If you have a wide area in your backyard, hog raising can be a profitable business to pursue. It needs only a small amount of capital and it can give a decent profit in a short amount of time. Here are 7 tips to get you started on backyard hog raising:
Tip # 1: Allow them to be sociable
Biologically, pigs are extremely social animals. They easily form close bonds with people and other animals surrounding them. It is best that you get two or more pigs in your backyard so they feel emotionally and mentally secure in the environment. You’ll notice that they greet each other by rubbing their noses and show affection by grooming each other.
Tip # 2: Secure the perimeter properly
You might be surprised to know that pigs can be escape artists; tiny piglets can crawl under fences and larger hogs can easily push down a weak barrier. When building fences, go for hog panels, wire fences, or field fences. Ensure that the fence is sturdy and that it encloses a large enough area for the pigs to move.
Tip # 3: Build an appropriate shelter
Like most animals, pigs need protection from environmental elements like heavy rain and the hot sun. A large dog house or a makeshift shelter similar in size may be ideal for smaller pig breeds. A three-sided shed or an A-frame shelter also works best to keep your pigs comfortable.
Tip # 4: Provide a healthy, balanced diet
No one wants a sickly, weak, and underweight pig. So to ensure that they’re getting their daily nutritional needs, give them supplemental pig feeds with plenty of protein. Clean kitchen scraps and access to an overgrown vegetable garden can also give your pigs plenty of variety for a balanced diet.
Tip # 5: Give them easy access to water
A no-brainer since all living things need water to survive. But water can act more than just that to pigs. A shallow pool or a muddy wallow is a welcome addition to any hog enclosure. This gives them mental stimulation, plus it gives them a refreshing way to keep cool since we are in the tropics where it’s hot almost every day.
Tip # 6: Take odor control seriously
Since the pigs will be living in your backyard, you wouldn’t want the smell of their manure to waft into your house, would you? Immediately cleaning up after them can greatly minimize unwanted odors in the enclosure and your home. Doing so can also avoid attracting rodents. It’s also ideal to set up an area to compost pig manure for your own garden or arrange to sell it to crop or livestock farmers for extra income. To help absorb odors, hang bags of charcoal around the area.
Tip # 7: Administer necessary vet care
Pigs rarely develop serious health problems when they are only kept for a few months before butchering. However, a careful hog raiser will always make their pigs’ health a number one priority by keeping a record, checking on them daily, and arranging vet care as necessary. For basics, regular deworming is needed and any distinct health decline should be scrutinized as soon as possible.
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