Duroc: New pig breed crunching farmer new profits

He is none other than Harmeet Pal Gearg, the Founder of Coyote Aid Agri International Ltd, and his secret weapon is a unique breed of pigs known as Duroc.

“These are not your ordinary pigs. The Duroc breed is very different from what anybody has seen in Kenya,” he begins confidently.

The Duroc pig is a breed that originates from the United States (US), where they are known as Red Hogs or Red Jersey Pigs.

Unlike common pig breeds, Durocs are praised for their superior meat quality — tender, juicy, and rich in nutrients.

“Their meat has a deep red texture, more minerals, more vitamins, and a marbled fat composition that makes it tastier and healthier,” Mr Harmeet explains.

The meat and the fats are well blended. The intramuscular fat, he says, gives the meat its unique tenderness and flavour, a quality that chefs and consumers love.

Read: Inside a young farmer's thriving pig business in Ngei, Huruma

But beyond meat quality, the Duroc’s hardiness is what excites him most. They are disease and drought resilient, amid the devastating climate change effects in the country — with Kenya listed among the hardest-hit nations in the Horn of Africa by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN).

“These animals have a very strong immune system and adapt easily to various climates,” he says, adding, “When we first imported them, they struggled a bit, and we lost four breeders due to environmental change. But over time, we have improved the genetics, and now our animals are 100 per cent adaptable to East African conditions.”

In Embu’s harsh climate — hot during the day and chilly at night, Harmeet’s pigs are thriving.

“They can survive in both arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL) regions. Whether it’s hot or cold, they grow and reproduce perfectly,” he says. “They are climate-resilient animals, which makes them perfect for this region.”

The Duroc also stands out for its growth rate and efficiency. A mature boar can weigh between 700 and 800 kilogrammes — almost the size of a cow.

In an exclusive interview with Seeds of Gold, the proud farmer who is primarily engaged in breeding stated that the breed’s feed conversion rate is amazing. If it eats one kilogram of feed, he said, it can gain up to two kilograms in weight.

As if that is not enough, the breed’s mothers, he added, are efficient feeders and excellent milk producers despite consuming less feed.

Harmeet’s journey into pig farming, however, has not been a walk in the park. He has faced a myriad of challenges in his quest to rewrite Kenya’s pig industry history.

“I have always been passionate about farming. I started with horticulture — avocados and dragon fruit. But the high cost of manure and transport pushed me to seek a cheaper, sustainable solution,” he explained.

He added, “I realized manure is free in nature, but buying and transporting it was costly. So, I decided to keep animals for manure.”

His first attempt was with cows. He sourced breeding stock from Marsabit, but feeding challenges and costly hay led to heavy losses — about ten animals worth nearly Sh300,000.

Next, Mr Harmeet tried goats. “I bought 300 goats,” he recalled, shaking his head, a sign that all did not go well. “One morning, I woke up to find all of them dead. I lost nearly Sh1 million.”

Harmeet did not quit. He likens himself to Jeremiah in the Bible, who is often considered the proverbial prophet who did not give up, despite facing immense hardship and rejection throughout his decades-long ministry.

Known as the “weeping prophet,” Jeremiah remained faithful to his divine calling even when the people he prophesied to refused to listen.

Read: Want to be a pig farmer? What you need to know

Encouraged by a friend from Uganda, Harmeet turned his focus to pigs. “He told me pigs have good money, they reproduce fast, and mature quickly. In five months, you can sell and recover your investment,” he reminisces.

Determined to succeed, he embarked on rigorous research, visiting more than 100 farms across Kenya in search of the Duroc breed. To his surprise, none had the pure breed.

“I drove from Embu to Kisumu, Nakuru, even to the Coast, but I could not find pure breeds. Many farmers did not even know what a Duroc was,” he recalls.

That is how he identified the gap. Kenya had no genuine Duroc genetics, and the pig sector was lagging far behind other livestock industries.

After countless setbacks — from fraudulent import agents to corrupt officials, Mr Harmeet finally managed to import his first 10 Duroc pigs from South Africa, at a cost of about Sh350,000 per animal.

“Out of the 10, some were duplicates and a few died, but I focused on the ones that survived,” he tells Seeds of Gold. He started breeding locally, and today Coyote Farms boasts over 400 pure Duroc pigs.

In just two years, the farm has transformed from a struggling start-up to a full-fledged breeding and advisory centre. “We are now a one-stop shop for pig farmers,” he says.

Even though he is yet to explore the niche fully, he supplies breeding stock, offers farm consultation, designs and constructs pig houses, provides feed formulas, and even guarantees markets for farmers.

He has created jobs for the youthful generation, who now depend on him for their livelihood.

Irvin John Otieno, the Farm Manager, describes the new pig breed as a cool animal. “They are very friendly to raise and handle. In terms of production, they cannot fail you,” said the young man, who holds a degree in Journalism.

Through this venture, Harmeet has not only created a thriving agribusiness but also solved one of his original problems — access to manure. “Today, I do not buy fertiliser. My pigs provide all the organic manure I need. My dragon fruits weigh up to 1.5 kilograms each, while others in the market average 700 grams. It is pure abundance,” affirms the farmer.

Coyote Farms now sits on a 40-acre piece of land where Harmeet grows avocados and dragon fruits alongside his pigs.

Admitting that he has faced sleepless nights, losses, and setbacks to be where he is, he emphasizes that he is not ready to give up. The sky is the limit.

His commitment comes with lessons. “But I have also learned that farming rewards persistence. You must do proper research, stay disciplined, and never give up.”

Reflecting on his struggles, Harmeet sees purpose in them. Every failure, he says, has taught him something new.

“From losing cows and goats to being conned during importation, all that shaped me. Now, I’m proud to say that I have pioneered the Duroc breed in Kenya,” he stated.

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