Post by Victor Eyo

There is one number that determines whether a pig farm is profitable. Most Nigerian farms never calculate it. PSY (Pigs Weaned per Sow per Year) is that number. It measures how many piglets each sow delivers to weaning age across a full year, combining litter size and farrowing frequency into a single profit signal. The formula: (piglets weaned per litter) x (litters per year). A sow weaning 10 piglets with 2.0 litters/year = 20 PSY. Nigerian farms typically average 16-20 PSY. Global top performers hit 30+. Most farms never measure it per sow. That's where the profit leaks. THE MATH (Nigerian 2026) PER MARKET HOG Revenue (90kg x ₦2,500): ₦225,000 Feed (~287kg at FCR ~3.5): - Weaner ~37kg x ₦550: ₦20,350 - Grower ~110kg x ₦450: ₦49,500 - Finisher ~140kg x ₦400: ₦56,000 - Total feed: ~₦126,000 Other variable: - Labour share: ~₦12,000 - Health & vet: ~₦7,000 - Utilities: ~₦5,000 - Post-weaning mortality (~10%): ~₦13,000 - Transport, marketing, sundries: ~₦8,000 - Subtotal: ~₦45,000 Total variable cost: ~₦171,000 CONTRIBUTION PER HOG: ~₦55,000 ANNUAL SOW OVERHEAD Sow feed (2.0 cycles/year): - Gestation 114d x 3kg x ₦450: ₦153,900/cycle - Lactation 28d x ~7kg x ₦600: ₦117,600/cycle - Dry 10d x 3kg x ₦450: ₦13,500/cycle - Annual: ~₦570,000 Boar share (1:18): ~₦23,000 Labour, vet, depreciation, gilt replacement, sundries: ~₦200,000 TOTAL: ~₦800,000 per sow per year BREAK-EVEN ₦800,000 / ₦55,000 = 14.6 PSY ANYTHING LESS THAN 15 PSY IS A LOSS. The sow is consuming more in feed and overhead than she returns in market hog revenue. PROFIT BY PSY (per sow, per year) 10 PSY: -₦250,000 LOSS 12 PSY: -₦140,000 LOSS 14 PSY: -₦30,000 LOSS 15 PSY: break-even 18 PSY: +₦190,000 20 PSY: +₦300,000 24 PSY: +₦520,000 28 PSY: +₦740,000 THE SECRET Most Nigerian farms average 16-18 PSY and feel okay. But "average" is a lie. Behind a 17 PSY herd average, the distribution usually looks like: 10% of sows at 8-12 PSY (active LOSSES) 30% at 13-16 PSY (break-even or marginal) 40% at 17-22 PSY (steady contributors) 20% at 23+ PSY (real profit engine) Your top 20% are subsidizing the bottom 40%. Every parity those bottom sows go through, your farm loses feed, farrowing space, and labour that could be working much harder. THE FIX (FREE) Track per-sow PSY for one cycle. Cull the bottom 20%. Replace with productive gilts. Moving your herd average from 17 to 22 PSY = ₦270,000 more profit per sow per year. Multiply by your sow count to see what's sitting on your floor unmeasured. THE 5-MINUTE TEST Walk your farm tomorrow. Pick any 5 sows. Ask: - How many born alive in her last litter? - How many weaned? - Days from weaning to next service? - How many piglets has she weaned in her productive life? If you can't answer for any of them, you don't have a sow herd. You have a group of pigs you hope are working for you. The math is brutal. The fix is free. Track per sow. Cull the bottom. Watch the profit appear.