Buy pregnant sows, earn from pork in five months

A piece of pork has hit sh16,000 in some parts of Kampala and with the increasing scarcity, it may go higher. This is the time to invest in the sector.

How to plan your piggery

A good pigsty, with the capacity to hold five mothering pigs, costs between sh2m and sh5m, depending on the materials used. For example, if you use burnt bricks and iron sheets, then the cost goes up to sh5m or more, however, if you use wood on the sides and iron sheets on the roof, the cost is lower.

It is important to note that there are mainly two sections — the feeding area and the exercise area.

• The feeding area must be covered by a roof to prevent it from getting soaked up. This should constitute at least two-thirds of the entire piggery. One corner should hold the feeding troughs too.
• The other section is the exercise area.

If you were not aware, pigs, just like other animals, need to exercise.

It is also the area where the pigs relieve themselves from. It should cover at least one-third of the piggery.

Other requirements for a pigsty

It has to be a well-drained area, in a shade and away from the main house.

It should be designed in such a way that it crosses the path of the sun, but not directly in the line of the sun.

It must be easy to clean. Remember poor cleaning leads not only to diseases for the pigs, but also causes a stench for your neighbours.

The structure must have enough ventilation to allow for easy flow of fresh air. Pigs, just like other animals, need fresh air to survive.

They must have adequate doors for the farmer to move in and out easily.

Before one enters the piggery, they should first disinfect. This is why a disinfectant basin must be constructed at every entrance point.

The two main activities for pigs are feeding and resting. Make sure that a feeding section is constructed in the piggery, with feeding troughs firmly placed, so that the pigs do not move them around.

Get pregnant sows

If you are to stock for quick money, buy pregnant sows.

There are farms that sell pregnant sows at any stage. Cost for a three-month pregnant sow averages sh900,000 to sh1,200,000.

Such a sow takes only three weeks to deliver. However, note that each sow delivers about 10 or more piglets, so you must prepare for them.

This means that if you stock five sows, expect to have 50 piglets in the next three weeks. Unless you have planned for them well, it is advisable not to stock more than two pregnant sows if you are a starter.

Compiled by Joshua Kato (Harvest Money editor) and Deo Ssebabi (piggery agronomist Champrisa International)