The secret to success: How one entrepreneur built everything from scratch

Who would have thought that animals can also contribute to someone’s success in life?

A 33-year-old woman decided to take the risk of putting up a fattening business and quit her job 14 years ago when she was only 19 years old.

Commercial fattening of livestock, most notably pigs and cattle, has been a part of the agricultural practices in the Philippines for many decades. 

Most people want to start this business because they know how much profit they can get from it, but for Geleen Garcia, it was a leap of faith.

She only had three fatteners with a P30,000  investment, until three became five, then 10, until she finally has 30 pigs.  

“Tapos nakaipon po kami, nakabili na po kami ng lupa sa Norzagaray. Unti-unti lang nakapundar, from scratch po talaga. Wala pong pamana na lupa. Lahat po pinag-ipunan namin, alam din po yan ng mga tao sa paligid namin,” she said.

“Pati mga kapitbahay po dun sa piggery nasaksihan po nila yung unti-unti na po kami nakakapag extend ng lupa then nakakapag expand na po ng kulungan.”

In 2018, she was one of the individuals in the fattening industry who received a scholarship in Husbandry at the International Training Center on Pig Husbandry (ITCPH) course provided by the Soro-soro Ibaba Development Cooperative (SIDC) in Batangas. 

“Libre po lahat, pati accommodation. Nagtetraining po ng pag-collect ng semen, sa mga sakit po sa pigs kung ano po mga gamot at vaccines, pag-A.I., pag-handle sa mga inahin, biik, at fatteners, as in lahat po ituturo na sa 6 months.” 

Through the piggery business, Garcia.was  able to buy a 200 sqm house in 2015 and a farm lot of 400 sqm.

She is very particular about things that the hog farmers should know about this business. 

Here are some of her recommendations:

1. Know different breeds of pigs – If looking to expand your sow population for piglet production, consider opting for Landrace or Large White breeds. Landrace pigs are known for their maternal instincts, adaptability, and white coats while Large White, also known as Yorkshire pigs, excel in large size, lean meat production, and efficient feed conversion in commercial farming. For pig fattening purposes, the Duroc breed is a popular choice due to its reddish-brown color, rapid growth rate, and superior meat quality. When discussing the White Pietrain, it typically refers to Pietrain pigs with predominantly white coats. Pietrain Duroc refers to a cross-bred pig resulting from a mating between Pietrain and Duroc breeds. If you want to do lechon business, you can consider native pig breeds.
2. Pigs should have complete vaccinations – Sows and piglets must complete vaccines to fight viruses. They are prone to pneumonia, and also their mortality gets high, which is as contagious as hog cholera.
3. Feeding process – Piglets should learn to eat while still nursing. This way, their digestive system will get used to grinding food and won’t get startled when interrupted while eating which most of the time is the reason why they get diarrhea.
4. Do not overfeed – When pigs, especially piglets, are overfed, they may experience diarrhea, so it’s essential to weigh their food intake.
5. Feeding time should be consistent – Pigs should be fed at consistent times they’re used to, as tardiness can induce stress, resulting in a weight loss of up to 3 kilograms.
6. Pig pens should be cleaned regularly – They should be cleaned as many times as they eat. Just because they are pigs doesn’t mean they’re inherently dirty; like humans, they also dislike filth.

Over the years, Garcia has had positive feedback on her pig’s intake of Hoover Feeds. 

“Maganda po manimbang ang aming mga fatteners. Manipis ang taba, mapula ang laman. Sa biik naman po, napansin naming mabilis lumaki pati na rin sa inahin na mabilis makarecover ang katawan.”

For her, it is necessary to choose a nutritious feed for the pigs, and for her, Hoover Feeds is the best choice. 

Unlike other feeds, Hoover Feeds is very budget-friendly, and its products have a pleasant and mild scent around the pigs.

Hoover Feeds Corporation, based in San Rafael, Bulacan, distributes premium-quality feed products tailored to the nutritional requirements of livestock and poultry.

It offers different feed products for each hog raiser: Hog Booster, Pre-Starter,  Hog Starter, Hog Grower, Hog Finisher, Hog Broodsow, and Hog Lactation. These products assist every hog raiser in providing adequate nutrition to their pigs, cattle, and other livestock, ensuring they become healthier and market-ready promptly. 

(For more information, follow Hoover Feeds Facebook, Hoover Feeds Instagram, and Hoover Feeds TikTok pages. Order at 09228023784,  (044)8931069, or hooverfeedscorporation@gmail.com)