How to take care of Pigs (Step by Step Guide)

If there is one beautiful thing about livestock farming, it is the fact that you can venture into them without any pro knowledge.

We will agree with me that pig farming or piggery business is one of the most lucrative business in the agricultural field, but i tell you as productive and delivering as they are, they are very delicate and you can run into proper loss, if not properly managed or taking care of.

That's why we will be running through how you can daily take care of your pig, so as to maximize their level of delivery and productivity. it is of important to know that pig is a type of animal that could record as low as possible mortality rate if properly taken care of.

They are animals that needs proper care and attention, if you deem it fit to handle them very and give all you attention to properly taking care of them, it is a business you can yield as well as twice of what you invested on it.

Pig is one of the most numerous large mammal on the planet earth, they are omnivores and can consume a wide range of food, similar to human. They are also non-ruminant animal and they have two major species sus -sacrofa and sus - vittatus.

Ways in taking care of Pigs 

1. Early morning check for their activeness, one of the ways to know if they are active is via noise making in morning.
2. Getting rid of all dirt as early as possible, before feeding them make sure their pens and litters are clean, as well as their feeders and drinker are also kept very clean.
3. Replace their water daily, with a clean and cool water
4. Deworm them regularly and put in place every drug, vaccine and medication needed for proper health state.
5. Anytime you notice a strange attitude of sickness from any of the pigs or not doing very active as other, quickly isolate them from other and call the vet doctors for proper care.
6. Always take note of the pigs in terms of their body weight, size and feeding rate for health purpose 
7. Disinfect piggery, pig pens at regular interval to make it germ free, healthy for their stay.
8. If it occurs that you want to change their feeds, it is very advisable that you change it gradually, so that their digestive system will be able to take it easily without any gastro-disturb.
9. Since we all know that pig is omnivores animal they feed on both grains and flesh, but avoid them growing wide it is advisable to feed them with offal rather than raw meat or flesh.
10. Their house must be constructed in a way that it will allow a proper ventilation, because they detest and can die of of heat stress if not exposed to proper ventilation.
11. Pigs are type of animal, that requires a lot of water, this should be provided for them very well and appropriately.
12. In constructing their house, make sure it is constructed in such a way that can be very easy to clean, so as to avoid stress in cleaning their house.
13. It  is of important that you make sure that they feed contains high quality fiber, it is very important.
14. Make sure you don't keep the same sex of pig in the same place unless for some special cases like mating (bringing them together for reproduction purpose.)
15. Make the location of the pig pen is in a rural area, as it is not advisable to situated in a location where a lot of people stay because of their smell and noise.
16. Pigs can also be fed with remnant of farm product but with adequate precaution and it should be a supplement to the normal concentrated feed.
17. When you notice a strange feeling or sleepy attitude from your pigs, it is not most time diseases or sickness symptoms, when a pig is well fed they tend to sleep sometimes.
18. Laxatic diet, rich in high fibers (grasses) should be given to in-sow to aid easy parturition and lactation.
19. The female pig should be given proper attention during gestation period till delivery.
20. Record keeping is one of most important thing in any farm system, it is very important  and necessary that records of all that is going on in the farm is always kept.

At birth, it is very important that iron injection is giving to the new piglets so as to keep them in a very safe condition first dose iron should be given in first two-three days at birth and the second dose should be giving on 2-3 weeks after birth. Many think they can just pack some clayey sand and fill their pen with it, because it is rich in some iron content, i tell it is a local method and it is not reliable. Further consult your vet doctor on how to properly handle them for safety.
These are the procedures you must follow in other to raise your pigs in healthy condition and very productive.