Parasites burden in peri-urban free-roaming pigs in Gert Sibande District Municipality, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa.

Background: Parasite infections, unlike regulated animal diseases, do not often receive attention. In fact, parasites are major sources of financial losses in pig enterprises, particularly in subsistence and small-scale pig production systems.

Objective: To identify and quantify the prevalence of ecto- and endo-parasites among peri-urban free-roaming pigs (FRP) in Gert Sibande District Municipality (GSDM), Mpumalanga.

Production constraints of smallholder pig farms in agro-ecological zones of Mpumalanga, South Africa.

South African pig sector is a contributor to the agricultural industry. A study was conducted to identify the production constraints and compare the management practices in smallholder pig farms in Mpumalanga, South Africa. A total of 220 selected smallholder pig farmers were interviewed.

Is a 10-sow unit economically sustainable? A profitability assessment of productivity amongst small-holder pig farmers, Mpumalanga, South Africa.

The majority of small-holder pig farmers in Mpumalanga had between 1- and 10-sow herds. The main aim of this study is to evaluate the current government agricultural intervention (supply of 10 sows and a boar) in terms of technical and economic feasibilities and ascertain whether the small-scale pig value chain system alleviates poverty. Data were obtained from 220 randomly selected small-holder pig farmers using a semi-structured questionnaire.