Pig farmers have been urged to closely monitor feed usage and production costs to improve efficiency and remain competitive.
Lionel’s Group of Companies chief executive and pig farming expert Duncan Stephenson made the remarks during the Pig Producers Association of Namibia information session held at the Namibia Agricultural Union in Windhoek on Wednesday.
“Number one is we want to grow cost per kg as efficiently as possible,” Stephenson said.
He said farmers should give pigs the right feed at the right time, measure the cost of each kilogram of weight gain and make management changes to achieve optimal growth.
“We make sure that we measure and we know what a kilogram of gain is costing us, so that we optimise the feed usage that we have,” he said.
Stephenson said pigs require different diets at different stages of growth, with piglets needing high vitamin content to support organ development, while growers need feed that promotes muscle growth.
He said finishers require reduced energy in their diets as their growth rate slows to prevent them from becoming too fat.
“A sow needs to develop. We can’t let it be too fat. She won’t produce milk,” Stephenson said.
Business developer for pigs and poultry Warnich Biersteker said there was a knowledge gap in the industry and encouraged farmers to attend information sessions and make use of online training.
“There is definitely a gap in the market and there’s a lack of knowledge,” Biersteker said.
He also encouraged farmers to use artificial intelligence as an additional source of information, but cautioned them to be careful about how they use it.
Pig producer Rango Haikali said the pig industry is growing compared with other livestock sectors and farmers need to follow proper vaccination protocols and maintain good biosecurity.
He said Namibia has veterinarians, state vets and agricultural extension officers, but few specialise specifically in pigs.
“Very few are specialising in pigs,” Haikali said.
