is having pigs practical for just two people?

[bj taylor]

i have chickens. we're getting some goats soon. the fencing is going up around 3 acres. the goats will be meat goats that we'll use initially to clear the brush. i like the idea of pigs, but that's alot of animal for just two people. is it ever practical to raise pigs where there is just the 2?

 

[Goatherd]

If you're big pork eaters, I guess not!

 

[BrownSheep]

Raise one for home and one for market.

 

[pridegoethb4thefall]

Don't rule out smaller pigs! Kune kune, American guinea hogs are smaller breeds, give less meat than standard size pigs, plus they eat less and need less. Two is a good idea since they need a buddy, and u can sell one to cover butcher costs or feed costs at the end. You might need a desperate deep freezer, but you'll be set for pork for a year!

 

[Dino]

Efficiency is the key. If efficiency means nothing then raise smaller or slower growing pigs. Btw... 3 is the magic number, sell two and they should cover all your expenses, one won't cover it. Remember the butcher charges a kill fee right off the bat so a bigger pig is more efficient, cost wise. Less salted cuts means the meat lasts longer in the freezer too.

 

[Cricket]

We're raising pigs for the first time in years, but we've had beef and chickens right along. Home raised meat makes great Christmas presents for family and is really good for bartering. Seems as though it would be worth trying it out for a year and seeing if you find it worth your time and money.

 

[ourflockof4]

Efficiency is the key. If efficiency means nothing then raise smaller or slower growing pigs. Btw... 3 is the magic number, sell two and they should cover all your expenses, one won't cover it. Remember the butcher charges a kill fee right off the bat so a bigger pig is more efficient, cost wise. Less salted cuts means the meat lasts longer in the freezer too.

I'm just curious, how much do you sell your meat for. I find it hard to pencil out having 2 hogs pay for one for yourself. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, or my pencil isn't sharp enough, or you are getting a healthy premium for your pork.

Putting a true value to everything & using average numbers here is what I came up with

Feeder pig - $40 (you still have to pay to breed & raise your own if you do so)
Feed cost - $120, #500/hd (10 bags @ $12 each, I buy bulk, but the min order now is 3 tons)
water - $20
Bedding - $20

Total - $200

Current market price is around $80 ctw, your break even would be a live weight of #250. $80 ctw is about $1.25/lb hanging weight. If you get them to #275 insterad you pocket $20. You would need to raise 10 to pay for yours.

My number from our last batch look a little better, but it's a group of 7

Feeders - $40/ea = $280
Feed - $115 = $900. Bought 3 tons total @ $380/tn. Lots of big tempurature swings really threw this group off & increased feed intake. They are around #600-650/hd
Bedding - $8/hd = $55. 1 4x5 corn stalk bale + some straw & junk hay
Water - $15/hd = $100, hard to quantify this. Had to fis the nipple twice & have heater on most of the winter.
Fuel - $10/hd = $70. Gas to get the feeders, feed, fuel for tractor to clean pen
This places no value on my time.

I'm at around $190/hd, or $1,330 for these 7. I'm hopping for #175-200 hanging weight on these hogs. Selling at current market price if they average at #175 I will make $170. If you have a loca market & can get a premium you can get a lot more for them. I don't have that market in my area. This batch was raised in the barn. the last bgroup of 7 I raised was raised on dirt with a shelter & my cost were very close.

If I would have shipped them sooner I could have cut out some cost in feed, but since I had to place a min. 3 ton order I already had it. At the time I got this group corn was $8/bu which made it cheaper to buy then to grind my own feed at home. I could have probably taken a day off work & went to the auction & bought some cheaper pigs, but by the time I figure a days wage at work plus fuel it made more sense to buy good quality feeders from a local farmer. All of the area butchers will buy you in a hog & butcher ot for you, they are charging less then I am.