Success Stories
An entrepreneur with pig breeding farm
With an aim to utilize kitchen waste as suggested by my mother Late Dangi Murmu, I bought 2 piglets of improved breeds from Green Dream Farm (Pig breeding farm of Mr. Jerome Soreng), Gorgora, Baliguma in the year 2008. I often used to visit the pig farm owned by Mr. Soreng for suggestion and advice. His dedication, hard work and his healthy pigs in the farm generated curiosity in me to start pig farming.
In the mean time I got the information of a programme organized by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, East Singhbhum at Gorgora on “Capacity building of Pig Farmers” and I was fortunate enough to attend it. I could conceive scientific methods of pig farming. Good breeds, housing and feed management, healthcare and marketing strategies in pig rearing were discussed in the programme by the expert scientists. In the mean time I could manage to construct two rooms for the pig rearing. I bought five females and male piglets of T&D breed to start my dream project.
Consistent support and expert knowhow of Dr. Rabindra Mohan Mishra, Subject Matter Specialist (Animal Husbandry), Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Darisai, East Singhbhum under Birsa Agricultural University, made me feel confident in going with the project. I could attend a number of programme organized by KVK both on and off the farms. Now I was quite ambitious with the project. My first batch of five pigs started furrowing piglets one after other after about a year. I could fetch good returns from the first lot by selling about 32 piglets for Rs 35200/- (Rs. Thirty Five thousand and two hundred only).
The second furrowing, just after about seven months shocked me and shook my confidence as the newly born piglets started dying at about two to five days. Dr Mishra of KVK diagnosed the problem and said that the occurrence was due to faulty feeding and management during pregnancy period. The piglets died due to agalactia i.e. no milk secretion in the udder due to over feeding and overweight sows. I learnt a lesson to manage my breeding stock by providing balanced feeding and management. Then onwards I never looked back and the enterprise has proven a boon for me and my family.
I bought a carry van (Tata Ace) to collect kitchen waste from Jamshedpur on loan received from Gramin Bank, Dimna, Jamshedpur. In the mean time I received some good T& D Pigs from Krishi Vigyan Kendra for demonstration too. Gradually I expanded my farm and increased the number of breeding stock in my farm. I am happy to say that I got some pigs of Ghunghroo breed from KVK for experimenting its performance and is very much liked by the rural farmers. About three hundred plus families have been benefited with improved pig rearing through me. About fifty farmers come to visit my farm every month. KVK, Darisai has promoted many farm families to adopt pig farming through exposure to my farm.
By the end of 2013 I am proud to say that I have expanded my farm for keeping about 150 (one hundred and fifty) pigs in Bhagaband, near Pipla, Jamshedpur. I have sold pigs (both piglets and fatteners) for Rs five lakhs in 2013 by spending about Rs one lakh eighty thousand only. I have projected to sell pigs for Rs eight lakhs in this year by spending about Rs three lakhs only.
I am happy and confident on this enterprise and it is proving to flourish in the days to come.
Pig Farming- An enterprises with success
Mangal Murmu, a young dynamic villager of Bhagaband in Beko Panchyat was motivated to adopt commercial pig farming during a training programme organised by Krishi Vigyan Kendra in the year 2008. He was exposed to pig farms at Gorgora in Jamshedpur and RVC Ranchi. He started a pig farm with a very low investment of Rs 7500/ (seven thousand five hundred only). He purchased one male and four female piglets of T & D pig breeds and maintained in a two room concrete housing. The feed management was as per the recommendation of KVK expert (50% Kitchen waste + 50% grain). His objective of initiating the farm was to learn the basics of pig farming and to gain experience. He skilled himself in vaccination techniques and basics of pig health care through attending training programmes frequently organised at KVK. Krishi Vigyan Kendra East Singhbhum further strengthened his farm by demonstrating elite stock of T&D and Ghoongroo breed pigs.
After about a year he received 25 piglets from the four first time farrowers(sows). As per his plan he sold the piglets at two months old age each for Rs. 1200 and received an income of Rs 30,000. He constructed four roomed shed with thatched roof. By the end of year 2009, he procured 6 more sows as breeding stock and a boar from RVC, BAU, Ranchi. From 2010 onwards Shri Murmu never looked back and is now one of the successful pig growers of East Singhbhum.
At a glance on time-line of Sri Mangal Murmu
Year | No of pigs (in the year) | Total income/ year | Net income/ year | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|
2009 | 6 adults +30 piglets | 30000 | 12000 | Dissemination of T & D - 12 households |
2010 | 12(sow)+2(male) breeding stock + 64 piglets | 75,000 from piglets+ 25,000 from fatteners | 45,000 | 33 Households adopted T & D |
2011 | 15+ 3,145 piglets | 1,50,000 from piglets + 70,000 from fatteners | 1,00,000 | 50 households |
2012 | 20 +4+ 185 piglets | 3,00,000 | 1,60,000 | -A new farm in 4000 sq ft area is developed with 18 sheds. -A Tata Ace is purchased(financed) -Ghoongroo breed introduced |
2013 | 24+4+ 200 piglets | 4,00,000 | 2,10,000 | -farmers’ meet organised -12 exposure visits organised at farms -Shri Murmu was called as a resource person to motivate new farmers -pig farming is disseminated widely |
In the end of 2013, the farm has about 35 adult pigs(28+7), 43 castrated males, 64 piglets(15 to 25 kg. weight). Seeing the potency, Gramin Bank has released 2,50,000 as a loan to further strengthen the farm. It is an encouraging success story for those who seek employment through livestock farming.
Borax: Boon for cauliflower growers in East Singhbhum
In East Singhbhum district cauliflower is grown as mid & late season crop & cultivated in almost 11 blocks of our district. The soil of the district is 77% acidic & its pH varies from 4.1 to 7.3. Cauliflower crop act as indicator plant for boron deficiency & it is immobile in acidic soil therefore, deficiency symptoms first appeared on its vegetative parts like browning of curd & hollowness in stem part. Continuous & intensive cultivation of vegetable in same field also responsible for boron deficiency in soil & sometimes rotting & browing of curd head goes to an extent of 70 to 80%. Since, establishment of KVK, East Singhbhum it was observed that farmers used to sprayed pesticide, other chemicals or growth hormones to overcome of this problem that was due to their unawareness.
Keeping this in view a OFT was conducted in 10 farmer’s field during 2006-07, after getting satisfactory result in application of borax in spray @ 15 kg/ ha (Yield 203.20 q/ha and 10% rotting) as compared to soil application of borax @ 10 kg/ha (Yield 194.20 q/ha and 15% rotting) control (Yield 153.20 q/ha and 40% rotting) it was verified through Front line demonstration in Patamda, Jamshedpur, Ghatsila, Dhalbhumgarh and Potka block during 2008 & 2012 to judge the efficiency of borax in minimizing the menace.
The result indicated increased production & productivity that might be possible only due to decreased browning & rotting of heads of cauliflower. Field day (5 nos) was also organized for it broader dissemination. The farmers were convinced of application of borax in spray @ 15 kg/ha twice, first after 20-25 DAT & second 40-45 DAT sowing for its effective result. Through FLD 115 farmers of Potka block, village Bhurkadih implemented borax trial in their cauliflower field during 2012 & were benefited much. The browning & rotting of curd was also observed negligible. The curd colour, firmness was also found better. On an average 375 q/ha yield was observed in borax sprayed field as compared to 195 q/ha in control. The net return was found to be around Rs. 1,12,500.00 per ha, where as benefit cost ratio was 2.50. Now other farmers of the village Bhurkadih & nearby villagers adopted this practice. As borax is available in local market therefore farmer are not facing any difficulty in its purchases.
With the commencement of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, East Singhbhum in 2004-05
With the commencement of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, East Singhbhum in 2004-05 the experts of KVK engaged themselves to identify the potential areas where intervention could be made for a significant outcome. It was possible through exercising the different survey tools that in the Santhali dominant district, one of the sectors with a tremendous potency was pig rearing.
With the aim of enhancing the productivity in pig farming T & D breed was chosen for the front line demonstration. First demonstration on the T & D breed was conducted in the villages Sidhadanga and Susnigaria of Ghatsila block. Farmers Sri Durga Majhi and Sri Diku Soren was given T & D piglets a male and a female and a male & two female, respectively on the eve of first “Kisan mela” organised on 31st January 2006 at KVK, East Singhbhum. Both the farmers were trained for scientific ‘rearing of pig’. Regular visit by KVK experts to the farmer’s field and guidance strengthened their skills. Both the farmers managed their pigs with farm residues and kitchen wastes. By the end of the year 21 piglets were farrowed with almost two farrowing per year received by the farmers there after. Till the end of 2008, Sri Durga Majhi of Sidhadanga had 28 piglets and Sri Diku Soren of Susnigaria got 60 piglets. They had respectively earned Rs. 30000.00 and Rs. 60000.00 each by selling the piglets. The grand and significant success in the view of KVK was a wide dissemination of the most suited, black colored, quick body weight bearing, highly prolific, well adoptive, disease resistant T & D breed among many villages of the district. A few could be named as Sukrigariya, Narga, Bhilaipahari, Kanyaluka, Roam & Cholagora, Jagannathpur, Naldoha etc are the villages under different blocks of the district.
With the perception that the breed was performing so well in the region KVK, East Singhbhum carried its voyage for its further dissemination through organising FLDs on pigs. In the year 2007, Prof J. Soreng, a retired person who adopted farming as a hobby was selected as a resource rich farmer for T & D’s demonstration in KVK’s adopted village Gorgora in Jamshedpur block. He participated in training programmes & workshops organised by KVK very frequently. Two males and four females of pigs were given in demonstration. Mr. Soreng’s dedicated, hard work and interest had emmersed his farm as a model pig farm for the new comers in pig rearing occupation. Now, he is maintaining about fifty pigs of T & D and could be able to provide piglets to the farmers of the East Singhbhum and Saraikela Kharsawan districts. His annual income through the sell of piglets was about Rs. 1.0 lakhs and finished pigs (fatteners) were Rs. 85000.00 (Rs. Eighty five thousand only).
By organising frequent training, workshops, exposure visits and field days at the successful farmers’ farm we were able to equip our farmers with the recent techniques of pig farming. Farmers of Bhagabandh, Baghuriya, Chakuliya, Gorgora, Jagannathpur, Ulda, Naldoha, Sunderdih are the one among many who have started pig farming as an enterprises. Their new venture has started rewarding good returns compared over their traditional pig rearing methods. Coming to the peroration, KVK, East Singhbhum with a dream sails in a boat of hope to continue its journey with the inspiring words that “Knowing is not enough; we must apply willing is not enough; we must do it.”