rural public. Developed local markets will improve the food security of the rural population this enhances economic development and therefore avoid further urbanization. In many societies’ women are traditionally responsible for raising, feeding, and caring for animals. Commonly when pigs are sold, men get involved, often curtailing women’s access to income. The development of a smallholder pig sector thus needs to consider gender issues and this can be supported by extension services and appropriate training. Pig farming can contribute positively to the empowerment of women and enhance their equal participation in local markets. Activities in small-scale pig production often require additional labor. Family members participate in the enterprise and this creates more employment opportunities for the farm families. - Scope in integrated farming:-
Pig enterprise can be successfully combined with dairy and other enterprises. The combination of pig farming and aquaculture is very common. This integration of enterprises is an exemplary method to optimize nutrient flow within a farming system to increase its productivity and ultimately profitability.
Figure 1 integrated pig-fish farming
Downsides:-
Social taboo:- It has been seen that pig rearing is confined to the socio-economically backward section of society. Apart from this, the consumption of pork is forbidden in Islam. In India, religion-specific eating patterns are noticed like the majority of Hindus are vegetarian while the tendency of being vegetarian is less common among Sikhs, Muslims, and Christians.
Poor system of rearing:-
Pigs are reared in an unhygienic environment without following any proper sanitary measures. There is no well-maintained housing, feeding, reproductive and health management of pigs that results in high losses.
Lack of breeding program:-
The pig sector has always been ignored in government policies. There is not any progressive program to improve indigenous pig breeds. The major constraint that leads to lesser availability of quality pigs for marketing is due to the absence of enough breeder farms throughout the country.
Inadequate transportation facilities:-
Transport and infrastructure are critical factors for the pig sector and these are not up to the mark. Easy transport to reach the rural and remote areas is not feasible for pig farmers.
Lack of marketing facilities:-
Pig enterprise is confronting other issues like the absence of a marketing facility and low consumer demand for pork products. The majority of pork demand is concentrated in the north-east region of the country. Promoting market linkages is an important element for the pig sector.
Poor credit facilities:-
Small farmers oftentimes breakdown to move their subsistence to market-oriented production as they don’t have access to financial services. The private sector requires promoting and creating an enabling environment that allows financial institutions to provide profitable credit to small scale farmers.
Lack of training and inadequate data:-
Pig production is not the most complex farming activity still rural communities and pig farmers are lacking proper technical knowledge.
Quality and safety at smallholder level:-
This is another constraint as the small farmers do not know about food safety and hygiene standards and regulations.
Lack of health care practices and high disease prevalence:-
Pigs are susceptible to various diseases. There are high incidences of parasitic diseases in pigs and pigs are more prone to tapeworm infection. pigs also act as a mixing vessel for several diseases. Due to poor health practices and the unavailability of a veterinarian in the nearby area, many diseases remained undiagnosed. Apart from this, many rural and remote areas farmers don’t vaccinate their pigs. These sick pigs are often slaughtered for their own consumption or sold in roadside market places.
High pre-weaning mortality and morbidity:-
Due to large litter size piglets are more prone to pre-weaning mortality. The mortality of young piglets has appeared as a major concern in the traditional pig production system. Pre-weaning piglet mortality varies to a large extent between farms and ranges from 5 to 35%. Piglet deaths occur mainly during the first 48 h after farrowing, crushing by the sow being the first cause. However, piglet mortality is the outcome of a set of complex interactions between the sow, the piglet, and the environment and it is often difficult to identify a single cause.
Conclusion:- pigs have a low mortality rate as compared to other animals and they are rogue animals as they can survive for many days without feed and water. The immune system of pigs is higher than other animals. If you take care of their needful vaccines they do not get sick in any case easily. But this is not possible with other species such as poultry in that whole flock can be vanished in a single outbreak of any detrimental disease. Besides, you wouldn’t have to anxious about people stealing your hog as this is not feasible for them. Pigs also produce more benefits and if you ever get fed up with swine farming, you could easily switch this to real estate, by using your pig farm as your first construction site. Hence, pig farming is an emerging and profitable meat sector that demands more attention from young farmers and budding entrepreneurs.
