10/08/2025
PIG FARMING IS SWEET, BUT IF YOU’RE NOT READY FOR THIS TRUTH, IT WILL BREAK YOU
I want to tell you something that most people won’t say openly, but you need to hear it before you start pig farming.
Pig farming is not an “overnight money” business.
It can change your life, yes. But it can also frustrate you out of farming if you enter without the truth.
Let me open up to you, both the sweet and the bitter parts.
The Sweet Side Nobody Can Deny:
– Pigs grow fast when properly managed.
In 6 to 7 months, you can raise pigs from weaners to market weight if you feed and manage them well.
– They reproduce heavily.
A healthy sow can give you 8-12 piglets or even more per litter. That’s why people say pigs are “multiplying machines.”
– Pig farming is profitable in the long run.
If you master the system, you’ll always have something to sell, piglets, growers, breeders, meat.
– Demand for pork is increasing.
Restaurants, hotels, and individuals are now appreciating pork. There’s a ready market if your pigs are healthy.
But here’s what many people won’t tell you.
The Bitter Side You Need to Prepare For:
– Pigs eat like no man’s business.
Feed will consume 70%-80% of your expenses. If you don’t plan your feeding strategy well, you’ll keep pouring money without seeing returns. This is where many small farmers break down.
– If you skip hygiene, you’ll pay with deaths.
Pigs don’t forgive dirty environments. Diseases like diarrhea, Erysipelas, and Swine fever can wipe out your entire pen in days. Cleanliness is not advice, it’s survival.
– You’ll lose money if you buy pigs from careless breeders.
Many people sell sick or poorly bred piglets just to make sales. If you don’t learn how to select good stock, you’ll buy problems with your own money.
– Labour is not as cheap as you think.
Finding honest, hard working farmhands that will take care of your pigs like you would is one of the hardest things in this business.
– Sudden de@ths happen.
Even when you’re doing everything right, sometimes you’ll lose a pig overnight without a visible sign. That’s why farm monitoring and early detection is key.
– You need PATIENCE.
Pig farming will test your patience. If you’re entering with a “6 months I must hammer” mindset, you’ll likely give up. Profit comes with consistency, not with rush.
But Here’s Why You Should Still Do It:
If you’re ready to learn, ready to plan, and you understand that farming is a journey, pig farming will reward you beyond your expectations.
I’ve seen small farmers who started with just 3 pigs and grew to managing over 100 pigs because they stayed consistent and kept learning.
You just need to approach it like a business, not as a gamble.
My Honest Advice as a Farmer:
– Don’t start big. Start with what you can manage. – Learn before you leap. Get basic training or mentorship. – Feeding plan is your profit plan. Get that right. – Clean pens are healthy pens. – Monitor your pigs daily. Don’t farm by assumption. – Vet contacts are a must. Build relationships. – It’s not every piglet you see for sale that is good for you.
Pig farming is not magic, it’s management.
But if you manage it well, it will change your story.
If you’re an aspiring pig farmer, tell me in the comments:
What’s the number one thing you’re afraid of about pig farming?
Let’s discuss it.
And if you’ve started already, what’s one lesson you wish someone told you earlier?
Share this with someone who’s dreaming of starting pig farming so they can be prepared.
Follow me, where we don’t sell hype, we share what works.
