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Guinea Pigs Business Takes Off
Guinea pigs make great pets, but they also produce a nice income sideline for Mose Jr. and Barbie Zook. Their 500-head operation got its start with 3 adults and 9 young pigs.
  “We needed some added income when we got married,” explains Zook. “A year later we had 150 head.”
  Zook feeds his guinea pigs barley sprouts over dry hay, plus the barley water from his hand-built sprouting system.
  “The coarse hay helps balance out the protein and moisture in the sprouts,” says Zook. “When we switched to sprouts and sprout water, we quit supplemental vitamins and minerals and saw a 15 percent increase in production.”
  Zook works with a broker who distributes his guinea pigs to pet stores. Zook says a standard breeding pair sells for about $25. Specialty breeds can go as high as $150 for a pair.
  “We raise different colors and breeds, including tricolor with white stripes in front, deep chocolate, and various shades of tan, black and gray,” says Zook. “We have long-haired breeds, as well as a breed called the Teddy with a rough coat that looks like it has a Teddy Boy hairstyle.”
  Zook says the long-haired breeds sell for $150 for a pair, while the Teddys sell for $110. He is currently working with another breeder on a new long-haired line that he plans to market for around $175 per pair.
  “The guinea pigs are kept in pens with about 9 females and 1 male per pen,” says Zook. “We average about 9 babies per day.”
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Mose Jr. and Barbie Zook, 19 Sinclair Rd., Delta, Penn. 17314 (ph 717 862-3784).



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2015 - Volume #39, Issue #4