14/09/2025
BREEDING AND FATTENING, WHICH IS MORE PROFITABLE IN PIG FARMING?
Both breeding and fattening in pig farming are profitable, but the speed of return (how fast money comes back) is different:
Fattening (buying weaners & raising to market weight)
Timeframe: Usually 5–6 months to raise pigs from 8–10 weeks old to 80–100kg market weight.
Capital: Needs cash upfront to buy piglets (weaners), feed, and medication. Feed cost is the biggest expense (about 70% of total).
Returns: You sell everything at once when the pigs reach market weight. Cash comes faster compared to breeding.
Best for: Farmers who want quicker turnover and cash flow.
Breeding (keeping sows & producing piglets)
Timeframe:
A sow gets pregnant (gestation 114 days = ~4 months).
Farrowing (piglets born).
Piglets are weaned at 6–8 weeks.
So the first income from a new sow takes at least 6–7 months.
Capital: Requires housing for sows and boars, good feeding, and long-term management.
Returns: More sustainable long-term because one sow can produce 16–20 piglets per year (2 litters). If well managed, breeding can build wealth faster but takes patience before the money starts flowing.
Best for: Farmers thinking long-term and ready for management challenges.
Summary:
Fattening = faster cash (you sell in 5–6 months).
Breeding = bigger wealth long-term (but income is slower to start).
👉 Many farmers actually combine both: they keep some sows for breeding and also fatten some pigs, so money flows more regularly.
To learn more about pig farming, follow Link Farms