Day 1 to First Litter: The New Pig Farmer's Roadmap

You bought 3 weaner piglets. You built a house, bought feed, and they are growing. Now what? This article maps the complete journey from Day 1 (weaner purchase) to your first litter of piglets — a 12-18 month adventure that determines whether you become a profitable pig farmer or give up after one cycle [1][2].

Phase 1: Growing weaners to maturity (Months 1-5)

What happens: Your 3 weaners (2 months old, 10-15kg each) grow into adult pigs (6-7 months old, 60-80kg each). Feed them grower feed (350-400 FCFA/kg) mixed with forage to bring effective cost to ~200 FCFA/kg. Daily intake rises from 1kg/pig at 2 months to 2.5-3kg/pig at 5 months.

Key milestones:

• Month 1: Weaners settle in. Deworm at day 3. Watch for diarrhea, coughing, loss of appetite. Weight target: 20-25kg.
• Month 2: Rapid growth phase. Switch from starter to grower feed. Weight target: 35-40kg.
• Month 3: Deworm again (8-week cycle). Weight target: 50kg.
• Month 4: Pigs are now 55-65kg. Decide: sell 2 as slaughter pigs, keep 1 female for breeding. Weight target: 65-70kg.
• Month 5: Sell 2 pigs at 70-80kg for 105,000-160,000 FCFA each. Keep 1 gilt (female) for breeding. She is now 7 months old, ~70kg — ready for breeding soon.

Phase 2: Preparing and breeding the gilt (Months 6-7)

What happens: Your retained gilt reaches sexual maturity at 7-8 months and 130-150kg. She will come into heat (estrus) every 21 days. You need to detect heat and breed her at the right time.

Key milestones:

• Month 6: Start checking for heat daily (see our article on Heat Detection 101). Signs: swollen vulva, restlessness, standing reflex when you press her back.
• Month 7: Breed the gilt during standing heat (day 2-3 of the cycle). Options: (a) borrow a neighbor's boar (5,000-10,000 FCFA service fee), or (b) artificial insemination (if available). Breed once on day 1 of standing heat, again 24 hours later.
• Month 7-8: The gilt is now pregnant. Do NOT breed again. Feed normally for the first 90 days of gestation (maintenance ration: 2kg/day).

Phase 3: Gestation (Months 8-11)

What happens: Gestation lasts 114 days (3 months, 3 weeks, 3 days). For the first 90 days, feed is maintenance (2kg/day of grower feed). For the last 24 days, increase feed to 2.5-3kg/day (the piglets are growing fast and the sow needs more energy).

Key milestones:

• Day 18-24 post-breeding: Check for return to heat. If she does not come back into heat, she is likely pregnant. If she returns to heat, the breeding did not take — try again.
• Day 28-35: If possible, confirm pregnancy with ultrasound at a vet clinic. If no ultrasound, assume pregnant and proceed.
• Day 90: Increase feed from 2kg to 2.5-3kg/day. Add extra calcium (oyster shell) for fetal bone development.
• Day 107 (7 days before farrowing): Move the sow to a clean, disinfected farrowing pen. Wash her with soap and water. Prepare: heat lamp, clean towels, iodine (for umbilical cord), iron injection (for piglets at day 3), farrowing kit.
• Day 112-114: Reduce feed to 2kg/day (prevents constipation during farrowing). Provide unlimited water. Watch for nesting behavior (she will carry bedding material to a corner).

Phase 4: Farrowing and lactation (Month 12)

What happens: The sow farrows (gives birth) to 8-12 piglets. This is the highest-risk event in pig farming — read our articles on farrowing preparation and post-farrowing sow care before this day.

Key milestones:

• Farrowing day: Be present. Assist if needed (dry piglets, clear airways, ensure colostrum intake within 30 minutes). Dip umbilical cord in iodine. Count piglets — record number born alive, stillborn, mummified.
• Day 3 post-farrowing: Inject each piglet with 1ml iron dextran (150mg iron) IM in the neck. This prevents anemia and is the highest-ROI intervention in pig farming.
• Day 3-5: Give toltrazuril orally to prevent coccidiosis.
• Day 7-14: Check that all piglets are nursing and gaining weight. If the sow has no milk or not enough milk, see our article "When Oxytocin Fails" immediately.
• Day 14: Circovirus vaccine for piglets.
• Day 21: Mycoplasma vaccine for piglets.
• Day 28: Start creep feed (small amounts of starter feed in a shallow tray).
• Day 42: Weigh piglets — target 8-12kg.
• Day 56: Deworm piglets with ivermectin. Start weaning preparation.
• Day 60-70: Wean piglets. The sow returns to heat 3-7 days after weaning — the cycle begins again.

Financial summary: Year 1

• Total costs: 570,000 FCFA (setup + feed + vet)
• Revenue: 210,000-252,000 FCFA (selling 2 pigs) + 8-12 weaned piglets worth 360,000-720,000 FCFA (at 45,000-60,000 FCFA each) = 570,000-972,000 FCFA total
• Net Year 1: 0 to +400,000 FCFA (break-even to modest profit, plus you now have a productive sow)

You have now completed the full cycle from Day 1 to your first litter. The sow will produce 2 litters per year for the next 4-5 years. From Year 2 onward, your costs drop (no setup costs, only feed + vet) and your profits rise. Welcome to pig farming.

Sources & References

• [1] Jaguza Farm: Expensive mistakes that pig farmers do — improper feeding, water/feed trough placement, management errors for beginners. Source: jaguzafarm.com
• [2] Minidota Agro Allied: Common Mistakes That Reduce Profit in Pig Farming — start small, learn management, expand after first cycle. Source: minidotagroallied.com