Before you rush into pig farming, read this 7-minute reality check that could save you millions.

Everybody wants to start pig farming.

It looks sweet online:
“Buy one sow… get 24 piglets in a year… cash out.”

But let’s be honest:
Starting a piggery isn’t about passion, it’s about preparation.

Before you dig a foundation or buy feed, ask yourself:

1. Do you really have the capital?

You’ll need money to build your pen, buy equipment, stock pigs, and run feed, drugs, and labour for months before profit shows.
No shortcuts here, this is real business.

2. Do you know what you’re doing?

Watching YouTube is not enough.
Pig farming is not a trial-and-error business.
Without real knowledge and training, you’ll make expensive mistakes that books won’t warn you about.

3. Where are you buying your pigs from?

Cheap breeding stock will destroy your feed, waste your space, and give you poor returns.
If your foundation is weak, don’t expect strong results.

4. Who will buy your pigs when they’re ready?

You don’t build a pen and start chasing market last-minute.
Plan it from Day 1:
Who’s buying? At what price? How far is the market?
High transport kills profit fast.

5. Do you have water and enough of it?

Pigs can’t grow, digest, or produce milk without plenty of clean water.
Budget up to 150 litres per sow per day.
Yes, you read that right.

6. Is your housing designed for pigs or punishment?

Poor pen layout causes stress, waste, sickness, and poor growth.
Build to make feeding, cleaning, and monitoring easy not fancy.

7. Can you guarantee feed all year round?

Feed = 80% of your cost.
If feed fails, your farm fails.
You’ll need up to 3.4 tons of maize per sow per year.
Start small if your feed plan is shaky.

8. What production system are you using?

Don’t just copy anybody.
Choose what matches your skills, resources, and land:

Free-range system? Less cost, more exposure.

Concrete housing system? More control, more cost.

Fermented Bed Technology (FBT)? Low smell, low cleaning but requires technical know-how.

Look, pig farming is profitable.
But only for those who enter with their eyes wide open.

If you treat it like a hustle,
you’ll be hustling harder just to survive.

Treat it like a business and you’ll build something that prints money for years.

Are you just starting out or planning to expand your piggery?
Drop “Planning Smart” in the comments if this opened your eyes.

And if you’re serious about building a farm that works, not just one that looks good,
follow Dr. Ernest AgriTech Hub.

We don’t just talk farming.
We build empires, one smart farmer at a time.

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