# How much do you lose from live to hanging weight?



## homedad (Feb 19, 2008)

We took two hogs to the butcher. Hanging weight was 144 and 129. What would live weight be? About? I know we can not be exact. Any thoughts?


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## bigmudder77 (Jun 9, 2008)

You get on average 70% back


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## PaulNKS (Jan 11, 2009)

Live weight is just that. The weight of them live before they are killed. Hanging is after they are killed, gutted, etc and hung, before the actual processing begins. 

You have live weight, hanging weight, and processed weight (weight of the actual meat packaged.)

When I still used locker plants, I always went by the coop and used their scales to get live weights. Never trust a locker (slaughter house). Too many of them actually do skim meat.


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## Lazy J (Jan 2, 2008)

The yield for pigs is in the 75% range (65% for cattle, and 55% for lambs) which equates to a live weight of your pigs of only 192 and 172 lbs. That assumes the head and skin were kept with the carcass.

Jim


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

Typically:

HW=72%LW Mostly this is the guts

CW=67%HW There is more good stuff like the head but most people don't want it

See: 

What is a Half Pig Share | Sugar Mountain Farm

What Good is a Pig: Cuts of Pork, Nose-to-Tail | Sugar Mountain Farm

Numbers vary a bit with the pig, how it is processed (e.g., skin vs scald) and how it is cut.

Cheers,

-Walter


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## Hooba39 (Feb 16, 2010)

Were the hanging weights head and skin on or off? I figure the hanging weight x 1.63. After averaging alot of hogs live and hanging weights that's been best for me. According to breeds, how they're fed, backfat....alot of variables. Mine are in the cooler for 3 days, head, guts, feet and skin removed, some places hanging weights are head and skin on the hog which will add another 30-40lbs that you probably aren't keeping but you're paying for anyway.

If anything that should get you close.


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

We do scald and scrape so that is skin, head and feet on with typically about 3/4" of back fat. We hang six to seven days as we're on a weekly cycle and that gives a nice aging.


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## Nezill (May 25, 2010)

We just took a hog to process, hanging weight was 209#. We sell at farm market and have most ground this time even the belly's we keep the chops. They called today and said there was only 90# ground we put a lot into brats and link and bulk sausage. We thought that was a little light on ground. What do you all think. We get the lard. We really like this processor. There cuts are great and love the vacuum seal best processing we have ever had just wondering about skimming.


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

That's a believable amount of ground off of a 209 lb handing weight, especially since you kept the chops out. I think you got all your meat.

Head, bone, skin, trotters all weigh a lot.

Key is to find a processor you trust who does what you need. Then cherish them. It is a long term relationship. Hopefully not a long distance one.


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## Bandit (Oct 5, 2008)

Never dealt with livestock , but here in Mass. , if we tag a 140 # Deer on Cape Cod , After the Ticks Jump Off , we end up with about a 103 # Deer .


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