Start your small piggery with Weaners

Weaners pigs for a start.


Our winters here on the farm is 4 degrees Celsius at night and we do not have a heating system for our pigs or piglets.
I do not know how cold it gets in the evenings in your area, but if you can add heat, it's good. You can add heat in the form of UV lights or a hot water system.

It's going to be very difficult to buy a pregnant sow from a farmer, but if you're lucky enough you're on the winning side. 
Buying weaners are the first step if you are starting a small scale piggery. Your income turn around is faster while you wait for the sows to farrow.

If weaned pigs are bought, treat them as if they have not yet received any medicine. 90% of sellers promise your heart and soul the pigs are De-wormed and everything is right. So you immediately give the pigs Dectomax or medicines of choice with a shot of Terramycin la. 

Keep track of eyes, ears and tails. 
If the ears are hanging and the tails are straight, then chances are your pigs are unhealthy, have worms or has lice.

Do not buy sick pigs, it takes months for them to recover and get back in shape. The hips of weaners must be round and firm. They should not be hairy at all. You will lose 100% of your money in the feed / growth process if you buy a sick weaner. Most problems with pigs are worms and scabs. For worms (tears in the eyes, hanging tail or hanging ears) you can de-worm the pigs twice a month. 

For scabs (scab-mite) you can throw old oil on the pig's back. 

The photos below show the difference between healthy pig and a sick wean pig'.