Pig
Sus scrofa domesticus
Domesticated pigs raised intensively for pork production, common in peri-urban and high-potential agricultural areas with reliable feed supply.
Species
Porcine
Family
Suidae
Climate requirements
Performs best in moderate climates (18-27C) with good housing to manage heat stress, since pigs cannot sweat effectively; requires shade, wallowing/cooling provision, and good ventilation in hotter areas.
Husbandry guide
House pigs in a concrete-floored sty with good drainage, roughly 1-1.5sqm per grower and more for sows, providing shade and a wallow or water spray for cooling. Feed a balanced, high-energy ration (commercial pig feed or a home-mixed maize/protein-source ration) matched to growth stage, and vaccinate against African Swine Fever risk factors via strict biosecurity (ASF has no vaccine) alongside routine deworming.
Economic importance
A fast-growing, high-feed-conversion-efficiency enterprise increasingly popular in peri-urban Kenya, supplying a growing pork/processed-meat market, though vulnerable to African Swine Fever outbreaks that require strict biosecurity.
Breeds
Large White
A widely kept commercial pig breed in Kenya, white-skinned and lean, valued for large litter sizes and efficient feed conversion.
Averages 10-12 piglets per litter with good mothering ability; reaches market weight (80-100kg) in roughly 5-6 months under commercial feeding.
Hampshire
Primary uses: Meat. FAO DAD-IS conservation risk status (Kenya): Unknown.
Landrace
Primary uses: Meat. FAO DAD-IS conservation risk status (Kenya): Unknown.