# Average Processing Costs



## GW Farms

Can anyone give me an idea of what they are paying for the average total processing cost for a 280-300 lb pig ? And also what are folks selling their butchered pigs for (ie., half pig = $275?? / full pig = $450??)

I am looking for just the standard processing and not any custom smoking, etc., as I know that is always going to be over and above the basic price.


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## simplefarmgirl

for basic cut and wrap & slaughter I pay 95.00 for anything 230 and under for anything over 230 I pay .40 a lb

any of our butchered pigs being sold in halves or wholes are 3.00 a lb


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## MullersLaneFarm

We custom raise our Berks on pasture for $350/hog. Processing cost are above and beyond & are between the processor and the hog owner. They are totally dependant on how much you get made into sausage and smoked items.


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## PatchofHeaven

Our Butcher charges $.40 cents per pound. I haven't ever sold a butchered pig - we raise for own freezer.


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## Kimon

.45 cents a pound here, plus 25 dollar kill charge and a enviromental fee of 5.00

Smoked meats are 60 cents a pound additional

We dont sell to retail customers but do pig shares - cost of feed plus 25% then split the butcher fee.


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## mpillow

Kimon said:


> .45 cents a pound here, plus 25 dollar kill charge and a enviromental fee of 5.00
> 
> Smoked meats are 60 cents a pound additional
> 
> We dont sell to retail customers but do pig shares - cost of feed plus 25% then split the butcher fee.


Thats what I paid about $140 per pig in butcher fees w/ hams and bacon smoked...

To sell a side today including butcher fee ....at least $250....for family.


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## Siryet

we pay .39 per lb hanging weight for cut and wrap plus $20.00 kill fee.

We sell our hogs .80 per lb on the hoof, plus $40.00 for purchase/pickup fee, delivery fee to butcher, and a 30 day guarantee living fee in the beginning of the season.


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## highlands

Here in northern Vermont it is currently running about $35 to $55 for slaughter, gutting and chilling and then 63Â¢/lb to 70Â¢/lb for cut & wrap based on hanging weight. This means:

250 lb live weight finisher pig $45 slaughter, gut & chill
250 x 72% = 180 lbs hanging weight x 63Â¢/lb = $113 butchering (cut & wrap)
Total = $158

Yield after cutting is typically 67% of hanging giving about 121 lbs of cuts for the freezer. You get more more if you take oddments like head, feet, tail, etc.

$158 / 121 lbs = $1.30/lb for processing.

Add to that $1.30/lb the cost of the piglet, food, housing, fencing, etc to get your final cost per pound for the meat.

Cheers

-Walter
Sugar Mountain Farm
in the mountains of Vermont
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/blog/
http://HollyGraphicArt.com/
http://NoNAIS.org


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## celticfarmgal

we are paying $20 for the shop to slaughter,skin , hang , USDA grade and cut in half ,chill and bag it. we pick it up as two butchered halves and cut it up further on our own
we get pigs at the sale barn for around 20-50 cents a pound
makes for excellent cheap pork to fill our freezer


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## doing it in NM

I presale my pigs for $160 each plus processing. I turn them over at about 220 lbs and it costs about $120 to 140 each depending on real weight. That includes bacon, ham and sausage. I bought 12 pigs today, had payment in advance for them and around the end of Sept., I'll take them for processing. I could get more if I advertized, but I like this simple and money in hand.


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## Anderson farms

Here in northern Mo I get $1.00 a pound hanging weight. The place I use charges $47.00 kill and disposal fee. .45 cents a pound to cut and vacuum pack. and .50 cents to cure bacon and hams.


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## KYBOY

$30 to kill and .35 cents a pound to process around here. I do it myself though...


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## buspete

We took a different route. Instead of selling pork, we sold people the "pig experience".

The customer comes here and helps butcher "their" pig, which give me free labor.

They bring work clothes, their favorite knife, plastic bags and a cooler for their meat (and of course, the checkbook). They usually bring a camera too, remember that this is not just buying meat, it is an "experience".

I shoot it, one of the volunteers helps me roll it over and stick it, we all drag it to the hoist and after a few minutes instruction, they skin it. I help them cut it into the primary cuts, then give them instruction and a clean work table to further cut the primaries into chops etc.

It's kind of like Tom Sawyer letting the other kids paint the fence for him if they give him a quarter...only at $2.50 per pound, liveweight.

I get to keep the parts they don't want to take home with them, stuff like feet, head, skin, tail, most innards. (remember that it is their pig, half, whatever, most people don't want a pig head, just the "good stuff") Because they buy the pig, it is their property and a USDA facility is not needed.

I don't even need to chase the silly pigs into a trailer.


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