# How to price a pig?



## FarmerKat (Jul 3, 2014)

We are thinking of selling one of our gilts. She is about 200 lbs, 7 months old, Hereford/Duroc mix, raised on pasture, fruits, veggies & supplemented with non-GMO feed. I am not sure how to go about pricing her. I would be selling her live if someone wants to haul her off. I am also going to talk to a processor about their cost so we would sell her live but the buyer would just pick up the meat from the processor (and pay the processor for their work). 

I know she could put on a bit more weight but she is getting rather ornery when in heat. So I would like for her to go soon. 

We have her sister who is the same size and a red wattle gilt who is at least 500 lbs. We will butcher those two for us ourselves but are waiting for colder weather. As soon as the weather is right and DH is off work, we will butcher the larger pig and shortly after the 2nd one. I wanted to breed the red wattle gilt using AI but while she shows symptoms of heat, she is never in standing heat. That is why we ended up with more pigs than we would like.

However, depending on how much I can get for her, I am not ruling out putting her in our freezer. 

How should I price her? I looked on CL to see how much others are selling for but there were not many pigs this size for sale. I have about $180 - $200 invested in her ($80 for pig + feed). 

Thanks!


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

We get $3.75/lb handing weight + processing. Prices vary considerably regionally as well as with how the animal was raised and fed.

-Walter


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## njenner (Jul 15, 2013)

Last year we sold 1/2 hog for $5/pound hanging weight + slaughter/cut/wrap


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## krackin (Nov 2, 2014)

I get 2.25 hanging delivered to processor. Grain, graze and sweet corn finish. I'm the best deal in my area by far.


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## FarmerKat (Jul 3, 2014)

Thanks ... that gives me something to think about. She is over her heat so she is back to normal behavior. Maybe I can put up with her long enough to put her in our freezer. We'll see ...

On a separate note ... I am not (obviously) able to legally sell meat. If I take her to a processor for someone to buy, do you know if I have to deliver her there alive? Or can we shoot & bleed her and then take in for processing? The processor I am thinking of using is not very far. 

Of course, since it is hunting season, they may be pretty backed up anyway.


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## gerold (Jul 18, 2011)

FarmerKat said:


> Thanks ... that gives me something to think about. She is over her heat so she is back to normal behavior. Maybe I can put up with her long enough to put her in our freezer. We'll see ...
> 
> On a separate note ... I am not (obviously) able to legally sell meat. If I take her to a processor for someone to buy, do you know if I have to deliver her there alive? Or can we shoot & bleed her and then take in for processing? The processor I am thinking of using is not very far.
> 
> Of course, since it is hunting season, they may be pretty backed up anyway.


It may depend on state laws and also depends on the processor. Call your state rep and ask. I would check with the processor first. 

I have a processor here in Mo. allows me to shoot and gut the Hog and they skin it and process it.


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## FarmerKat (Jul 3, 2014)

gerold said:


> It may depend on state laws and also depends on the processor. Call your state rep and ask. I would check with the processor first.
> 
> I have a processor here in Mo. allows me to shoot and gut the Hog and they skin it and process it.


Thanks, Gerold.


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## 92utownxj (Sep 13, 2013)

In Indiana we can sell the animal by live weight so technically the animal is sold before it is processed. The buyer pays us, and they pay for the processing. Several people do it that way. 

The place I take all my animals is inspected. They charge more, but I can sell the individual cuts that way. They do an excellent job. All the cuts are vacuum packed and labelled. There is another place nearby that does not do the inspection, and the cost less. However, they still wrap in paper, and I have not been impressed with the final product. This is a case of you get what you pay for. 

I recent sold a few pigs whole for $2.35 per pound live weight, they pay processing. That is on the lower end price wise around here for comparable product, but it was our first year doing that. These were inspected at no extra charge. I also had 2 processed and inspected that I'll sell as cuts. Lots of people wanted smaller amounts and couldn't afford the cost of a whole or half. It will cost more per pound, but they are happy to pay it. The main downside to selling as cuts is I don't get a big payment at once, and I have to pay for all the processing up front. I do make more in the end though. We made more net profit than I was hoping for so I was very pleased.


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## nchobbyfarm (Apr 10, 2011)

$3/pound hanging and that includes processing.


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## krackin (Nov 2, 2014)

nchobbyfarm said:


> $3/pound hanging and that includes processing.


I tell customers about $3.25 hanging covers average processing, vacuum pack, with average smoked meat. 

I smoke my own.


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## farmsteader6 (Dec 19, 2014)

I am in south east indiana and i have bought 4 pigs from a local farm who typically keeps around 3000 pigs on his farm. I have one at the processor right now. I paid $.51 cents per pound live weight and it cost me $185 to have it processed. The hams, bacon and some of the chops were sent out to be smoked. All the meat is wrapped in paper and labeled. The last pig weighed in at 245 lbs. the largest i bought was 300 lbs.


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

There is a big difference between the commodity confinement raised corn/soy fed 51Â¢/lb pig and naturally raised pastured pork. It all depends on what you want to support and what you want to eat. Nice thing about this country is we do get to make that choice as to what we want. There is room for all types.

By the way, 51Â¢/lb live weight is the equivelant of 71Â¢/lb hanging weight for comparison. 

Hw=72%Lw

as a rule of thumb.

-Walter


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## cooper101 (Sep 13, 2010)

FarmerKat said:


> On a separate note ... I am not (obviously) able to legally sell meat. If I take her to a processor for someone to buy, do you know if I have to deliver her there alive? Or can we shoot & bleed her and then take in for processing? The processor I am thinking of using is not very far.


The processor can help you with that question. We slaughter on-site and then the carcasses are taken to the processor. I sell by the whole and half to the consumer and price on hanging weight. States vary. If they're reputable, the processor will guide you. They won't want to get in trouble over one hog. Also varies by processor. Some will take it in dead from anybody, just like the deer processors. Others only allow an "approved" list of slaughter people. Mine does it that way. It's one way they can keep their quality up. If any old Joe can bring in a carcass, they get varying quality carcasses and varying customer feedback.


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## krackin (Nov 2, 2014)

farmsteader6 said:


> I am in south east indiana and i have bought 4 pigs from a local farm who typically keeps around 3000 pigs on his farm. I have one at the processor right now. I paid $.51 cents per pound live weight and it cost me $185 to have it processed. The hams, bacon and some of the chops were sent out to be smoked. All the meat is wrapped in paper and labeled. The last pig weighed in at 245 lbs. the largest i bought was 300 lbs.


Yup. That is the same stuff you get at a supermarket, and usually cheaper on sale. God luck with that.


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## Tall Grille (May 4, 2011)

I raise pigs for friends and family. We just do it for fun. I have tracked expenses each year. I have averaged my costs each year to $375-$385. I charge $400 for a pig plus processing. I shoot for a 200# hanging weight. This year I did not spend any money on fencing or housing because that is all set for now. My costs are going to be down around $300 this year so I will be getting two pigs in my freezer for the cost of my labor.


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## snettrecker (Jan 27, 2006)

I'm also in Tennessee. right now pigs are going for roughly $1 per pound live weight.


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## krackin (Nov 2, 2014)

I'd guess that I'd need to get about $1.85 a lb. live. I wouldn't mind doing that but haven't had any takers yet.


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## gerold (Jul 18, 2011)

Getting $2.50 lb. live weight. That is for hogs 350 lbs. plus 50 cents lbs. processing. Pasture raised and corn/acorn fattened. Natural raised hogs. No GMO feed. 3 mos. waiting list.


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## FarmerKat (Jul 3, 2014)

snettrecker said:


> I'm also in Tennessee. right now pigs are going for roughly $1 per pound live weight.


Maybe it is regional - a $1/lb of live weight seems really low. I just remembered to look up a local farm that sells pasture raised pork - their price is $2.50/lb hanging weight. They have waiting list for their pork. I do not know why I did not think to look up their prices before (I bought from them before I had pigs).


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## FarmerKat (Jul 3, 2014)

Just wanted to post an update ... I ended up selling the pig for $450 + processing. I estimated she was about 250 lbs live weight so considering the standard formula for hanging weight being 72% of live weight(180 lbs), this price would get me to $2.50/lb of hanging weight. She ended up being 184 lbs hanging weight. 

I feel it is a fair price (my net profit is $250). The only comparison I could find was a local farm that raises their pigs on pasture but their primary food is dairy (from their cows raised organic methods). The pasture is more of a supplement - but they are treated well and not confined. They sell their pork for $2.50/lb of hanging weight.


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

That's a low price but that may be your local price point. We get $3.75/lb+processing here. That sort of thing varies greatly with the local economy.

-Walter


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## FarmerKat (Jul 3, 2014)

highlands said:


> That's a low price but that may be your local price point. We get $3.75/lb+processing here. That sort of thing varies greatly with the local economy.
> 
> -Walter


I just could not find any other local comparison. The other farm I mentioned has great reputation and is well known in the community (although pork is not their primary business). Other comparisons I found were people selling live pigs similar size for WAY less. That is why I offered it as "meat" and facilitated the processing. 

I am pretty sure that if I planned on having extra pigs to sell each year and developed my little niche market, I could set my price higher. I do not think I could go as high as $3.75/lb hanging weight, but probably more than what I decided on. My pigs are on pasture, fed fruits & vegetables in addition to that and occasionally supplemented with non-GMO feed. The farm that I mentioned above uses organic methods - I cannot claim organic. The fruits/veggies we feed are conventional and so is the non-GMO grain. We do not use anything that would not be considered organic on our pasture but we have only been here for 2 years. I think the rule is 5 years of organic methods to consider the land "organic". 

We will be moving (hopefully soon) and it will be easier to be without pigs for that. I will take time to plan the pasture properly before we bring any more pigs.


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