Pigs

A misperception exists that pig farming is a quick cash activity due to the short lifespan of a pig. The costs are often ignored.

Western Cape farmer Angus McIntosh is showing that pigs can earn their keep through the eco-services they contribute, as well as the bacon they provide. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel about his outdoor pigs, whose movement is carefully controlled to make the most of their foraging habits.

In response to ever-more consumers demanding ethically produced food, Butt Farming, a large commercial pig operation in KwaZulu-Natal, is incorporating improved animal welfare practices into its processes while maximising productivity.

The online trading platform, Trigga Trader, is disrupting the way in which pork is sold by enabling farmers to sell their produce to the highest bidder. Walter Frey, the founder of Trigga Trader, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the advantages the platform offers to both buyers and sellers.

Newborn piglets can die from crushing, bleeding from the navel, anaemia, starvation or disease. At the root of these causes, however, is poor management. Here are some tips to ensure success.

Rising concern over antibiotic resistance is forcing livestock producers across the world to change their production management practices. Dr John Patience explains to Glenneis Kriel how pig producers can benefit from reducing antibiotic usage.

Pork producers lost millions of rand and hundreds of people lost their jobs due to the listeria hysteria last year. Johann Kotzé, CEO of the South African Pork Producers’ Organisation, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the crisis and how it has reshaped the industry.

At the time she was awarded a piggery by the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Betty Nyambi knew little or nothing about pig farming. But she refused to let that stop her, and through hard work and training she has become a competent pig farmer. Today, she is aiming at her next goal: gaining quality assurance certification.

Western Cape pig farmer Leandre Mitchley was named Top Smallholder Farming Entrepreneur 2018 at the annual Female Entrepreneur Awards. Her success came after a slow start and a recent major setback, and is testimony to her resilience and discipline.

Piggery owner Zodwa Thwala, winner of the 2017 Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Best Female Entrepreneur Award, says that her love for teaching motivated her to add farmer training to her existing piggery business.

South Africa’s indigenous Kolbroek breed is ideal for contributing to food security in rural areas, according to Wessel Pistorius, a Kolbroek breeder near Magaliesburg. The modern animal, bred from a wide variety of breeds, offers many advantages: it requires little space, is an indiscriminate eater, has excellent maternal traits, and is generally healthy.

With her tiny 10-sow piggery, Western Cape pig producer Augusta Thomas lacks economy of scale. But despite this, she is making a reasonable living. She spoke to Glenneis Kriel about her business strategies and how they enable her to overcome size contraints.