Pig Farmer

A pig farmer manages a commercial pig production enterprise, overseeing breeding, feeding, health, and welfare of pig herds across farrowing, growing, and finishing stages. The role involves day-to-day operational decisions on feed management, disease prevention, facility maintenance, and compliance with Australian animal welfare standards and biosecurity regulations. Pig farmers may operate independently or manage staff on small to large-scale operations, and sell pigs through auctions, processors, or direct supply arrangements.

Monitor and manage pig nutrition by formulating or sourcing appropriate feed rations, adjusting for growth stage, health status, and seasonal feed cost variations. Conduct daily health inspections of pigs to identify signs of illness, lameness, or injury, and administer veterinary treatment or isolate affected animals. Maintain farrowing records including sow reproductive cycles, litter size, survival rates, and weaning data to track herd productivity and genetics. Implement biosecurity protocols including quarantine procedures for new stock, cleaning and disinfection schedules, and visitor access controls to prevent disease introduction. Manage facility infrastructure including ventilation systems, water supply, heating lamps, and pens to maintain optimal environmental conditions for pig welfare. Comply with Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for pigs, including space requirements, environmental enrichment, and housing design standards. Arrange transport and sale of market-ready pigs to abattoirs, processors, or livestock markets, managing logistics and negotiating prices. Maintain financial records of production costs, feed expenses, veterinary bills, and sales revenue to monitor farm profitability and plan budget.

The standard entry pathway requires a bachelor degree or higher (ABS Skill Level 1). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

Profit margins are thin and volatile. Feed costs and processor prices swing wildly, and disease outbreaks can wipe out months of income overnight. You'll work seven days a week with early starts and late nights, especially during farrowing. Biosecurity means isolation from casual social contact, and the emotional toll of managing animal welfare while running a business can be heavy.

• Adaptability and Flexibilitycore
• Administer drugs to facilitate breedingcore
• Administer treatment to animalscore
• Attention to Detailcore
• Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracycore
• Goal Setting and Planningcore
• Incident Reportingcore
• Inventory Trackingcore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Record Managementcore
• Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Supplier Communicationcore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Workload Self-Managementcore
• Advise on animal purchase
• Advise on animal welfare
• Continuous Learning and Upskilling
• Invoicing and Billing Administration
• Negotiation
• Process Improvement Identification
• Research and Analysis
• Verbal Communication
• Written Communication

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

Last updated: 30 October 2026