One of the advantages of farming pigs is their ability to reproduce more often than other

livestock species. Sows can produce more than two litters per year making them a highly
productive species.

The life cycle of a pig from conception, to birth, through growth and then slaughter can take up to 310
days. Pigs breed at all times of the year, regardless of the season. However, pigs can be affected by
seasonal infertility in the warmer months. Once a sow has been mated, the production cycle
commences. It is completed when those piglets reach ‘sale weight’. This marks the completion of the
growing/finishing phase and the pigs are sold.

Pig production cycle length

The production of pigs can be divided into six life stages:

1. Breeding/mating: gilts (female pigs that have not previously farrowed or given birth) are
2. usually introduced to boars around 25–28 weeks old. The boar will often have daily exposure
to young gilt’s to ensure they begin their reproductive cycling, with the gilts typically reaching
puberty 10–30 days after commencing boar contact. Hormones can be used to stimulate puberty
in gilts, but are rarely used. Boar exposure is the preferred and most effective means of bringing
a gilt onto heat. Gilts will then usually be mated at their second cycle (when they go on heat for
the second time) or around 30–34 weeks. Sows, or female pigs who have already farrowed, will
have boar exposure to determine if they are on heat. Female pigs will either be mated with a
boar naturally or will be artificially inseminated. The objective is to ensure the breeding females
will have a long and productive life in the breeding herd, which means responsible animal
welfare and treatment.
 3. Gestating or dry sows: after the sows and gilts are mated, they are moved into the dry sow or
gestation area of the breeder sheds or paddocks. They will remain there during most of their
pregnancy (approximately 116 days).
4. Farrowing or birth: about a week before giving birth, they are moved into the farrowing or
birthing sheds or paddocks.
5. Lactation: sows remain in the farrowing area, nursing their piglets for about 3–5 weeks until
the piglets are weaned.
6. Weaning: after weaning, the sows are returned to the breeding area. The piglets are moved to
weaner accommodation. The pigs can only be moved into the weaner facilities once the pens or
sheds have been emptied of pigs by the producers moving these pigs to the next suitable area or
to sale. Generally, the sheds are cleaned, sterilised and rested for 24 hours, before the next group
of pigs arrive.
7. Growing/finishing: depending on the farm, the growing pigs may be moved to other grower
accommodation either on the same farm or a different facility. This is where the pig will live
until it reaches ‘sale’ weight.

The farm structure

In pork enterprises, producers may specialise by concentrating on one or more stages of the production
cycle. This means that modern farms can be either a farrow-to-finish farm (all the above stages on-site),
a breeder farm, a weaner farm or a grower/finisher farm.
Some farms may be single site. Farms distributed across many sites are referred to as ‘multiple-site’
piggeries with each site linked to the others. The different classes of pigs are managed separately to
provide for their specific requirements. Hundreds of kilometres may separate the breeding and growing
facilities.
FEEDING MANAGEMENT
 Pigs are monogastric animals and can utilize fibrous food only to a limited extent. Adult pigs
can utilize fibrous food better than young stock.
 Part of the protein in the diet of pigs should come from animal source such as fish, meat etc.

 Pigs should be fed at regular intervals.

 Fresh feed should be put only after removal of the previous feed from the feed trough.

 Pig rearing based on commercial pig feed is not economical and hence feeding based on swill is
recommended. On an average, pig requires 4-8 kg swill per day.
 All categories of pigs can be given small quantity of fodder or may be sent to pasture.

 Ad libitum feeding using an automatic feeder (which can be fabricated using 200 litre oil drum)
may be practiced for weaned pigs to avoid post-weaning weight depression
 Feeding
Nutrients requirement of breeding stock

Young
Breed Lactating
boars &
Type Gilts gilts & sows
adult boars

Live weight (kg.) 110-250 140-250 110-250

Energy and protein
DE (M cal/kg) 3.3 3.3 3.3
ME (M cal/kg) 3.17 3.17 3.17
Crude Protein (%) 14 15 14
Inorganic nutrients (%)
Calcium 0.75 0.75 0.75
Phosphorus 0.5 0.5 0.5
Salt 0.5 0.5 0.5
(Source: National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development)
Nutrient requirement of growing stock

Weaning Growing Finishing

Type
Live weight (kg) 5-12 12-50 50-100
Daily gain (kg) 0.3 0.5 0.6
Energy and protein
DE ( M cal/kg) 3.5 3.5 3.3
ME (M cal/kg) 3.36 3.36 3.17
Crude Protein (%) 22 18 14
Inorganic nutrients (%)
Calcium 0.8 0.65 0.5
Phosphorus 0.6 0.5 0.4
Sodium -- 0.1 --
 Chlorine -- 0.13 --
(Source: National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development )
Miscellaneous feeds which can be fed to pigs: Swill (kitchen waste including left over of human
food, vegetables, meat and fish cuttings): Composition and quantity vary so greatly that it is difficult to
indicate feeding values. It has been observed that pigs weighing 30 kg reached a body weight of 70 kg
in 70 days when fed exclusively on kitchen waste. Ensure that swill feed is not old and putrified. On an
average 4 – 8 kg swill is needed per pig per day.
Other feeds used for feeding pig

Incorporation level up
Item to (%)

Tapioca starch
15-20
waste
Rubber seed cake 15
Tamarind seed
20
roasted
Tea waste 20
Meat offal 20
(Source: Kerala Agricultural University)
Feeding of boars
A breeding boar requires 2-2.5 kg concentrate per 100 kg weight depending on the age, condition and
breeding demand. Feed allowances should be so adjusted that the pig is neither fatty nor run down.
Greens should be provided if kept indoors. Year-round pasture is excellent if it could be provided from
the stand point of providing both the needed exercise and valuable nutrients.
Feeding of female
The demands resulting from pregnancy and need for conserving nutrients for ensuing lactation are
accelerated during the later stage of pregnancy. The increased needs are for proteins, vitamins and
minerals.
Mature sows gain 30-35 kg and gilts 40-45 kg during pregnancy. Feed should be so regulated that sows
and gilts are never over fat or thin. Individual feeding is preferred.
Flushing is a practice of giving extra feed to sows and gilts from 1-2 weeks prior to mating and returns
to normal feeding after mating.
Feeding of Farrowing Sow and Litter
Feed lightly with bulky laxative feed immediately before and after farrowing. Bring the sow to full
feeding in 10 days. Plenty of greens may be provided. Feed allowance may be calculated as 2.5-3
kg/100 kg body weight plus at the rate of 0.2 kg feed per piglet with the sow. Thus, a sow weighing 100
kg with 8 piglets should receive 4.6 kg feed per day. The piglets may be provided with special
nourishing diet called creep feed separately
Creep feeding:
The practice of self-feeding concentrates to young piglets in a separate enclosure away from their
mother is known as creep feeding. Creep feed should be given when piglets are two weeks old. Each
active and healthy piglet may consume about 10 kg feed before reaching the age of 8 weeks and two-
third of this consumed between 6-8 weeks.
Feeding of growing and finishing pigs:
The pigs may be given complete feed they can consume to attain maximum growth. Alternatively, they
may be fed a fixed quantity twice or thrice a day. Yet another method that they may be fed all the
quantity they consume within a fixed time of 30-45 minutes or so.
On an average, the post-weaning feed conversion efficiency till market weight may be about 4 i.e. this
much quantity of feed would be used by the pig to gain one kg of weight. However, it varies
considerably with age and ambient temperature. Protein requirements are greater during early life. As
fattening progresses, protein per cent in the ration may be decreased.
This period may be considered from weaning (9-10 kg) to the slaughter weight of 90-100 kg. Entire
males, castrates and females can be fattened for meat purposes. The entire males and females may have
higher feed conversion efficiency than castrates. Castration if required may be done at the age of 3-6
weeks. Castrates are more docile and put on slightly more fat. Growers may be grouped according to
sex, size and weight as uniformly as possible. The difference in weight between the small and large pig
in a lot should not be more than 20%. Up to 15 pigs may be conveniently put together in a pen. In
summer, sprinklers, wallowing tanks etc. may be provided in addition to shades to cool pigs. Poor
growers may be identified, culled and removed from the lot at the earliest. Deworming may be done
two weeks after weaning and may be repeated once in two months if necessary.
Source: Kerala Agricultural University)
Orphan pigs:
When a sow dies or fails to produce milk or does not claim her pigs, the piglings should be promptly
shifted to a foster mother. Some sows may refuse to suckle alien piglings. Care should be taken to
simulate the conditions including the odour and body size of piglings when admitted to a foster mother
or another suckling sow. If a suckling sow is not available, hand feeding would be necessary. Cow’s
milk is the best substitute for sow’s milk. Buttermilk or sweet skim milk can also be used. Each pigling
may consume 300-500 ml milk per day. Best results may be secured by feeding 5-6 times a day for the
first few weeks and thereafter the frequency may gradually be reduced to 2-3 times. Any standard
vitamin preparation two or three times the quantity used for infants may be administered to the piglings
until they start taking feed. Injectable iron preparation (e.g. Imferon) may be given as usual. A 60-Watt
electric bulb may provide enough warmth for the piglings during the early days of life.
Expected live weight for age under good feeding and management

Live weight,
Age
kg
(weeks)
4 4
8 10
12 20
20 50
28 85

Approximate water requirements of pigs per day

Age group/Age (weeks) Water Requirements
(litres)
 8 3
20 7
28 8
Pregnant pig
First 3 months 12
Last 3 months 15
Lactating Sow with 5-8 25
Piglets
Lactating Sow with 10-12 30
Piglets
Boar 20

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