You have decided to start pig farming. You have the space, a small budget, and a lot of questions. Where do you start? What do you buy first? When do you get the pigs? What do you feed them? This article gives you the exact 30-day plan to go from zero to ready [1][2].
Week 1: Research and planning (Days 1-7)
Day 1-2: Visit 2-3 pig farms. Find farmers in your area and ask to visit. Tell them you are starting and want to learn. Most pig farmers are generous with advice — they remember being beginners themselves. Ask: What breed? Where do you buy feed? What was your biggest mistake? What would you do differently?
Day 3-4: Calculate your budget. Use our article on the 500,000 FCFA pig farm budget to understand what you can afford. Decide: 3 weaners (45,000 FCFA each = 135,000 FCFA) or 2 weaners (90,000 FCFA)? The rest goes to housing, feed, and emergency fund.
Day 5-6: Find your source of weaners. Search Facebook, WhatsApp groups, and local markets for pig farmers selling weaners. Visit the farm, check the health of the pigs, ask for vaccination records. Do NOT buy from a farm with sick or dead pigs visible.
Day 7: Find your feed supplier. Visit 2-3 agrovet shops or feed suppliers. Compare prices of grower feed (look for 50kg sacks, 18,000-21,000 FCFA each). Ask about bulk discounts for buying 5+ sacks at once. Read our article on negotiating with feed suppliers.
Week 2: Build the housing (Days 8-14)
Day 8-10: Build a simple raised wooden platform pig house. Dimensions: 3m x 2m for 3 pigs. Materials: local wood for frame and floor (raised 30cm off the ground on stilts), corrugated iron roof, wood or bamboo walls with gaps for ventilation. Cost: 60,000 FCFA. Do NOT build a concrete house — it is unnecessary for 3 pigs and wastes your budget [1].
Day 11-12: Install water and feed equipment. Buy: 2 plastic waterers (or use cut tire inner tubes), 2 feeding troughs (can be cut PVC pipes), 1 water storage container (200L jerry can). Cost: 15,000-20,000 FCFA.
Day 13-14: Prepare the pen area. Clear vegetation around the pen. Dig a simple drainage channel. Place the pen on well-drained ground (not a low point where rain collects). Build a simple fence around the pen area if pigs will have outdoor access.
Week 3: Buy supplies and stock up (Days 15-21)
Day 15-16: Buy feed. Purchase 4-5 sacks of grower feed (50kg each = 200-250kg total). For 3 weaners at 2kg/day each, this lasts about 30-40 days. Store in sealed containers on pallets, off the ground, in a dry room.
Day 17: Buy the vet kit. Essential items: 1 bottle ivermectin (dewormer, ~3,500 FCFA), 1 vial iron dextran (for piglets if you breed later, ~1,000 FCFA), 1 bottle penicillin-streptomycin (Penstrep, ~2,000 FCFA), 1 bottle multivitamin (~1,500 FCFA), disposable syringes + needles (20-gauge, 1/2 inch), digital thermometer (~3,000 FCFA). Total: ~12,000 FCFA.
Day 18-19: Buy the pigs. Transport weaners in a ventilated crate (NOT in the trunk of a car). Transport at the coolest time of day (early morning or evening). On arrival: give water immediately, do NOT feed for 2-3 hours (let them settle). Then give a small amount of feed (half their normal ration) for the first meal.
Day 20-21: First health check. Day 3 after arrival: deworm ALL pigs with ivermectin (0.3mg/kg SC). Check: are they eating? Drinking? Active? Any coughing? Diarrhea? If any pig looks sick, call a vet immediately — do not wait.
Week 4: Establish the daily routine (Days 22-30)
Day 22-30: The daily routine. Your daily commitment is 3 hours (1 hour morning, 2 hours evening):
- 6:00 AM: Feed (give 60% of daily ration). Check water. Observe each pig — is it eating? Active? Any changes in behavior or feces?
- 12:00 PM: Quick check — water still available? Any signs of heat stress (panting, lying spread out)?
- 6:00 PM: Feed (give 40% of daily ration). Check water. Clean pen if dirty. Collect any waste for composting. Observe each pig again.
- 8:00 PM: Final check before dark — water full? Pigs settling for the night? Lock up feed storage.
What to track daily: Feed given (kg), water consumption (estimate), pig behavior (normal/abnormal), any health issues. Use FarmWise or a notebook — the point is to have records. You will need them when something goes wrong or when you calculate profitability at the end of the cycle.
The 30-day summary checklist
By day 30, you should have:
- ✅ Visited 2-3 pig farms and learned from experienced farmers
- ✅ Calculated your budget and know what you can afford
- ✅ Built a simple raised wooden platform house (60,000 FCFA)
- ✅ Installed water + feed equipment (15,000 FCFA)
- ✅ Bought 2-3 weaner piglets (90,000-135,000 FCFA)
- ✅ Purchased 4-5 sacks of grower feed (72,000-85,000 FCFA)
- ✅ Assembled a basic vet kit (12,000 FCFA)
- ✅ Dewormed all pigs on day 3 after arrival
- ✅ Established the daily 3-hour routine (morning feed, midday check, evening feed + clean)
- ✅ Started keeping daily records (feed, water, behavior, health)
Total investment by day 30: 250,000-350,000 FCFA (~$417-583 USD). You are now a pig farmer. The next 5 months are about feeding, observing, deworming every 8 weeks, and growing your pigs to 70-80kg slaughter weight. Read our article "Day 1 to First Litter" for what comes next if you decide to breed.
Sources & References
- [1] Minidota Agro Allied: Common Mistakes That Reduce Profit in Pig Farming — start with 3 to 5 pigs; learn management first; expand after first successful cycle. Source: minidotagroallied.com
- [2] Zambia Farmers Hub: The 6 Common Mistakes Pig Farmers Make — practical advice on feeding, housing, and management for beginners. Source: zambiafarmershub.wordpress.com
FarmWise tracks all of this automatically for your farm.
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