Pig farming

Pig farming

　　　　Pig farming is a traditional industry in Xishui, where households have long-standing habits and experience in raising pigs. The region enjoys a favorable climate, superior geographical conditions, abundant resources, and ample forage, making it suitable for both cultivation and animal husbandry. In recent years, pig production has developed into a leading industry in our county, with the county Party committee and government vigorously promoting the industrialization of pig farming. The main characteristics of pig production in our county are as follows: 　　First, the total output continues to grow. In 1999, the county’s pig production reached 1 million head, a 34% increase compared to 1996 before the industrialization of pig farming. The number of market-ready hogs reached 535,000, a 32% increase from 1996.

Second, economic benefits continue to improve. Promoting the industrialized operation of pig farming has boosted farmers’ incomes and rural economic development. In 1996, the total output value of the pig industrialization series in the county reached 1.2 billion yuan, a 48% increase from 1996. Farmers’ annual net income increased by 320 yuan due to pig industrialization, which also generated 25 million yuan in tax revenue annually and over 10 million US dollars in foreign exchange earnings through exports.

Third, the scale continues to expand. The county has consistently focused on both large farms and individual households, vigorously implementing the “Ten-Thousand, Thousand, Hundred, Ten” project—namely, the county developing farms with ten thousand pigs, townships with one thousand pigs, villages with one hundred pigs (or households), and groups with more than ten pigs. Especially under the leadership of two “scale farming demonstration farms” in Changliu and Sanhua, a number of specialized farms, specialized villages, and specialized households have emerged, gradually forming a regional economic feature of “one industry across several townships, one product per village.” In 1999, the county had five pig breeding bases (farms) with over ten thousand pigs each, 28 pig farms or households with one thousand pigs, 618 with over one hundred pigs, and 6,480 specialized households with more than ten pigs. Scale production accounted for over 30% of the total output. Five townships in the county had an average of more than one market-ready pig per person, and 236 villages had an average of more than one pig per person. The county has basically formed a pig farming structure led by the Changliu and Sanhua livestock farms, focusing on large farms and households, and based on individual households.

Fourth, the technological content continues to increase. The county has invested a total of 8 million yuan in pig “breed improvement” to enhance pig quality and increase technological content. A preliminary “three groups and one station” system for breeding high-quality stock has been established. The county’s core group of high-quality breeding sows reached 68, with 17 breeding groups of Taihu and Tongcheng sows, and 21 bases of production groups with over one hundred high-quality breeding sows. The county’s high-quality two-way hybrid and purebred sow production groups totaled 25,300, accounting for 92% of the total number of sows. All breeding boars in the county have been replaced with high-quality imported breeds. High-quality hybrid market-ready pigs account for 67%, including 22.3% of the third-generation crossbreeds, and the average lean meat rate of pigs has reached over 50%.

Fifth, distinctive features have basically taken shape. A new leading processing enterprise for pig industrialization—the County Meat Union Group Company—has been established. In the past two years, over 10 million yuan has been invested in technological upgrades, resulting in a range of low-temperature meat products that sell well across the province and beyond. The group handles 400,000 pigs annually, with a total annual output value of 460 million yuan.

Led by a 10,000-ton feed processing plant, there are 46 medium-sized feed processing plants in the county, processing 250,000 tons of high-quality feed annually, ensuring sufficient feed supply for the county’s pig farming.

Focusing on the “five alongs” (along highways, railways, the Yangtze River, towns, and neighboring counties and cities), the county has raised over 8 million yuan to establish 19 pig trading markets. These markets trade over 300,000 piglets annually, with an annual pig trading volume of 70 million yuan.

The northern mountainous area of the county has basically formed an integrated model of corn planting, feed processing, and pig farming. Dalin Township achieved corn output worth over 100 million yuan, with an average of one market-ready pig per person. The central hilly areas have generally formed a model where crop structure is matched with agricultural byproduct processing and pig farming. (Xishui)