Piggery (Pig Farming)
Pigs are among the most prolific and fast-growing livestock, making piggery a high-return enterprise where culturally acceptable. A sow can produce 20+ piglets a year. This guide covers housing, breeding, feeding, health, and sales.
From land cultivation to post-harvest and sales
Follow each stage in order — the full value chain for piggery (pig farming).
Housing & Pens
Build well-ventilated, easy-to-clean concrete pens with good drainage. Provide separate farrowing, weaning, and grower pens. Pigs need a cool, shaded environment — overheating reduces growth. Plan for waste management.
- Concrete, well-drained, easy-to-clean pens
- Separate farrowing, weaning and grower pens
- Shade and cooling prevent heat stress
Breeding Stock Selection
Start with healthy breeding gilts and a boar from fast-growing breeds: Large White, Landrace, Duroc, or crosses. A good sow farrows 8–12 piglets per litter, twice a year. Maintain a boar-to-sow ratio of about 1:15–20, or use AI.
- Breeds: Large White, Landrace, Duroc and crosses
- Sows farrow 2× yearly, 8–12 piglets/litter
- Boar ratio 1:15–20, or use artificial insemination
Feeding & Nutrition
Feed is the largest cost. Use balanced pig rations (creep, grower, finisher, breeder), and supplement with forage, crop residues, and kitchen/brewery waste to cut costs. Provide clean water always. Proper feeding drives fast growth.
- Balanced rations: creep, grower, finisher, breeder
- Forage and crop residues cut feed cost
- Clean water at all times
Health & Management
Maintain strict hygiene and a deworming/vaccination schedule (erysipelas, swine fever per vet advice). Watch for mange, diarrhoea, and respiratory issues. Clean pens and good ventilation prevent most disease. Isolate new stock.
- Deworm and vaccinate per vet schedule
- Clean pens + ventilation prevent disease
- Quarantine new stock before mixing
Production & Farrowing
Sows farrow after ~114 days gestation. Provide a clean farrowing pen with a creep area and guard rail to prevent piglet crushing (a major early loss). Wean piglets at 4–6 weeks. Pigs reach market weight (~80 kg) at 6–7 months.
- Gestation: ~114 days
- Guard rails prevent piglet crushing
- Wean at 4–6 weeks; market at 6–7 months
Marketing & Sales
Sell live or slaughtered pigs to butchers, pork processors, and direct consumers. There is strong demand in areas where pork is consumed. Build relationships with butchers and processors for steady off-take. Value-add (sausages, cuts) increases margins.
- Off-takers: butchers, processors, direct consumers
- Build steady butcher/processor relationships
- Value-add (sausages, cuts) boosts margins
Watch & learn
Curated, Nigerian-localised training clips from accredited sources and Nigerian farmers.
Raising Pigs For Profit In Nigeria (Community Report)
Running a piggery pen in Nigeria.
Watch on YouTubeI Started With Just 1 Pig — Successful Pig Farm in Nigeria
From one pig to a successful Nigerian piggery.
Watch on YouTubeNigerian Woman Making Millions From Pig Farming
Profitable pig farming in Nigeria.
Watch on YouTubeOne-page cost sheet
Type your figures in the rows below. Totals update live. Print it out and fill the rest with a biro, or download a Word file to keep on your phone.
Youth in Digital Extension · FUTA · TETFund
Piggery (Pig Farming)
Livestock · High prolificacy and fast growth — a rising Nigerian enterprise.
Expected revenue
| Product | Qty | Unit price (₦) | Total (₦) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live pigs (weaners)(piglets) | — | ||
| Slaughter pigs (~80 kg)(pigs) | — |
Housing
| Item | Qty | Unit cost (₦) | Total (₦) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete pens(per pen) | — | ||
| Farrowing pen guard rails(per pen) | — | ||
| Feeders & waterers(pieces) | — | ||
| Waste management(per unit) | — |
Breeding stock
| Item | Qty | Unit cost (₦) | Total (₦) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gilts (sows)(gilts) | — | ||
| Boar / AI service(per service) | — | ||
| Transport of stock(per trip) | — |
Feeds
| Item | Qty | Unit cost (₦) | Total (₦) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creep feed(bags) | — | ||
| Grower feed(bags) | — | ||
| Finisher feed(bags) | — | ||
| Breeder ration(bags) | — |
Health & utilities
| Item | Qty | Unit cost (₦) | Total (₦) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vaccines (erysipelas / swine fever)(per batch) | — | ||
| Deworming & vet(per month) | — | ||
| Labour & water(per month) | — | ||
| Forage / crop residue(per month) | — |
Marketing & value-add
| Item | Qty | Unit cost (₦) | Total (₦) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transport to butcher(per trip) | — | ||
| Sausages / cuts value-add(per kg) | — |
Figures are editable and stay on this device. For planning only — verify current input prices with local agro-dealers and extension officers.