LANDBOU
3 .
3 . Contrary to popular belief regarding piggeries in general , Nontando ’ s is exceptionally clean as she adheres strictly to biosecurity standards .
at 30 days and taken away from their mothers . The male and female piglets are also separated so that no inbreeding can take place . The young ones are put on a weaner diet from day 41 up until day 70 . Between 71 to 130 days , they are on a grower diet and from day 131 up until 150 a finishing diet follows , after which the piglets are marketed .
“ If my breeding stock is enough , I send all the new pigs to the market . If not , I keep some sows back and introduce new boars because they are family and shouldn ’ t breed . If they do breed , the sows ’ growth will be stunted and they will produce far fewer piglets . You will also be penalised if you allow inbreeding . On the other hand , if you prefer to keep your boar , you find sows elsewhere . Alternatively , I inseminate them artificially .”
Farming and challenges are six of one and half a dozen of the other . In Nontando ’ s case the major challenge is funding her feeding program .
“ Therefore , if you have land , or access to land , it is very important that you plant your own feed . That being said , you also need to know exactly how to mix the feed . On this farm , there is only a small area where I can plant maize , but it is in my pipeline to produce maize on a much larger scale . Until that time , any quantity that I plant to make
45 MARKtoe ! Mei 2023