Pigs

Pig production has in many countries become an increasingly specialized activity. Two main factors are involved - on the one hand, market segments require exact carcass specifications, and on the other, the economies of scale resulting from intensive production units. As a result, production is increasingly being concentrated in the hands of specialist, large-scale producers capable of controlling genetics and formulation of feed to produce carcasses that the markets demand.

Background Free-range scavenging pig keeping Semi-intensive pig keeping Intensive pig keeping References and Further Reading

The pigs used by the farmer today are descendants of the wild pig (Sus scrofa). Today, pigs and pig keeping in one form or another can be found almost anywhere in the world. In rural areas, households may keep a small number of pigs that forage in the vicinity of the household, and which can be sold or used when required - either for food or more commonly to generate cash required for other household needs. Pig keeping enterprises are also to be found in and around towns and cities, and they play an important role in feeding urban populations.

This is an low-input/low-output extensive system whose main purpose is to guarantee subsistence and the household's emergency funds or coping strategy, whilst also supplying it with some meat from time to time. There is no major investment of time or money, and it is typical of small farmer mixed holdings.

The main constraints with scavenging pigs are the high rates of piglet loss, and slow growth rates. Pigs kept in a free-range system will not grow quickly, because they expend a lot of energy in their scavenging activities. Worm infestation is also an important problem resulting in slower growth rates. However, it is also important to recognize the low levels of inputs and that these systems may under certain situations be the only sustainable methods of production.

This is a system differing from the above primarily in that the animals are housed and that greater attention is paid to health care and to feeding and nutrition. The main aims are similar to the above, but given a modest amount of financial inputs, the levels of production are normally higher. The system can also be considered as being "Subsistence Plus", and forms part of a continuum from scavenging pigs to intensive production.

This type and scale of production aims at producing meat for the market efficiently and profitably, usually with a large numbers of pigs. The system requires significant inputs of both time and money, with careful calculation of the costs and the resulting benefits. An important component is the specialization of jobs, and the specialized knowledge required to operate such an enterprise successfully.

Breeds of pig also differ considerably, with intensive systems specializing in varieties that have been bred specifically for production. In practice, this also means that these breeds require significantly greater inputs in terms of health care, feeding and nutrition, as well as general livestock husbandry and management. Scavenging breeds of pig, on the other hand, tend to be more resistant to the local diseases, and will survive under conditions where the exotic high-production breeds will not.