Lubega aims at having the best pigs in Uganda

Dec 10, 2018

When I started this farm, I wanted to give my animals the best of lives, even if ultimately, they would be slaughtered," says Aloysious Lubega, the director and owner of the farm.

BEST FARMERS  

The grunting pigs, thousands of them welcome one to this expansive farm. The moment one walks through the gates after being disinfected, one is met with rows and rows of pig houses. There is also a dairy cattle shed near the gate. This is Bulamu Mixed Farm.

The farm has over 2,000pigs, 80 zero grazing cows and fish ponds.  They sell at least 100pigs of various sizes per week.

When I started this farm, I wanted to give my animals the best of lives, even if ultimately, they would be slaughtered," says Aloysious Lubega, the director and owner of the farm.

Getting started
Lubega says Bulamu Mixed Farm opened in 2011. The farm adds value to pork by processing it into bacon and sausages. Apart from pigs and cattle, the six-acre farm boasts of a fish pond that keeps tilapia and catfish.

The farm is located at Magigye-Nabutiti near Gayaza in Wakiso district, about 15.6km from Kampala city centre. "The project is an initiative under Bulamu Group of companies, which was established to create sustainable socio-economic transformation through agribusiness," says Lubega.

"We started with 11 pigs, that is 10 sows and one boar," Lubega says. He bought the pigs from farmers around the country, at an average sh100,000 each. He says he preferred the mixture of the Landrace and large white breeds because they are both good mothers and grow fast. Their pork is also of good quality.

It is from these 11 first stock that gave birth to the current 2,000 pigs. With at least 300 piglets produced per month, it means that the numbers are rising further.

 "To be a successful pig farmer, one must plan and know one's objectives well," Lubega says. He adds that one must decide to be a breeder - one who rears piglets for other farmers, a porker, who rears pigs for pork or one could decide to practise both, but with clear records for each sub-enterprise. Lubega practises both.  He hired livestock professionals, including veterinary officers on the farm.

Lubega says for the last five years, he has been investing funds from his other sources, that is, coffee and hotels into the farm before it was opened.

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