What started as an unexpected gift from a cousin blossomed into one of Limpopo’s most inspiring agricultural success stories. Tau Leolo, a BSc Agriculture graduate from Moletlane village in Zebediela under the Lepelle-Nkumpi Local Municipality, transformed four pregnant pigs into a thriving enterprise.
By Maile Matsimela, Digital Editor at African Farming
This founder of Leolo Holdings (Pty) Ltd, operating on 7ha of communal land, has already been named champion in the SAPPO National Carcass Competition.
His farming story began in 2017, when he was running a chicken egg operation. He was approached by his cousin, who needed to get rid of his four pigs. “I started this piggery in 2017. Previously we were producing chicken eggs … and it was only after I got gifted pigs by my cousin that I got involved with pigs. I think I just accepted them to see how they would do and because I’m a BSc Agriculture graduate and used to learn about them at school, I decided to give them a shot,” Leolo recalls.
The gift came with an unexpected surprise that would change everything. “Luckily the four sows I was gifted were pregnant, so they gave us piglets in no time,” he explains, adding that his cousin had no idea they were pregnant when he gifted them.
This moment marked the beginning of his production and interest in pigs.
Building The Foundation
With typical entrepreneurial spirit, Leolo didn’t hesitate to invest in proper infrastructure for his unexpected livestock. “We then made a small structure to accommodate them, and as soon as they gave us piglets, we sold some and used others to push the production to 10 sows,” he says.
The early days required careful financial management, with his existing chicken operation providing crucial support. “So, we used the cash from layers to supplement the production of pigs,” he says. This approach allowed him to grow sustainably without compromising either operation.
However, when he later experienced some challenges in the egg market because of the low prices of eggs and higher feed prices, he decided to drop the layers and focus on pig production.
For two years, the operation maintained steady growth. “For two years we worked with 10 sows … and sold their piglets once they were ready for the market,” says Leolo, who also works in the secretariat office of the African Farmers’ Association of South Africa (AFASA) Limpopo and AFASA national.
Mentorship And Strategic Growth
The turning point came when Leolo joined the South African Pork Producers’ Organisation (SAPPO) Mentorship Programme. This mentorship opened doors to structured growth and professional farming practices.
“At the mentorship programme, we were encouraged to increase the number of sows we had… We then moved from 10 to 15, then from 15 to 22 sows. We remained at 22 for a longer period because we did not have a steady market and we couldn’t just keep on scaling for the sake of it.”
As market conditions gradually improved and through the mentorship programme’s guidance on securing buyers, the growth continued strategically. “From 22 we then moved to 30 sows, which is where we are now. We aim to reach 50 sows as our next milestone… Recently, we received a letter of intent from a buyer interested in about 5 000kg, which has given us confidence to plan for further expansion. To be able to consistently match this level of demand, I would ultimately need at least 100 sows, but we’re taking a phased approach to get there safely.”
Leolo’s piggery has a maximum capacity of 400 pigs, with actual numbers varying based on the age and size composition of the herd.
Breed Selection And Performance
Leolo says he started breeding predominantly with Large White but was not impressed with the results. “I then introduced Duroc, so that we can get mixed gilts and do comparisons.” He then found out that in his production Duroc performs well, as he started experiencing low mortality rates and better performance by the piglets. “The weaning stress is also not hectic and the feeding conversion is impressive as well.” Leolo says going forward he is interested in adding the Landrace breed for their excellent mothering, as well as growth and meat quality.
Also read: Waking up to the possibilities of winning in pig farming
Market Challenges and Opportunities
The problem, he says, is not production but getting offtake contracts because this will enable them to plan scaling accurately.
“Most people want to give us a letter of intent, but it is not binding … they can drop you anytime and leave you with an oversupply. If anything, producers should be given offtakes because those are guarantees that enable them to scale and access finance.”
He notes that although a pig can give you up to 19 piglets at a time, consistent market access remains crucial for sustainable growth.
Leolo says that last year, when SAPPO held a carcass competition that he entered, a lot of potential customers were interested in his products. “But the problem is that they demand big supply numbers without giving us any offtakes, so it really becomes risky to take that route.”
Innovation in Feed Management, Current Operations And Future Vision
One of Leolo’s key innovations has been his approach to feed management, which has provided both cost savings and market flexibility. “Home mixing helps us because if we had to use commercial feed, we would grow them to the required age and weight quicker but then we would be stuck [without] buyers … so producing our own feed saves us money and time because we are able to slow down production while we are still sourcing buyers.”
Producing his own feed is saving him up to R2 per kilogram and he also sells his feed to other local pork producers as a form of diversification to keep the piggery afloat.
For this reason, Leolo says he has applied to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Limpopo for a feed mill to match the demand and increase production. “We also have plans to establish an abattoir that can handle at least 10 to 20 a day, and a deboning facility. We have recently received an offer from someone who is interested in 5 000kg of carcass per cycle, and if it all materialises then all the facilities will come in handy.”
He says under the right management, sows can produce piglets 2.38 times a year if you wean at 28 days. Currently, Leolo Holdings has more than 250 pigs, including sows, boars, growers and piglets. The operation features two boreholes, JoJo tanks and a combined pig housing unit.
Employment and Community Impact Vision for Agricultural Development
The business employs four permanent workers, all youth, and provides experiential training to agricultural students. Leolo supplies pork to local shisanyamas, Mokopane Abattoir and outlets such as Something Meaty in Mankweng. His popular flavoured wors varieties (chilli, garlic and barbecue) have also become local favourites.
Leolo believes there is enough land for the government to get most agricultural graduates working and leading smallholder productions.
“Land is not a problem, but farmer support is,” he observes, highlighting systemic challenges facing agricultural development. Leolo, who is passionate about creating opportunities for young people, says graduates should be afforded spaces to work and help eradicate unemployment in the country.
“For example, in this place where we are farming there are about 700ha lying fallow … so if the government can support these graduates to create a hub of commodities here, then nothing can stop us from progressing. We can produce local food and sell it to locals.”
“Also, there are so many government-owned farms that are not productive… Those farms should also be allocated to the right people so that they can be put to good use and boost food security and employment. We can’t be importing chicken while we have so many graduates who can produce chicken here at home,” he says.
