AGRICULTURAL
Pig farming
Everything is about gaining kilograms
“Don't behave like a pig,” I was thinking while I had to wash
myself for biosecurity reasons in order to enter the area
where the pigs are kept. It could not be further from the
truth. We went to visit CP and Gerda Kriek at Taaibosch
Piggery in Gauteng to learn more about this industry.
By Aubrey Kruger
CP AND GERDA
A boar and a sow are in control here, as
indicated on the signs on the bathroom
doors. CP and Gerda are both industrial
engineers. Gerda grew up here and CP in
Reitz. They got involved in the pork indus-
try in 2012, which was supposed to last
for three months - and has now become
almost six years.
But where does one start? “Identify and
improve strengths.” In this instance it was
genetics, management and staff and with
"farming being in their blood", it was all
systems go.
ANIMAL HEALTH
“We deal with animals only and produc-
tion is directly linked to the health of our
animals.” Prevention is better than cure
and they use different management mea-
sures to improve health, for instance by
keeping sucking pigs from the same ori-
gin together.
“By focusing more on how effective
medication is, you automatically focus on
the health of your herds.” A decrease in
costs was an additional surprise, but they
warn: “Remember, the pork industry is
output driven. You don't look at where you
can save, but rather where you can gain
kilograms.
BUSINESS AND PERSONNEL
90 employees work at Taaibosch since
it is a labour intensive farm. A sow unit
of 2000 requires 24 workers according
to CP, which produces approximately 90
pigs per week.
TWO THEORIES
They believe in two theories, namely that
when something breaks, it needs to be
repaired, and the theory of limitations.
Quality programmes ensure health and
biosecurity. The second - production is
determined by limitations. They have one
objective only, kilograms per pig.
The environment, animal and human
should be taken into account. The inten-
sive nature of this type of farming must
also be considered. CP says that they
have a business which produces a live
product.”
PROFIT?
Low margins and high volumes! “You
have to go into it with everything you
have,” warns CP. The most important are
the pens, where a sow unit of 200 is rec-
ommended. “If you start on a small scale,
incorporate a niche market.” There is
room, because consumers have lost their
confidence in corporate companies.”
The capital investment is R50 000 to
R75 000 per sow, depending on the level
of automation. The lifespan of the pens is
30 years - they break due to the fact that
pigs are very inquisitive.
PRICES
The price of pork recovered to R28/kg in
2017. The current price is R16/kg at times,
with a production cost of R21 - this paints
the whole picture. This is the impact of
listeriosis, which resulted in a significant
loss of business over the short to medium
term - 6 000 pigs per week can no longer
be processed.
THE DIFFERENT PHASES OF
A PIGGERY
Pigs have a 10-month schedule, which
starts with the studding phase and arti-
ficial insemination, which is a lot cleaner
and not negotiable. The sow is in pig
(pregnant) for 16 weeks, she stays in a
pen with her 12 piglets, the weaning pro-
cess takes up to 10 weeks and a week
later she is inseminated again.
PORK CONSUMPTION
South Africans consume less than 5kg per
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SENWES SCENARIO | WINTER 2018
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