Breeding guinea pigs is profitable, interesting and at the same time very rewarding. The guinea pig is a species of rodent that belongs to the family mumps and gender guinea pig. It belongs to the rabbit family and is native to South America.
These little creatures are also known as guinea pig Where Cuy like cattle. No one seems to know why they’re called ‘Guinea pigs“.
They do not belong to the pig family Suidae and are not native to Guinea. But their silhouette evokes a little pig, and the name Guinea is a deformation of Guyana, a country in South America.
Guinea pig breeding is not a new concept. These animals are kept for food for a long time.
They were first domesticated as early as 5000 BC for food by tribes in the Andean region of South America (several thousand years after the domestication of South American camels).
Statues dating from around 500 BC. – 500 AD, depicting guinea pigs, was discovered during archaeological excavations in Peru and Ecuador.
Guinea pigs were introduced to Europe in the 16th century. And since then they have spread all over the world.
Several species of wild guinea pigs are currently found in South America. And they’re hunted as game, and they’re considered a great delicacy.
Guinea pig breeding is gaining popularity all over the world. These little animals are made up entirely of plants in their diet and eat much the same as rabbits.
There is probably no animal in the world that is easier to handle with guinea pigs than guinea pigs. They are very easy to tame, do not make noise, do not have an unpleasant smell, are very robust and healthy.
They are generally disease free and very easy to breed. And all these advantages make the guinea pig trade very pleasant and also very profitable. However, below we will share more information about the guinea pig breeding business.
Use of guinea pigs
Before starting a guinea pig breeding business, you should be aware of the use of guinea pigs.
Guinea pigs are versatile animals and are used for a variety of purposes. Most often they are used for food, as pets and for scientific purposes.
Like the food
Guinea pigs are excellent for food purposes, but are not accepted in many countries and communities due to local or religious restrictions.
Guinea pig meat still forms the bulk of the diet in Peru and Bolivia (especially in the Andean highlands).
The meat is also eaten in parts of Ecuador and Colombia. If you plan to raise guinea pigs for meat, first determine your marketing strategies.
You can contact some foreign buyers if you cannot sell in the local market. Guinea pigs are usually bought and sold at local markets and large municipal fairs.
Raising guinea pigs is a more profitable source of food and income than many traditional animals such as pigs and cattle, as these animals require much less space than traditional livestock and reproduce very quickly.
Guinea pigs can be raised by urban and rural families for extra income.
The meat of these animals is rich in protein and low in cholesterol and fat. The meat is described as rabbit meat and dark chicken meat.
like pets
Guinea pigs are probably the easiest animals to control. The demand for guinea pigs as pets is therefore very high. They are completely harmless and very interesting animals.
They are safe even for children as they do not bite or scratch.
As a hobby, breeding guinea pigs is very interesting and instructive, as many experiments can be performed during breeding.
If you are considering starting a business that raises guinea pigs to sell as pets, contact your local pet store first. So that you can easily sell your products in the local market.
Scientific use
Guinea pigs are used not only for food and as pets, but also for scientific purposes. And perhaps no animal is as well suited to scientific experiments as the guinea pig.
In the testing and analysis of serums and antitoxins, as well as for experimental purposes, their need is enormous, thousands and thousands of them are used every year.
The demand here is steadily increasing and if they could be obtained at a reasonable price, many more would be used.
How to Start a Guinea Pig Business
Starting a guinea pig business is very easy. Guinea pigs are very hardy animals and they require much less care and maintenance.
However, follow these steps to successfully start and run a guinea pig business.
Houses
First of all, you must prepare the house before bringing the animals. Although guinea pigs do not need a large or elaborate home.
You can easily make them a home. Guinea pigs are generally raised in two housing systems: pens and cages.
Drawer system
Breeders prefer to keep guinea pigs in cages. The cage system requires less space, is easier to handle and also easier to keep warm in winter.
Make the cage so that each cage can accommodate a male, 3-4 females and juveniles before weaning.
The cage door should cover almost the entire facade, you can make the door with a metal mesh.
There should be a protective opening in the back for ventilation. Each cage should have a shelf about four inches high in the back, as they also like to roost underneath.
pen system
Some breeders prefer the pen system, and the guinea pig pen system has some advantages.
The enclosure system gives the animal more space and you have to clean the house less often and this system is more economical.
If you have enough space, we recommend the feather system. But do not forget to protect your animals from predators, a fence will do.
A 60 square foot enclosure is suitable for 30 to 50 guinea pigs. The floor should be covered with debris, and sawdust is best for the bottom layer.
Hay or straw can be used on the sawdust. In winter, boxes with a small opening filled with hay or straw are suitable for these animals.
Buy healthy animals
Once everything is set up perfectly, buy good quality animals for your farm. There are several varieties of guinea pigs that are generally distinguished by their fur.
The English guinea pig or smooth-haired guinea pig is the highest and best known variety.
This variety is also suitable for industrial production. You can also choose any other variety available in your area.
some products
Feeding guinea pigs is very simple. Their natural diet is grass. They usually benefit from a diet with fresh grass hay, such as timothy hay (in addition to feed pellets, which are often made from timothy hay).
Alfalfa is also a popular food. Most guinea pigs eat large amounts of alfalfa.
Guinea pigs should be fed green food at least once a day, which is important to prevent constipation.
Besides grass, other common green foods are green clover, spinach, grass clippings, lettuce, green corn stalks, plantain, celery tops, dandelion, etc.
Certain grains such as bran, corn, oats and wheat are good for them, and these grains make meat and give strength to animals.
Currently, some pet stores sell ready-to-use guinea pig food. You can also feed your animals with this food.
reproduction
Raising guinea pigs is very simple. The males are commonly called boars and the females sows. Usually, a sow can start breeding as early as five weeks old.
But raising a sow at such a young age is not recommended and the recommended age is 3 months or until the sow weighs around 400 grams.
The estrus or estrus cycle of a sow lasts about 16 days. And during this time, the sow will be interested in communicating with the boar for about 8 hours.
And raising guinea pigs can usually take place anywhere within those 8 hours. The average gestation period for these animals is 65 to 70 days.
Guinea pigs do not have a breeding season and can breed year-round, with the peak of births usually occurring in the spring.
They can produce up to five litters per year. The average litter size is 2 to 4 piglets.
Care
Animal care is the key to success in the guinea pig industry. You should always take care of your animals.
Marketing
Selling guinea pigs can be a problem if there is no demand in the local market. Although it is possible to contact the foreign market or buyers for sale.
There are also resellers who buy in bulk. Hospitals, medical schools, agricultural schools, veterinary schools, laboratories, pet shops, etc. are the most active users.
You can contact them by writing to them and telling them that you have guinea pigs for sale.
In short, raising guinea pigs is a very profitable business. These animals are very easy to maintain, and the profits from their breeding are high. There is almost no danger in this trade, as guinea pigs are very hardy and cheaper animals. Almost anyone can start raising guinea pigs without any special preparation or big investment. In any new business, it’s always best to start small. You can start with 10-20 animals initially and expand gradually after gaining some hands-on experience.
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