How to Start Hog Farming

Starting a hog farm can be a rewarding venture for the small time hobbyist and the farmer looking to make it his sole occupation. Successful hog farming involves getting the stock to market weight as quickly and efficiently as possible. A hog farm can include inside and outside housing, depending on the size of the operation and the start-up capital available. A hog operation must be thoroughly researched before any investments are made.

Things You'll Need

  • Housing facilities
  • Feed
  • Bedding
  • Water troughs
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Identify the revenue possibilities for your hogs. Are there butchers or processing plants you can sell them to directly? Are there independent consumers in your area that are willing to purchase sides of pork from you? Find the local market in your area and research the average farmgate price you can expect from your pigs.

    • 2

      Determine your breeding plan. There are several approaches. You can have the sows bred artificially, keep a few boars for reproducing, or buy piglets yearly and finish them out. It is recommended to keep one boar for every 15 sows if you choose to breed with natural service. The advantage of buying piglets is that facilities do not need to be created for boars and farrowing sows, and therefore less startup capital and labor are required.

    • 3

      Design and build the required housing facilities. Hogs can be kept in pens outside, but handling and manure removal becomes more difficult. If housing pigs inside, the floor needs to be made out of non-slippery concrete so it can be hosed down regularly. When constructing hog pens, holding areas are not only necessary for growing pigs, but also the boars, dry sows, pregnant sows and the farrowing sows. Water troughs and proper bedding, such as wood shavings, must be supplied to each pen.

    • 4

      Create a feeding plan. The goal is to grow the piglets as fast and cheaply as possible. Consider contacting a local food company or processor to obtain food waste as a cheap food product. Waste milk from local dairy farms can also be used. A good diet will also typically consist of corn and soybeans, since they are high in energy and protein.

    • 5

      Purchase the starter stock. It is best to have commercial meat breeds that are designed to grow fast. If buying breeding sows, make sure their back legs are straight and that each one has six healthy teats on each side.