Academic Journal of Nutrition 4 (2): 84-89, 2015

ISSN 2309-8902
© IDOSI Publications, 2015
DOI: 10.5829/idosi.ajn.2015.4.2.9595

Challenges and Opportunities of Pig Farming and

Feeding Strategy in Gondar Town, Ethiopia

Malede Birhan Tamene Gemechu Betelhem G/medhin

University of Gondar, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine,

Department of Animal Production and Extension, P.O.Box: 196, Gondar, Ethiopia

Abstract: Pigs are farm animals that have not always been considered its economic contribution and as sources
of food in developing country. Hence, the research is paramount important to see the farming practice and
associated constraints of pig farming in the study area. Therefore, the objectives of the study were to examine
the economic contribution and opportunity of swine farming and to identify the major challenges and feeding
strategy of pig production in the town. The study was undertaken in Gondar, Amhara National Regional State
(ANRS) of Ethiopia, from March to May 2015. The research mainly focused on three purposively selected
kebele’s (kebele 18, 19 and 20) and was assessed and identified all the three (3) pig farm owners using semi-
structured questioner to collect data through interview, focused group discussion and personal observation
in each pig farms. Observation was also made to monitor the feeding, housing and other pig farm management
practices used by each swine owners. The research result depicted that, the purpose of pig production was
mainly targeted to get additional income and profit making for the household via sold in the local market to
foreigners coming from different areas of the world. Also the study showed that pig keepers were non-farmers
which belong to small land holding members of the community and in parallel, with other types of work. The
major feed source of the farm was University of Gondar offal’s, followed by grazing and ELFORA wastages.
The findings of the research was identified that, the most economically important constraints of pig production
were inbreeding problem, lack of improved feed sources, cultural and religious taboo towards the use of pork
and finally poor market linkage.

Key words: Challenges Opportunities Feeding Strategy Gondar Ethiopia

INTRODUCTION According to Lekule and Kvsgaard [3] high fecundity

rate and feed conversion efficiency, early maturity,
Swine production forms an integral part of farmer’s presence of short generation interval, relatively small
economy in many parts of the world. Many countries space requirement and ability to produce maximally under
practice different kinds of production approaches. Swine varied management were some of the advantages of pig
production is increasing from time to time in many parts of production as compared to other livestock rearing.
tropical countries. An increased demand on international However; studies showed that pig production in
market, due to increased number of pork consumer and developing countries is contributing little benefits due to
the profit obtained from the sector make the production to many production constraints including; under developed
increase rapidly [1]. infrastructure, poor genetic performance of local breeds,
The growth of population, urbanization and rising inadequate nutrition, poor management and husbandry
income in many parts of the developing world is believed practices, shortage of trained man power, cultural and
to result in a growing demand for animal products. religious taboo on marketing and consumption of pork
Consequently, there has been a rise in the production of and wide spread diseases [4].
animal products, particularly from poultry and pigs in the Pig production in Ethiopia is to be in its infant stage.
world. Pig farming is an important task which provides The pig population in the country is estimated to be
opportunity as an income generating activity for small- 29,000 heads representing 0.1% of African pig population
scale farmers, especially in developing countries [2]. [5]. In many rural parts of Ethiopia, pig production was

Corresponding Author: Malede Birhan, University of Gondar, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Animal
Production and Extension, P.O.Box: 196, Gondar, Ethiopia.
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characterized by extensive production system whereby Table 1: Age Structure of the Respondents
animals are allowed to scavenge at backyard and Age Frequency (N=16) Percent Cumulative%
municipal garbage dumping sites [6]. On the other hand, Valid 20-29 3 18.8 18.8
extensive husbandry system coupled with poor 30-39 13 81.3 100

environmental hygiene and voracious feeding behavior of Total 16 100

pigs has been indicated as a major risk factor for infection

Table 2: Educational Status of Respondents in the area
of pigs with helminthes and gastrointestinal parasites
Frequency Cumulative
where pigs may act as potential reservoir hosts of human
Educational status (N=16) Percent Percent
gastro-intestinal parasites such as ascaris [7]. The
Valid Illiterate 4 25 25
domestic pig is an animal which has been very much
Basic writing &reading 4 25 50
neglected by the scientific community in Ethiopia. Elementary 3 18.8 68.8
Although pig production is less common in Ethiopia, high school 2 12.5 81.3
small scale farmers with few pigs are common in towns diploma & above 3 18.8 100
and cities of Ethiopia [2]. Total 16 100
Remark: Tables 2 & 3 have 16 numbers of respondents; vary from other
MATERIALS AND METHODS tables, because there are one farm which is association (13 members) later
these members represented by one person.
Area Description: The study was undertaken in Amhara
National Regional State (ANRS) in and around Gondar The group member was combined in to pig farming.
town and conducted from March to May 2015. Gondar The advantage of these types of age groups engaged in
town is found 739 km north of the capital city Addis livestock activities through technology transfer easily as
Ababa, 60km East from Lake Tana, 175 Km from Bihar Dar. adults were focused to a new techniques and applications
The altitude of the area is 2220 masl, with mean annual in the study area.
rainfall of 1172mm and 19.7°C average annual temperature.
The town also has a total surface area of 1286.18 km2 [8]. Educational Characteristics of the Respondents: The
educational status of pig keepers in the study area was
Data Collection and Sampling Techniques: The research showed in (Table 3) in which the majorities of pig
was conducted in three purposively selected kebeles producer in the study area were illiterate. They accounted
(18, 19 and 20) which are found in Gondar town. All swine (50%) and some of them were elementary completed and
farms were selected and sampled to generate primary goes up diploma level which was found (37.5). Few of
information in the study area. The survey were used both
them were at high school level (12.5%) and the kinds of
closed ended Open ended questionnaire in all swine farms
educational status may facilitate the implementation of
to make the data more reliable but only primary data were
more appropriate farming techniques in the area.
undertaken in order to conduct the research finding.
Status of Livestock and Pig Ownership: The proportion
Research Designs and Data Analysis: The primary
of animal species owned by respondents was showed in
source of data was obtained through direct interview of
(Table 4) the pig ownership per household was found the
farm owners using both open and closed ended
questioner. In addition, interview was also used from first rank followed by dairy cows. As we compared the pig
general manager to obtain more reliable information and ownership with other livestock species which in turn
farm workers. The data was administered and manage indicated that, pig production was an alternative form of
properly using excel spread sheet and analyzed by the animal production in the study area was generated only
statically software of Gondar Town Agricultural Office [9]. household incomes. This was due to the fact that pigs
were highly prolific; require less land and capital and new
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS ventures of livestock production which improve the
socioeconomic condition of the community in the study
Demographic Characteristics: The majority of the area.
respondents were between ages 30 and 39 years of old
showed in (Table 2). The range was found the working Management Practice and Pig Farm opportunities: Pig
age with careful analysis and also would include those keeping in Gondar town was a recently introduced
who had gone to seek on-farm activities in urban area and activities in which (75%) of respondents had the
peri-urban area of the research. experience of pig keeping from since 2012. The average

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Table 3: Livestock Holding Capacity of the Respondents

Livestock holding Frequency (N=4) percentage Cumulative percent
Valid Mixed system 4 100 100
Total 4 100

Table 4: Opportunities of Pigs for Respondents

Opportunity type in rank Frequency (N=4) Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Less capital requirement 2 50 50
Prolificacy 1 25 75
less land requirement 1 25 100
Total 4 100

experience of the owners reached about 5 years. This Feeding and Watering Management: The major feed
indicates that pig keeping was an emerging and newly resources of pig were ranked via keepers were also used
established activities, this may be due to the cultural university of Gondar (UoG) offal which accounts (50%)
taboo of the community in which feeding of pork and followed by grazing (37.5%) and ELFORA wastage were
related products were the basic constraints of swine showed (12.5%) showed in (Table 6) below. Pig feeding of
production in the area. Almost all of the respondents using offal from UoG was common in both dry and wet
(100%) were assured that the purpose of pig keeping in seasons of the yea. Pig were observed confined in the
the study area was for profit and to generate additional confinement and feeding on UoG offal and sometimes
income to their family. With regard to the advantage of ELFORA wasted materials as a resources diet and
pig farming, the majority of respondents ranked on less sometimes they allow to graze in the field as
capital (50%) as first followed by prolificacy (25%) and supplementary feed.
less land requirement (25%). All pig owners were against
the slaughter of pigs for home consumption but they Pig of Housing Management: All pig keepers were used
would search other customers to sell their animal in the (100%) house in which animals were kept in-door
vicinity. The finding indicated that, in Ethiopia, religion, during the night to protect them from predation and
culture and social taboo played an important role in the theft. From the total pig house (25%) was separate by
pig production sector [10, 11]. Hence, pig production and age and /or physiological stage of pig, the other 50%
consumption of pork were not completely practiced in the was only practiced as separate the piglets and the
study area. The findings was in agreement with the remaining 25% did not separate by age and
finding of Gondar Town Agricultural Office [9] and in physiological stage of pigs. The types of houses used by
contrast to the situation in Namibia, Uganda and Kenya pig keepers were corrugated iron sheet roof (100%) with
where consumed pork which also used as sources of wooden wall and mud floor. Figure 3 showed that
income [12, 13]. traditional housing of pigs on mud floor and wooden
wall and most of the pig producers clean their pig house
Reproductive Management: The overall average litter size once in a day (75%) and the remaining experienced
was 7 piglets per sow ranging from 2 to 14 which was every two days (25%) [14]. The integration of pig farming
similar to other studies for semi-intensive pig production into the traditional mixed farming system might contribute
systems. The majority of pig keepers (75%) were used to disease transmission taking the role of pigs as
weaning practice while the remaining (25%) did not. reservoirs of some types of diseases. However, separation
The weaning age of piglet varied between 1 and 3 weeks of various age and sex groups and classes of pigs had
and castration of animal was common (75%) in which great advantage in feeding and management that would
castration mainly practiced for the purpose of fattening improve growth of swine and avoid the competition
and eliminating the boar odor (25%). among animals [15].

Table 6: Housing System of Swine in the Study Area.

Separate housing Frequency (N=4) Percent Cumulative Percent
Validity separate only for piglets 2 50 50
separate by age 1 25 75
no separation 1 25 100
Total 4 100

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Table 7: Major Challenges of Swine Production in the Study Area

Challenges validity Rank Frequency (N=4) Percent Cumulative Percent
Religious Taboo against pigs Valid very high 4 100.0 100.0
Farrowing management Fair 1 25.0 25.0
not practiced 3 75.0 100.0
Total 4 100.0
Market status Lack 4 100.0 100.0
Skilled man power Limited 3 75.0 75.0
Unavailabe 1 25.0 100.0
Total 4 100.0
Feed cost High 2 50.0 50.0
Low 2 50.0 100.0
Total 4 100.0
Improved feed Unavailable 4 100.0 100.0
Feed shortage Yes 3 75.0 75.0
No 1 25.0 100.0
Total 4 100.0

affected by distance from veterinary clinic and 25% are

constrained by lack of veterinary drugs and medicine for
pig treatment. Another problem was farrowing difficulty
and crushing of piglets at farrowing was very common
observation in many of pig keepers. This might been due
to inappropriate feeding, housing and health care systems
applied to pregnant sows and insufficient management
during farrowing respectively.

Challenges of Pig Farming: The major constraints to pig

Fig. 1: Shows the feeding strategy in Selam millennium production in the study areas reported according to their
farm. order of importance include feed unavailability and
cost, shortage of feed, shortage of water, cost and
availability of medicine, shortage of market, religious
taboo and lack of skilled veterinarians on pig diseases.
Similar production constraints were reported in Uganda
[16, 17] and Mecha district in northwestern Ethiopia [2].
The production constraints like difficulty at farrowing time
and poor management might hinder improvement to
productivity of pigs, because sows make up and down
during farrowing this was result crushing of piglets, the
Fig. 2: Indicates the living house and the feeding place in finding analogous with Wabacha et al. [18]. According to
G.A Park. Ayele et al. [19] alleviating constraints to marketing,
improving marketing and market information and
Pig Health Management: All of local producers 100% had upgrading marketing infrastructures would potentially
access to veterinary services, about 75% of the owners increase the welfare of pig producers and urban
did not have access due to sickness and the remaining consumers and improve the national balance of payments.
25% used veterinary service in and around the area. But According to the findings of workers in Ethiopia [6] the
pig keepers did not use similar management practice on government should also work on cultural and behavioral
sick pig. From the total of respondents (75%) keep waiting change of the people and also formulate an appropriate
without doing anything and the rest 25% consult the policy regarding pig production in the livestock
veterinary services and culling their animals through production strategy because do not eat the pork as well
selling and mortality of pig in the study area was not as do not like to be produced by others and also they try
common problems. All of the respondents were not to kill pig.

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