The Pig Interest Group was started as a student initiative to help the pigs at Onderstepoort.  It lets students gain some experience and sparks an interest in pigs that will last a whole career.

The P.I.G. has a unique working system. A group of 6 students is assigned one of 10 sows. They must now look out for their pig, from vaccinations, to helping with farrowing and looking after the weaners; the students will do it all. The students will also be granted the opportunity to visit other piggeries and see how they work first-hand.

P.I.G has recently constructed their first committee and they are planning on making positive changes in 2019. The group is putting great emphasis on health and welfare of pigs. It is constructing necessary training protocols with interactive training sessions and virtual tutorials. Savanna Stutchbury, the education representative, will exercise veterinary skills of the students by giving them challenges. This is with the help of people from industry and our very own lecturers.

As we all know, pigs are smart and curious creatures. Therefore, we encourage students to think of creative and intuitive ideas to improve the pigs welfare.

Students will have a chance  to learn about pigs in a fun and interactive way. They will also get a chance  to meet role-players in the pig industry. The P.I.G. will also be making sure that the social appetites of students are  satisfied with exciting social events.

To keep updated with all things P.I.G., follow us on our social media platforms. Facebook: OP Pig Interest Group. Instagram: @op_pig

2019 – The year of the pig!