Small breeding herd selling weaner pigs

Hobby farmers, homesteaders and small direct-to-customer producers. Other local farms may also buy.

You sell weaners at a set price each, plus a higher price for registered or selected breeding stock. Costs are feed, vet care, housing and your own labour.

• Experience with pig handling and farrowing
• Record keeping for breeding and health
• Spotting illness early
• Building a reputation with repeat buyers

• Premises identification, animal movement reporting and livestock sale rules, so check with your province and the national traceability program
• Biosecurity and disease risk, including African swine fever, which can affect your ability to sell
• Farrowing is demanding in cold weather and takes time, so plan heated, dry housing
• Manure management, odour and setbacks, so check with your municipality and provincial environment ministry
• Piglet prices and feed costs can swing a lot, so avoid relying on one buyer
• Farm liability insurance, which you should confirm with a broker
• You will likely need land and a way to cover animal care on holidays

Estimates typically run around $15,000 to $60,000, depending on land, housing, breeding stock and equipment. Farm liability insurance should be confirmed with a broker, and heated, dry farrowing housing is worth planning for.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $2,000 to $9,000, depending on litter numbers and buyers. Piglet prices and feed costs can swing a lot, so avoid relying on one buyer.

Check premises identification, animal movement reporting and livestock sale rules with your province and the national traceability program. Also check biosecurity, including African swine fever, and manure and setback rules with your municipality.