A good pig sty with the capacity to hold five mothering sows, costs sh3m to sh7m depending on the materials used. For example, if you use burnt bricks and iron sheets, then the cost goes to sh7m or higher. On the other hand, if you use timber for the wall and iron sheets on the roof, the cost is lower. It is important that you consult a qualified veterinary officer at every step of the farm development to avoid making losses. These can be found at the nearest sub-county.
What are the features of a good pig sty?
There are mainly two sections of a piggery. These are the feeding and the exercise areas. The feeding area must be covered by a roof to prevent the shelter from getting soaked which can lead to many diseases including abdominal complication. This should constitute at least 2/3s of the entire piggery.
-The other section is the exercise area. It is also the area were the pigs ease themselves from. It should cover at least 1/3 of the piggery.
–It has to be a well-drained area, in a shade and away from the main house farm house.
-It should be designed in a North-South orientation that it crosses the path of the sun not directly in the line of the sun. To tell this, note that the sun rises from the East and sets in the West so your structure should be set with the sun passing on top of it.
-It must be easy to clean. Remember poor cleaning leads not only to diseases for the pigs, but also causes an awful smell for your neighbours. This means that it must have a slant so that urine easily drains into a tunnel for collection into a storage reservoir.
-The structure must have enough ventilation to allow for easy flow of fresh air. Pigs, just like other animals need fresh air to survive. Walls should not go over four feet off the ground, with the rest left free to allow in air.
-They must have adequate doors for the farmer to move in and out easily.
-Before one enters the piggery, they should first disinfect. This is why a footbath with a disinfectant must be constructed before every entrance point. The solution should be changed every week.
